GMS History The History of Greenbrier Military School | Page 8

Priscilla Leslie in 1887, Emma Eliza in 1889, and William John in 1892.
The youngest child, who was called Willie and was known later at GMS as
Miss Willie, was named for her father because she was born on the February
day her father died at age 43. (Note: These dates were confirmed by the
author on Shep’s Place.net, May 2009)
The family had moved to Mossy Creek in Augusta County, Virginia,
in the fall of 1891. They still owned land in Randolph County, so the widow
felt some financial security. The Moores and Burgers were stocky, sturdy
people, short of stature but large of character. Houston, age 13, became the
man of the family and in Mossy Creek he and his brothers learned farm
work. They thinned corn, cut wheat, and looked after cows, chickens, hogs,
and sheep. According to Col. Ben or J.W. Benjamin, GMS’s favorite
journalist since 1925, the boys went to school, did farm chores, trapped, and
fished. Col. D.T. Moore, when asked by Col. Ben (Benjamin, 1951) if they
had to work hard, chuckled as he replied, “Well, Aunt Betsy—that was
Father’s sister—always said the reason we didn’t become tall men was that
they kept us so busy chasing the cattle we didn’t have time to grow!”

Moore siblings and their mother. Bottom Row: Kate, Emma, Mother Moore, Willie.
Top Row: H.B., Joe, Priscilla (note engagement ring), D.T.

H.B. Moore earned his A.B. at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia in
1902. He was a fellow in Latin and Greek there for the following year and
received his M.A. in 1903. He was an instructor in Latin and Greek at Hoge