David Matthews was born in South Carolina in 1831.
He was the son of William and Parthena Matthews. On account of conditions
at that time, his educational advantages were limited.D. H. MOORE
D. H. Moore was born at Mobile, Alabama, September 20th, 1881, son of C. W. and Mary Moore. Both his grandfathers, who were natives of Mississippi, fought in the Civil War, and his father engaged in farming in Alabama.
Mr. Moore received his education in the schools of Alabama and at the Southern University and the University of Florida.
After leaving college, he taught school in various places outside Lake County and in 1917 he came to Clermont as principal of the schools and he turned out the first graduating class of the Clermont High School.
Mr. Moore was very successful in his administration of the schools in Clermont and his work there soon spread to other parts of the county and in 1920 he was elected Superintendent of Public Instruction of Lake County and was re-elected to the same office in 1924 and in 1928.
Mr. Moore has brought about numerous important improvements in the administration of the Lake County schools, among which may be mentioned (1) Building Program. Since he has been in office and due largely to his initiative, a new modern school house has been erected in practically every district in the county. (2) Consolidation. He has consolidated the schools so that at the present time there are only about half as many as there were formerly, but this has resulted in greater efficiency and in much greater economy of operation. (3) Transportation. Mr. Moore has installed a system of transportation of school children by bus, which provides for the carrying about of about one thousand children to and from school every day. His department has just made a contract which provides for very fine new bus equipment which is equal to that of any provided in the State of Florida. (4) Improvement of Teaching Personnel. An important reform which Mr. Moore has brought about in reference to the teachers of the county is the so-called single salary schedule, which briefly defined means that a teacher with the same qualifications receives the same salary, no matter where he or she may be teaching.
Mr. Moore is a member of the Methodist Church and of the Masons. His college fraternity is Kappa Alpha.
He was married to Winnie Scurry of Monticello, Florida, and has one son, Ernest.
from: History of Lake County Florida, Wm. T. Kennedy, Editor-in-chief, History of Lake County Florida Part II, Biographical. Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Lake County, Florida p270-271.
L. A. MORRIS
L. A. Morris was born in Hudson Falls, New York, son of E. E. and Mary S. Morris.
He came to Leesburg in 1903 and was associated with his father and his brother, J. S. Morris, in the clay business for about five years, when he removed to Macon, Georgia, where he organized the Georgia Kaolin Company.
He returned to Leesburg about five years ago, since which time he has been associated with his brother in the ownership and management of the Florida China Clay Company.
He has taken a prominent part in political affairs, and was recently Republican candidate for the State Legislature.
He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and is a Mason.
He was married to Alice M. Bennett, daughter of W. M. Bennett, who was a well-known politician in Lake County. He has one son: William E. Morris, a student at the University of Florida.from: History of Lake County Florida, Wm. T. Kennedy, Editor-in-chief, History of Lake County Florida Part II, Biographical. Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Lake County, Florida p271
E. H. MOTE
E. H. Mote, one of the outstanding citizens of Leesburg, was born at Newark, Delaware, on the 24th day of January, 1860, son of Jacob H. and Mary Mote. His parents were both natives of Delaware and were of Scotch descent.
Mr. Mote received a limited education in the schools of Delaware and on account of his mother’s death and father’s remarriage, he went alone to Philadelphia at the early age of eleven where he obtained a job at $3.00 per week, shoveling snow off roofs of houses. Every since this time, Mr. Mote has been entirely on his own resources.
After working at various jobs in Philadelphia he went to Washington, D. C., in 1876, where he worked in a paper store. On account of lung trouble, which was probably brought about by his early struggles when a boy, he came to Florida in 1881, settling in Leesburg. He only stayed a year but returned almost immediately and has resided in Leesburg ever since 1882.
In January, 1883, Mr. Mote entered the livery business at Leesburg, which he followed with success for a number of years. The Leesburg town hall was located over his stable in the early days. In connection with his livery business, he operated a stage line from Leesburg to Wildwood.
In 1885 he sold his livery business and purchased the predecessor of the present Lakeview Hotel, which he greatly enlarged and operated for a number of years. At the same time he was also engaged in the mercantile business in Leesburg, which he continued until the freeze of 1895.
Mr. Mote has been one of the real builders of Leesburg, at a time when it took courage to build, having erected among other buildings, the Mote Block, which when it was built, was the largest building in the town.
For many years Mr. Mote has dealt extensively in the citrus business and has shipped as many as three hundred and fifty carloads in one season. Commencing about 1900, he devoted much of his time and energy to developing grove properties east of Leesburg. He was the owner and developer of “Treasure Island,” near Leesburg,
Mr. Mote has given much attention to civic affairs. He established the first waterworks in Leesburg, and in the early days he served as fire chief. He was also mayor for seven or eight terms, holding this office longer than it has ever been held by one person. He also served in the Lower House of the State Legislature for one term.
His fraternal affiliations are with the Masons and Knights of Pythias.
