MOORE, EDWARD W.

MOORE, EDWARD W. (1 July 1864-8 May 1928) was a Cleveland businessman with interests in regional traction companies and public utilities. The son of Philip and Abbie Moore, he was a native of Canal Dover in Tuscarawas Cty., O. He came to Cleveland in 1880 with only a common-school education and began as an office boy in the banking house of Everett, Weddell & Co. In 1891 he married Louise Chamberlin of Cleveland and helped organize the Dime Savings & Banking Co., where he eventually rose to vice-president by 1899-1901. He also helped to found and served as vice-president of the Western Reserve Trust Co. Meanwhile, Moore began investing in street and suburban electric railways. In 1894 he joined forces with Clevelander Henry A. Everett to form the Everett-Moore syndicate, which built the Akron, Bedford & Cleveland line and then consolidated it into the Northern Ohio Traction Co., the first interurban in the nation operated by electric power. They constructed the CLEVELAND, PAINESVILLE & EASTERN in 1895 and extended it in 1901 with the CLEVELAND, PAINESVILLE & ASHTABULA. In 1901 they merged 4 interurbans between Cleveland and Toledo into the LAKE SHORE ELECTRIC. With its control of street railways in Cleveland and Detroit and 15 interurbans in 3 states, the syndicate formed the country's first great trolley system. It also organized the Cuyahoga Telephone Co. and the United States Telephone Co., both of which were later merged into the Bell System. Moore died in his home on EUCLID AVENUE and was buried in LAKE VIEW CEMETERY. Surviving were his wife and 4 children: Margaret, Franklin, Kathryn, and Elisabeth.