Eli Stillman Bailey 1827 - 1892

BAILEY

Posted By: Michael J. Kearney (email)
Date: 1/9/2011 at 21:04:30

At a meeting of the Wapsipinicon Club held this afternoon the following resolutions were adopted in honor of their lamented presiding officer. The mysterious reeper whose name is Death makes no distinction of station or person: "Rut with his sickle keen He reaps the bearded grain at a breath; And the flowers that grow between." He comes often in our midst, and we can well say: "There is no fireside howso'er defended, But has one vacant chair." We never become indifferent to his call, whoever it may be that is summoned to his mysterious bourne, but sometimes his relations of the departed to the community are so varied and conspicuous, and the links that are broken by death are so many that clouds and shadows envelop the entire community and each and every member feels that he has met with a personal loss. The sudden death of Major E.S. Bailey has not only produced a shock in this community, but has filled all hearts with sorrow. As he was so long the president of this social organization and as we, who have frequented these halls, have so often shared his companionship in his hours of relaxation from business cares it is eminently proper that we should meet on this occasion and pay a tribute to his distinguished ability and worth. Whereas, Major E.S. Bailey departed this life on the 5th day of November, 1892, Resolved, That by his death this community and State have lost an eminently representative man. He stood in the front rank of his profession as a lawyer and possessed that business sagacity, cool judgment and equable disposition that made him a man of affairs; and enabled him to occupy a high position in the business world, as well as at the bar; and above all, and beyond all, in the various relations of life he manifested such integrity and honor, mingled with forbearance and charity - qualities which drew to him friends wherever he went - that his life might be held up as an example for the young and all men to follow. It is needless to say that such a man, with such ability, joined to the most attractive personal qualities, enjoyed the love and esteem of our best citizens of all ages and classes, by whom his death in the full meridian of life will be sincerely deplored. Resolved, That we mourn his decease, in the full vigor of his -- friend, whose genial heart and smiles warmed our social circle as often he sat in our midst and we sat by his side, and whose conspicuous abilities were displayed in all the posts of duty he was called to occupy. Resolved, That while we cannot know the keen anguish of the broken family circle, or comprehend the darkness of the hearthstone when such a light goes out, we nevertheless respect fully tender our sympathy and join with them in that hope - "We see but dimly through the mists and vapors Amid these earthly damps; What seems to us but said funeral tapers May be heaven's distant lamps," "There is no death: What seems seems so is transition: This life of mortal breath is but a suburb of the life Elysian, Whose portal we call death." Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the records of this club as a testimonial of our high appreciation of Major Bailey as a friend and brother, and our high regard for him as an honorable and upright man in all the relations of life and that as a mark of respect on Wednesday we close our places of business and attend only to the sad duty of committing the mortal of our presiding officer to its last resting place, upon which the wayward winds of autumn may strew withered leaves, but which the members of this club will take pleasure in planting with immortelles. L.A. Ellis, Geo. B. Young, J.E. Carpenter, A. Lamb, Geo. M. Curtis, L.B. Wadleigh.