He was married to Lucretia Hansbrough on October 5, 1885.
from: History of Lake County Florida, Wm. T. Kennedy, Editor-in-chief, History of Lake County Florida Part II, Biographical. Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Lake County, Florida p271-272
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D. H. Moore was born at Mobile, Alabama, September 20th, 1881, son of C. W. and Mary Moore. Both his grandfathers, who were natives of Mississippi, fought in the Civil War, and his father engaged in farming in Alabama.
Mr. Moore received his education in the schools of Alabama and at the Southern University and the University of Florida.
After leaving college, he taught school in various places outside Lake County and in 1917 he came to Clermont as principal of the schools and he turned out the first graduating class of the Clermont High School.
Mr. Moore was very successful in his administration of the schools in Clermont and his work there soon spread to other parts of the county and in 1920 he was elected Superintendent of Public Instruction of Lake County and was re-elected to the same office in 1924 and in 1928.
Mr. Moore has brought about numerous important improvements in the administration of the Lake County schools, among which may be mentioned (1) Building Program. Since he has been in office and due largely to his initiative, a new modern school house has been erected in practically every district in the county. (2) Consolidation. He has consolidated the schools so that at the present time there are only about half as many as there were formerly, but this has resulted in greater efficiency and in much greater economy of operation. (3) Transportation. Mr. Moore has installed a system of transportation of school children by bus, which provides for the carrying about of about one thousand children to and from school every day. His department has just made a contract which provides for very fine new bus equipment which is equal to that of any provided in the State of Florida. (4) Improvement of Teaching Personnel. An important reform which Mr. Moore has brought about in reference to the teachers of the county is the so-called single salary schedule, which briefly defined means that a teacher with the same qualifications receives the same salary, no matter where he or she may be teaching.
Mr. Moore is a member of the Methodist Church and of the Masons. His college fraternity is Kappa Alpha.
He was married to Winnie Scurry of Monticello, Florida, and has one son, Ernest.
from: History of Lake County Florida, Wm. T. Kennedy, Editor-in-chief, History of Lake County Florida Part II, Biographical. Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Lake County, Florida p270-271.
L. A. MORRIS
L. A. Morris was born in Hudson Falls, New York, son of E. E. and Mary S. Morris.
He came to Leesburg in 1903 and was associated with his father and his brother, J. S. Morris, in the clay business for about five years, when he removed to Macon, Georgia, where he organized the Georgia Kaolin Company.
He returned to Leesburg about five years ago, since which time he has been associated with his brother in the ownership and management of the Florida China Clay Company.
He has taken a prominent part in political affairs, and was recently Republican candidate for the State Legislature.
He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and is a Mason.
He was married to Alice M. Bennett, daughter of W. M. Bennett, who was a well-known politician in Lake County. He has one son: William E. Morris, a student at the University of Florida.from: History of Lake County Florida, Wm. T. Kennedy, Editor-in-chief, History of Lake County Florida Part II, Biographical. Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Lake County, Florida p271
E. H. MOTE
E. H. Mote, one of the outstanding citizens of Leesburg, was born at Newark, Delaware, on the 24th day of January, 1860, son of Jacob H. and Mary Mote. His parents were both natives of Delaware and were of Scotch descent.
Mr. Mote received a limited education in the schools of Delaware and on account of his mother’s death and father’s remarriage, he went alone to Philadelphia at the early age of eleven where he obtained a job at $3.00 per week, shoveling snow off roofs of houses. Every since this time, Mr. Mote has been entirely on his own resources.
After working at various jobs in Philadelphia he went to Washington, D. C., in 1876, where he worked in a paper store. On account of lung trouble, which was probably brought about by his early struggles when a boy, he came to Florida in 1881, settling in Leesburg. He only stayed a year but returned almost immediately and has resided in Leesburg ever since 1882.
In January, 1883, Mr. Mote entered the livery business at Leesburg, which he followed with success for a number of years. The Leesburg town hall was located over his stable in the early days. In connection with his livery business, he operated a stage line from Leesburg to Wildwood.
In 1885 he sold his livery business and purchased the predecessor of the present Lakeview Hotel, which he greatly enlarged and operated for a number of years. At the same time he was also engaged in the mercantile business in Leesburg, which he continued until the freeze of 1895.
Mr. Mote has been one of the real builders of Leesburg, at a time when it took courage to build, having erected among other buildings, the Mote Block, which when it was built, was the largest building in the town.
For many years Mr. Mote has dealt extensively in the citrus business and has shipped as many as three hundred and fifty carloads in one season. Commencing about 1900, he devoted much of his time and energy to developing grove properties east of Leesburg. He was the owner and developer of “Treasure Island,” near Leesburg,
Mr. Mote has given much attention to civic affairs. He established the first waterworks in Leesburg, and in the early days he served as fire chief. He was also mayor for seven or eight terms, holding this office longer than it has ever been held by one person. He also served in the Lower House of the State Legislature for one term.
His fraternal affiliations are with the Masons and Knights of Pythias.
He was married to Lucretia Hansbrough on October 5, 1885.
from: History of Lake County Florida, Wm. T. Kennedy, Editor-in-chief, History of Lake County Florida Part II, Biographical. Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Lake County, Florida p271-272
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