MOOTY, William A. 1863-1946

MOOTY, KAUFMAN

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 1/24/2022 at 09:26:52

William A. Mooty Dies Five Days After Wife

Has Filled Many Public Offices; Served Three Terms In The Iowa State Legislature

William A. Mooty, who held many public offices in Grundy county and who represented his county for three terms in the Iowa state legislature, died at Des Moines last Sunday morning, five days following the death of his wife. The wife died very suddenly in her home from a heart attack on Tuesday of last week. She was buried two days before the death of her husband.

Mr. Mooty had been in failing health a number of years. A few months ago he was taken to a Des Moines retreat for care and treatment. A few days before his death he became afflicted with cellulitis which with a heart attack brought on the end.

The body was brought to the Coffman funeral home in Grundy Center. Funeral services were held at the Baptist church in Grundy Center Tuesday afternoon. Services similar to those which had been held for his wife in the same church four days before were held for Mr. Mooty and conducted by Rev. David Alexander, an old friend of the family. Burial was by the side of the wife in the Morrison cemetery.

Was a Native of Ireland
Mr. Mooty was a native of Ireland. He was born May 28, 1863, at Ballymahon, Longford county, Ireland. He was a son of William and Sarah Mooty.

In 1878 and at the age of 15 he came to America. He remained in New York for a year and in 1879 he came west to Grundy county and that became his permanent home. He attended the public school at Grundy Center, Tilford Academy at Vinton, and Western College at Toledo. His home was on a farm in Washington township. After he finished school he went back to the farm and spent the remainder of his life there. He understood farming well, he liked it, and his farming activities were followed with success and prosperity.

On April 12, 1905, William Mooty and May E. Kaufman were married. They made their home together continually on their Washington township farm. Their two children were born and grew up there and both survive the parents. They are William L. Mooty of Grundy Center and Mrs. Helen M. Hennessy of Hillsdale, Mich. Other surviving members of his family are one brother, Samuel, of Grundy Center, and three half-brothers, Phineas and Peter Dewey of Stickney, South Dakota, and Walter Dewey of Kansas City, Mo. Four brothers preceded him in death. There were Wilson, Thomas, John and James Mooty.

Held Many Public Offices
Mr. Mooty took an active interest in public affairs from his home township to those of the state and nation and for many years was a leading figure in politics in Grundy county.

In State Legislature Three Terms
Mr. Mooty represented Grundy county in the Iowa state legislature for three terms. He was elected to and served in the 37th Iowa assembly which met in 1916. At the expiration of his first term he was re-elected and served in the 38th Assembly. He retired after his second term, but fourteen years later he came back and was nominated and elected for another term in the 45th General Assembly. During his service in the legislature Mr. Mooty devoted his efforts to securing legislation beneficial to the farming industry. It was because of his good farming sense that the farming people of the county sent him to the legislature every time he became a candidate.

Held Other Offices
Mr. Mooty for several years served as clerk of his township. He served two terms as county supervisor from the Washington-Palermo district and during that period he served two years as board chairman. He was at one time President of the Meat Producers Association for Grundy county and for many years served as a director and vice president of the Grundy County Mutual Insurance Association.

Made One Trip Back to Home Land
In 1924 Mr. Mooty decided to go back to the country where he was born. Rev. David Alexander, who had been pastor of the Baptist church in Grundy Center, accompanied him on the trip across the Atlantic and the two men formed a lasting friendship. Rev. Alexander went on to visit his ancestors in Scotland and Mr. Mooty went only to Ireland. He was not much impressed with his home land and remained there only two weeks, when he returned to his home and his family in Grundy county. He never after had a desire to go back.

Mr. Mooty was a member of the Morrison Presbyterian church.

Card of Thanks
We are sincerely grateful to our many friends for their kindnesses during our recent bereavements.
--W. L. Mooty, Mr. and Mrs. G. D. Hennessy, Samuel Mooty

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 17 January 1946, pg 1, 12