Cleaves, Christopher 1814-1884

CLEAVES, MOSES

Posted By: Geo Clinton (email)
Date: 4/6/2016 at 16:59:43

February 7, 1884 - Storm Lake Pilot - Died on Thursday, Feb 1, 1884, C.C. Cleaves in the 70th year of his age.

The subject of this sketch was born in Saco, Maine, April 5th, 1814. When quite young he went with his parents to western New York. In 1840 he married and settled in Racine, Wisconsin. In 1857 he moved to Monroe county, Wisconsin, where he buried his first wife.

This part of the country was very new then, no religious meetings any where for miles around and mainly through his efforts, appointments were made for that community, and the first M.E. class was formed in his own house, he never could be induced to put his name to any church book, saying that in his belief, a person to belong to a church should have greater qualities and experiences than he possessed. He was brought up among Methodists and his sympathies were largely with them. He was no sectarian and his creed was the Golden Rule. His house for sixteen years was emphatically the home of the itinerant.

His eldest son was a volunteer in the 36th Wisconsin regiment and fell in one of the battles before Petersburg, VA, June, 1864, aged 20. The death of this son, together with some financial losses in lands about this time, unnerved him, and he never fully recovered from the shock. He came to Storm Lake in 1875.

Friday morning February 1, he was in usual health, even better than he had been for sometime; went down to the lake with his neighbor, Mr. Hurd, to fish. He went a few rods from the fish-house to cut the ice, and in a few minutes, Mr. Hurd not hearing him at work, looked out and saw him lying upon the ice, went to him and found him lifeless. Efforts were made to resuscitate him, but of no avail.

His funeral took place from the M.E. Church, Saturday afternoon, Rev. Smylie preached the sermon. The Pall bearers were Mr. Ezra Hurd, Mr. M. Tolle, Mr. P.L. Surdam, Mr. Johnson, Mr. J.C. Hollingsworth and Mr. Wm. Ryden.

He leaves a wife, four sons and a daughter, who is the wife of J.R. Moses, merchant in Ogdenburg, Wisconsin. He was an affectionate and loving husband and father, no self-denial or sacrifice being considered too great for the welfare and good of his family.

The sudden death of this good man and old citizen cast a gloom over our city. He was known to all most favorably, and enjoyed that respect and confidence which a true life and upright conduct is always sure to command. The coroner's inquest developed the fact that his death was caused by heart disease.