 He moved to New York City in 1839 and in 1843 graduated at New York University.Before leaving college, he had become connected with the New-York Historical Society, as an assistant to his father, Jacob Bailey Moore, the librarian, and in 1849 succeeded him as its librarian.In this position he remained until 1872, when, on the opening of the Lenox Library (now a part of the New York Public Library), he became its first superintendent.