THOMAS GAY

DEWEY, GAY, WOODS, CURTIS, YOUNG, EVANS, MCCULLAGH, DUNGAN, STUART, LEWIS

Posted By: David (email)
Date: 2/9/2005 at 18:32:11

'Passing of Thomas Gay'

THOMAS GAY, respected citizen and patriot is dead. He breathed his last
this morning at 8:20.

MR. GAY has long been a resident of Lucas County, and of late years a
citizen of Chariton. The days of his activity were spent in the country as
teacher and husbandman. As a tribute to his character words are but poor
instruments to express it. His long life of unblemished activity is the
monument on which his virtues are enscrolled. He belonged to that finer
type of manhood that are elevating in their very natures. Intellectually he
had no superior in Lucas County. His information was broad and his
liberality of thought never permitted him to take a circumscribed view of
the social discussion or sentiment and yet with a firm conviction and fixed
purpose. This made him an interesting personage and one with whom it was a
pleasure to come in contact.

The very elements in his nature were those of loyalty. He served his
country in times of Civil War as he served it in times of peace -- ever
found ready to perform his part. He was a life long student and cultivated
philosophic reasoning rather than financial fortune. In closing this brief
tribute The Leader desires to say that the world has been profited by his
life and that all who have enjoyed his acquaintance are stronger and better
thereby.

A good man has been called away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Funeral of Thomas Gay'

THOMAS GAY was born in Prince Edward's Island, on August 1, 1837 and died at
his home in Chariton, Iowa, January 9, 1908. he came to America with his
parents in 1841, settling in Rhode Island. A part of his boyhood was spent
in Wisconsin and then the family removed to Illinois. On September 2, 1862,
he was joined in marriage to MISS LOLILLA ANN WOODS. Soon after the war they
settled in Warren Township, Lucas County, Iowa, where he conducted a farm
until removing to Chariton, which place has since been the family home.

On May 7, 1862 he enlisted as a private in Co. B 68th Illinois Infantry and
was discharged on Sept. 26, 1862 for disabilities received at the battle of
Anteitam. He became a member of Iseminger Post G.A.R., May 6, 1887.

A wife and seven children survive him -- four daughters and three sons.
Mesdames FRANK and A.C. CURTIS, and MISS MARGARET GAY, of this city, and MRS
JOHN YOUNG, of the State of Washington. The sons are W.D. GAY of Essex,
Iowa; EUGENE, of Griswold, Iowa; and ALVA, of Exeter, Nebraska. MRS. YOUNG
could not reach here and W.D. was detained by illness. The balance of the
children were present at the funeral.

Services were held at the M.E. Church, Saturday afternoon, and many attended
to pay their respects to the memory of the departed. The G.A.R. Comrades
led the procession to the last resting place. Revs. Evans and McCullagh and
Col. W.S. Dungan made short addresses appropriate to the occasion and Mrs.
Dewey read "Thanatopsis," this selection being in keeping with the exercises
in general. A choir rendered several selections amid the solemn hush
pervading.

In time past MR. GAY had requested that should Col. Dungan and Hon. T.M.
Stuart survive him, they would speak at his funeral and this request was not
forgotten, and also that Hon. Elijah Lewis write the sketch of his life.
All the requests were carried out except the one that the funeral service be
held in the public library building. This was not done because it was
deemed inadequate to hold the friends desiring to attend. Among other
public enterprises, this during his latter years was his pride. The Leader
has previously remarked of his citizenship and qualities of manhood and thus
the chapter is closed.

Also among his arrangements was that Mrs. Dewey should read the poem
referred to above.
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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
January 19, 2005
iggy29@rnetinc.net