FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
181 
JAMES A. HARRIS 
James A. Harris has been called the 
father of the orange industry in Florida. 
He was born at Yalaha, on Lake Harris, 
May 5, 1847. He became interested in 
early life in citrus growing, and was a 
leader in the development of the famous 
Harris and Bishop grove on Orange Lake, 
one of the most successful and best known 
citrus groves of the early days in Florida. 
He is generally credited with having in¬ 
troduced Florida grapefruit into North¬ 
ern markets. 
He was a prominent factor in the up¬ 
building of Ocala. He was for many 
years the proprietor of the Ocala House 
and the Montezuma Hotel. 
He died at Crystal River, December 30, 
1921, at the ripe age of 74 years. 
GEORGE EARLE MOORE 
Dr. George Earle Moore was born in 
Jefferson county, Wisconsin, May 18th, 
i860. Died in Ironwood, Michigan, 
March 3d, 1922. He graduated from 
Rush Medical College, Chicago, in Febru¬ 
ary, 1883. For a great many years he 
lived in Oconomowoe, Wis. He became 
interested in contagious diseases and de¬ 
siring a larger field for his work moved 
to the iron mining region of Northern 
Michigan, settling in Ironwood in 1900. 
He was soon made County Contagious 
Physician, holding that office almost to 
the time of his death. He carried the 
county through several severe epidemics 
of smallpox, without the loss of a life. 
When he died he had the wonderful record 
of never having lost a case of smallpox, 
pneumonia or scarlet fever. 
He was of a genial nature, a loyal 
friend and a great lover of children. 
About twelve years ago, he became 
greatly interested in Florida, believing it 
to be the coming State of the Union. He 
purchased a small tract of land west of 
Delray, in Palm Beach county. Had it 
cleared and used for a truck garden. 
When the soil became sweetened, he plant¬ 
ed several acres to citrus fruits which jus¬ 
tified his faith in the soil. He took great 
delight in treating his friends to fruit 
from this small grove, and had planned to 
retire from the practice of medicine this 
fall, and make his home on this land. 
Had the plans for his house all drawn and 
was looking forward with pleasure to the 
time when he could spend his leisure 
among the orange trees and flowers. 
Death came very suddenly of heart fail¬ 
ure after an illness of only three days. 
During the war he served on the Draft 
Board, which with his regular work over¬ 
taxed his strength. 
He was laid to rest in the Riverside 
Cemetery, Ironwood, where the little 
children, whom he loved, keep fresh flow¬ 
ers on his grave. 
