William Selden Gale

William Selden Gale

Find A Grave Memorial ID # 5579866

W. SELDEN GALE DIES

Galesburg’s Well-Known Pioneer Resident Passes Away

Life Meant Much to This City

Sketch of His Influential and Interesting Career – Important Work Done for This Community W. Selden Gale, identified with the life of the city and county for more than sixty years, died Saturday afternoon at the hospital, after an illness of two weeks of pleurisy.

Not until the public announcement of his condition last Saturday afternoon was it generally known that he was ill and it was not suspected that he was in danger. The family did not consider his condition serious until the day before his death, but when the turning point came in his illness he sank rapidly.

The funeral is to be held this afternoon at 4 o’clock at the First Presbyterian church, and the interment will be in Hope cemetery, in the family lot.

ATTACK WAS SUDDEN

Two weeks ago, the attack of pleurisy came upon him suddenly. Up to that time his health had been very good for a man of his years, and his sudden demise was entirely unexpected by the family and friends. A week ago, last Thursday he was removed to the hospital. The change seemed to be beneficial, and he commenced to gain ground steadily. For this reason, the family did not feel alarmed at his sickness.

Friday morning at 10:30 o’clock it was seen that his condition had changed.

From that time until his death Saturday afternoon at 4:45 he continued to fail steadily. He was in severe pain during these last days, but was conscious until midnight of Friday. As it pained him greatly to talk, he spoke only a few words that day, and said his last words around midnight. From that time, he did not recover consciousness. He passed away surrounded by his family. His son, W. Selden Gale Jr., who has been sick three months with paralysis, was a patient at the hospital at the time of his father’s death.

THE SURVIVING FAMILY

The following family survives: the widow, W. Selden Gale Jr., George Washington Gale, Mrs. Caroline Gale Lowie of Niles, Michigan, who with her husband has been in Galesburg for a few weeks, and Miss Harriet Gale of Galesburg. These grandchildren are living: George, Candee, Alice and Caroline, children of Mr. and Mrs. George W. Gale, and Alice, Selden Gale and John Lowrie, children of Dr. and Mrs. J.G. Lowrie.

Three sisters are living: Mrs. Mary Gale Hurd of Westfield, Wisconsin, wife of the late Dr. E.L. Hurd, formerly president of Blackburn University; Mrs. Margaret Gale Hitchcock, wife of Professor H.E. Hitchcock of Santa Monica, California, formerly of Lincoln, Nebraska, where Prof. Hitchcock held the chair of mathematics in the University of Nebraska for twenty-five years, and Miss Harriet Y. Gale of Santa Monica, California. A brother, Josiah, died in the army while a paymaster in the service of the government. He was also at one time, postmaster at Galesburg, under President James Buchanan. Another brother, George Gale, moved to California many years ago, and died there. Joseph Dudley died in 1856, and Charles died in 1836.

SKETCH OF THE DECEASED

William Selden Gale was born February 15, 1822, at Adams, Jefferson County, New York. His father was the Rev. George Washington Gale and his mother the daughter of Hon. Charles Selden of Lansingburg, New York. In 1845, Mr. Gale was married to Caroline Elija, daughter of Sylvanus Western Ferris. Eight children were born to them, William Selden, George Washington, Charles Selden, Caroline Harriet, Joseph Dudley, Josiah, and John. Josiah died in 1889, while clerk of the circuit court of Knox County. Charles Selden, Joseph Dudley and John died young.

The deceased was 14 years old when he left the old home in New York state to come to Illinois. Once in the west, the occupation of merchant and trader attracted his attention, and he went into the employ of Colonel Herman Knox and James Knox, brothers in business at Knoxville, and of Ralph H. Hurlburt of Mount Sterling. Becoming interested in real estate business, he began the study of law, and in 1846 he was admitted to the bar. His business interests and the performance of his duties as a citizen prevented great activity in the legal profession, yet the knowledge of law which he had gained proved invaluable as an aid to him in his lifework.
One of his many undertakings was the publication of The Newsletter, a paper brought out with the assistance of Dr. James Bunce and George C. Lanphere.

About this time, Mr. Gale became interested in securing railroad advantages for Galesburg and he was a prime mover in making this city the railroad center it is today. Through his efforts mainly a direct line through Mendota and Aurora was secured, and the Peoria & Oquawka and Northern Cross road came to Galesburg to make their connections for Chicago.

FAITHFUL PUBLIC SERVANT

Mr. Gale was an ever-faithful servant of the public, and held many offices of importance and honor. He was Galesburg’s postmaster from 1849-53; from 1853-1895, with the exception of five years, he was supervisor of Knox County; 1871-1882 and 189101895, he was alderman of the City of Galesburg; from 1861 to the time of his death a member of the board of trustees of Knox College. He was a member of the state constitutional convention in 1862, member of the state legislature in 1869, member of the state revenue commission, 1885-1886, trustee of the Illinois Western Hospital for the Insane, 1896-1897.

