David Raley 1827-1906

RALEY, BYE, PACKER, PRICE

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 12/21/2018 at 08:59:22

31 May 1906 - West Branch Times

David H. Raley was born in Belmont county, Ohio, May 5, 1827, and died at the home of his son-in-law, J. A. Bye, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, May 21, 1906.

Two daughters Mrs. J. A. Bye of Cedar Rapids and Mrs. A. R. Packer of Martelle, three grandchildren, Harvey H. Bye, Leona E. Price and Edna Bye and three great grandchildren, Irene, Martha and Esther Bye, survive him. Mr. Raley was reared a Quaker or Friend and was a member of that society at the time of his death. His life has been full of kind deeds and he was a good father. His wife passed away thirty years ago. For the past twelve years he has been an invalid. Always interested in the present day, living much in the past, being especially interested in the state of Iowa, as he and family were pioneers in Cedar county, having removed from Ohio April 18, 1853, to West Branch, Cedar county, coming by boat down the Ohio river to St. Louis and up the Mississippi river to Muscatine and across the country to West Branch in wagons.

He was a strong defender of the slave and assisted in the escape of many by "the under ground railway" as it was called. During the war for the Union he gave of his means freely to aid the soldiers, but felt that fighting and war were not right so did not join the brave men who went to the front.

He is the first of a family of seven children to pass away, he being the oldest member, the youngest being 62 years of age.