Weeks, Matt

 

Biographical Summary

Born in 1892 to Nicholas and France Weeks of Bogue Sound, North Carolina, Matt Weeks was part of the contingent from the coast of North Carolina that started coming to the west coast of Florida in the winters in the late 1800s and early 1900s for commercial fishing.  Week's early love of the sea led him to work on oil freighters, but when he met Mamie Riggs at Charlotte Harbor his seafaring days ended. He started the Weeks Machine Shop and Boat Works on the Long Dock, later moved to Maud Street, married Mamie and moved to a house on Harvey Street.  He became a county commissioner and served for 23 years during the 1930s and 40s. He served with Vasco Peeples at a time when the commission was instrumental in getting new roads and bridges built. According to an interview with Leo Wotitsky "The county was trying to build some roads and streets, and Matt would go out and supervise construction and do all sorts of things."  Matt and Mamie raised 5 children in Punta Gorda: William, Ralph, Jane, Martha and Wayne.

From interview with Leo Wotitzky:

Well, Matt was part of the contingent from the coast of North Carolina that started

coming to the west coast of Florida in the winters back in the late 1800s and

early 1900s to do commercial fishing, when they could not do it, I guess, up

there. So, he was one of that North Carolina group. Uneducated but a good

citizen. A rough-talking guy. A lot of stories about Matt. He got elected, for

example, to the county commission. He did a lot of good things, too. The county

was trying to build some roads and streets, and he would go out and supervise

construction and do all sorts of things. He was actually in the marine repair

business. He had a place on the old city docks. One of the stories I have told a

lot of times, he told it to me and I (am) sure it is true. When he ran for re-election to the

county commission, he was not your ordinary campaigner, politician. One of the

folks from down on Pine Island Road and the lower folks came to see him in his

boat repair place and said, Mr. Weeks, I am going to vote for you and so is my

wife, but, you know, my wife is not going to be able to get to the polls. Matt said,

why not? Well, he said, she needs a pair of shoes. He said, can you help me? He

said, get out of here, you so and so, said, she is your wife, you buy her the

 

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