Mr. Gale was an ardent Whig and was present at the most of its conventions. Upon the dissolution he joined the Republican ranks and was its representatives in not only state but national conventions.

ELECTED TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE

Mr. Gale took a very important part in the work of the constitutional convention of 1862, and the work of congressional apportionment at that time was left mainly to him and Gen. Lewis Ross of Fulton County. In the revenue commission of 1885-6, Mr. Gale also displayed his ability, having been appointed at the earnest solicitation of the Knox county board of supervisors and other influential citizens. This commission dealt with the assessment of property, and its work was a very important one.

It was in 1868 that the people of Galesburg decided to secure if possible the removal of the county seat from Knoxville to Galesburg. A bill was prepared, to be presented to the legislature, to allow the question to be submitted to a vote. Mr. Gale was nominated by the Republicans for the legislature, and Judge A.M. Craig was the Democratic nominee. The election gave Mr. Gale a seat in the house of representatives, and there he secured the passage of the bill after a hard fight. Mr. Gale presented a large number of other bills, and all of them were passed. He was made chairman of the committee on penitentiaries and was given a place on the railroad committee.

Mr. Gale’s great work with reference to Galesburg was in the city council. The first city charter of Galesburg was made out by Mr. Gale, George C. Lanphere and O.C. Pitcher. In 1871, he was made a member of the council and remained there until 1882. During his entire term of service, he was chairman of the finance committee. During his term of office, the city debt was refunded and the city park was purchased. The revision of the city ordinances was largely in the hands of Mr. Gale.

THE ONLY SUPERVISOR FOR TEN YEARS

Knox County is also a great debtor to the ability of this man. The county was organized in 1853, and for ten years, Mr. Gale was the only supervisor from this city. Then he secured a division of the town whereby two men were allowed and later secured the presence of six representatives on the board. The township as well as the city government was the work, also, of Mr. Gale.

The present method of caring for the poor, one-half the expense being borne by the city and the other by the county was proposed by him. As chairman of the building committee of the board of supervisors, he superintended the erection of the splendid county courthouse, which was completed in 1887. The floor plans were made by the architect after plans submitted by Mr. Gale. As a member of the board of trustees of Knox college, Mr. Gale has done a very active work. For some time, he has been chairman of the executive committee of the board.

SECURED A PLACE FOR GALESBURG

There are three prominent achievements in the life of Mr. Gale of which he himself was proud, although he was notably a man not given to taking of himself. The first was that he was unquestionably the means of getting for Galesburg a position on the main line of the Burlington road system. By a number of skillful diplomatic acts, he succeeded in his purpose.

In the early fifties, the railroad agitation was on in Knox County, and preparations were made for the construction of a line from Galesburg to connect with the Rock Island Road at a point near Sheffield. The charter was granted to the Central Military Tract company. Then the officials of the road made a proposition to the company to build a Rock Island direct. Mr. Gale did not favor this plan. His idea was that if the Central Military Tract road was built, the Peoria & Oquawka from Peoria to Burlington and the Northern Cross from Quincy north would be compelled to come to Galesburg and that then the Rock Island might build from Rock Island to Galesburg.

ROADS ARE BUILT

When giving the Rock Island officials assurances that their plan would be considered, Mr. Gale turned his attention to local interests, and it was decided to build the Central Military Tract road. This was done, and connected with the Chicago & Aurora road and in 1856, the two were consolidated under the name Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. The Peoria & Oquawka and the Northern Cross roads were then taken into the Burlington system, and the Rock Island connection was made. Thus, Galesburg was made a prominent point on the main line of the Burlington.

Mr. Gale was also influential in getting the Santa Fe through Galesburg, as the road took the line of the Court Creek road which Mr. Gale projected and which had been surveyed.

Mr. Gale was also proud of his record in securing the county seat for Galesburg, which had been spoken of before. His third achievement was the building of the county courthouse and the fine structure was built under his direction as chairman of the board.

Mr. Gale was a member of the Old First Church, and later united with the First Presbyterian Church, when it was organized. He was always in attendant upon services there. In 1861 he succeeded his father as a member of the board of trustees of Knox College, and has held the place ever since.

The funeral is to be held at 4 o’clock this afternoon, in the First Presbyterian Church. Dr. Charles M. Brown of Jacksonville, who married a niece of Mr. Gale, will have charge of the services, and will be assisted by Dr. Clarence A. Vincent, pastor of the Central Congregational Church. Judge John J. Glenn of Monmouth and E.A. Bancroft of Chicago are here to attend the funeral.

GALESBURG EVENING MAIL: SEPTEMBER 4, 1900