Moses C. Seal (1843-1917)

SEAL, GILLETT, FRAZIER

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 2/25/2022 at 11:00:03

From Nevada Representative August 7, 1917 (page 1)

STORY COUNTY PIONEER DIES

MOSES C. SEAL, PASSED AWAY AT DES MOINES, TUESDAY, AGED SEVENTY FOUR YEARS

Moses C. Seal, a pioneer of Iowa and prominent in business, political and social affairs of Story County, Iowa since 1854 died at his recent home in Des Moines on the 31st of July. Born in Illinois, May 10, 1843, he came with his parents to Iowa overland and camped on the ground where the State Capital building now stands. His father finally located in Cambridge, Iowa, in the belief that Cambridge was destined to be a better town than Des Moines. Mr. Seal grew to manhood in Story County and for nearly sixty years was a prominent figure in Story County politics an in the social and business life of the community. In 1870 he was married to Esther Gillett who survives him. No children were born to them, but Mr. and Mrs. Seal adopted on child, who is now Mrs. Esther Frazier of Elkhart, and is heart broken in the loss of her benefactor.

Without any ostentation or noise, Mr. Seal went about in his own way exemplifying the true spirit of charity, and one knows, or ever will know, the amount or extent of his expenditures for the relief of the poor and needy. For years during the cold, bleak, winter nights he would carry food from his own kitchen, and fuel from his own coal shed to relieve the hunger and chill of the distressed and unfortunate poor. He was as gentle as a child and with all, a kindly man. His fellows recognized his ability as a leader and public office was time and again thrust upon him without his asking. Among other public positions, he was repeatedly elected Mayor of Cambridge. Never was there a public demonstration, whether political, religious, or otherwise in the town of Cambridge for sixty years where Mr. Seal was not a conspicuous figure and when his body was returned to his old home, Cambridge, for burial on the 2nd of August, 1917, business was suspended and people thronged the U. B. church to pay their respect to his memory.

The funeral was under the auspices of the I. O. O. F. lodge of Cambridge, and the sermon was preached by Rev. Jones the local pastor, after which his body was borne by tender hands and gently away in the beautiful cemetery on the hill overlooking the little city of Cambridge among the other pioneers with whom he had labored and survived the privations and hardships of the early days.