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Joseph Moody – Postmaster of Tremont
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on October 30, 2019
Joseph Moody died on 11 February 1907 in Tremont, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, where he was serving as postmaster. During the Civil War he was a Corporal in Company H of the 96th Pennsylvania Infantry. On 14 May 1864, he was wounded at the Wilderness, and was in the hospital at time he was mustered out, 3 October 1864.
An extensive obituary appeared in the West Schuylkill Press & Pine Grove Herald of 16 February 1907. It included the above photograph.
OBITUARY
Joseph Moody, the venerable Tremont postmaster, passed peacefully away at 5:20 o;clock p.m. on Monday at his residence, Corner Main and Crescent Streets. He had been failing for several months, and for some time past had not been able to take any nourishment. He was 80 years, 6 months, and 13 days of age and was always an active man. In his younger days he was a hard worker, and it may be said his system was worn out with the stress of years. While his death was not unexpected, its announcement came as a shock to our people. He was one of the best known citizens in the West End, and was active in church work, up to the time he was confined to his bed.
Joseph Moody was born at Carlisle, in this state, July 29th, 1826. His parents some time afterwards removed to Phoenixville, where he resided until 1845, when he came to Tremont. He was a moulder by trade and followed that avocation for many years. In 1871 he engaged in partnership with William Reese in boiler making in this place under the firm name of Reese and Moody. They operated the Tremont Boiler and Machine Shop from 1871 to 1875.
He was a veteran of the Civil War, and had an enviable record in the service of his country. On Lincoln’s call for volunteers Mr. Moody was one of the first to respond, and through three years or more of hardships and struggle he defended the Stars and Stripes. His army life was full of truly patriotic events. Always willing to help his comrades, even at the risk of his own life, on one occasion during the thickest of the Battle of the Wilderness when men were falling on all sides, and when his company was being gradually pressed back, he saw a Union soldier suffering intense pain, and heard him begging for assistance. Every man seemed unconcerned in the excitement of the battle, but Mr. Moody could not endure the thought of one of his comrades dying when it was possible to render some assistance, so he crawled along the ground and underbrush, sheltered here and there by the trees of the forest, and yet with bullets and grapeshot falling thick about him he managed to reach the side of his wounded compatriot. He appealed to be taken to camp, an appeal which Mr. Moody, seeing that the man was mortally wounded felt impossible to accomplish. However, he managed to put the wounded soldier on his back and then crawled back again to his own firing line. He saw that the wounded soldier was given every attention that the circumstances could afford and then returned to his post in the front. He learned later that the man whom he assisted died a few hours later in the arms of his friends. His last hours were made pleasanter by the thought that he was surrounded by Union soldiers. This is only one of many instances of his heroism and true patriotism.
For several years past Mr. Moody was the postmaster of this place [Tremont]. His son, William E. Moody was appointed as his assistant. The post office has never been in more deserving hands than while under the charge of our veteran patriot and citizen.
Mr. Moody was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was always active in church work.
He was a member of Swatara Lodge, No. 267, F. & A. M., and for many years held the office of Tyler. The lodge of which he was a member attended the funeral in a body and conducted the regular lodge service at the grave.
His aged widow was almost constantly at his bedside contributing to every want of her invalid husband. The survivors are the widow, sons, William E. Moody, of this place; Charles Moody, of Red Lion, Pennsylvania; Harry Moody of Reading; and his daughters, Mrs. Ella Adams, and May B. Bashore, wife of E. S. Bashore, Esq.
The services at the house were held on Friday at 1:00 P. M., Rev. David Lord and Rev. J. W. Klingler, of this place, and Rev. Bertram Shay, of Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, officiating. Moyer and Otto were the undertakers in charge. Interment was made in the Methodist Episcopal Cemetery, where while enjoying good health, Mr. Moody found pleasure in working to beautify the last resting place of the dead.
The family have the profound sympathy of everybody.
Other newspapers provided some of the same information, but failed to mention any details of his Civil War service. The Pine Grove Herald of 15 February 1907 added the following about his widow:
The aged widow, who was Elmira Deibler, survives him….
The West Schuylkill Herald, 15 February 1907, noted the following about the funeral:
The funeral… will be in charge of the masonic fraternity.
The funeral merited a separate article in the West Schuylkill Press & Pine Grove Herald, 23 February 1907:
The funeral of Joseph Moody was held from his late residence at 1 o’clock on Friday afternoon. Services were held at the house. Officiating clergymen were Revs. David Lord, J. W. Klingler and Bertram Shay. The active pall bearers were B. F. Stuck, G. M. Huntzinger, H. F. Wigmore, H. W. Hibschman, of Tremont; R. R. Evans, of Reinerton; J. F. Dreisigacker of Tower City, [all] members of Swatara Lodge, No. 267. The honorary pall bearers were A. R. Lamberson, Edward Purcell, Aaron Ossman, Anthony Fisher, W. D. Murphy, Charles Kreis, and John Herring, all veterans of the Civil War. Swatara Lodge, No. 267, F. A. M. and Williams Post, No. 136, G.A.R., of which the deceased was a member, attended the funeral in a body. Interment was made in the M. E. Cemetery. The floral tributes were many and handsome. Undertakers were W. E. Moyer and H. H. Otto.
Among those from a distance who attended the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. William Moore, Phoenixville; Mrs. Sarah McAndrew, Mrs. Richard Hopkins and child, Gordon; Mr. and Mrs. George Washburn, Williamstown; Charles Moody and wife, Red Lion; H. P. Moody and family, Reading; Rev. Bartram Shay, Philadelphia; Mrs. Mattie Crooks, Reading; W. H. Bashore, Schuylkill Haven; William Lathlaen, Mrs. H. G. Dunkelberger, Miss Clara Brower, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Kaercher, Pottsville; W. C. Hack, Shamokin; Mrs. D. H. Christ, Minersville; Mr. and Mrs. D. H. Wilcox, Llewellyn.
Finally, the York Daily, 19 February 1907, reported the attendance at the funeral of Charles W. Moody, son of the deceased:
Charles W. Moody, druggist of this place [Red Lion,. York County, Pennsylvania], has returned from Tremont, where he attended the funeral of his father, Joseph Moody, who was buried on Friday last. Mr. Moody was born in Carlisle. He was in his eighty-first year. For several years he was a member of the firm of Reese and Moody, who operated the Tremont boiler and machine shop from 1871 to 1875. He was a veteran of the civil was and for several years was postmaster at Tremont. The deceased was a member of the Methodist Church and was a Mason. He is survived by a widow, and three sons and two daughters, as follows: William E. Moody, of Tremont; Charles W. Moody, of Red Lion; Harry Moody of Reading; Mrs. Ella Adams and Mrs. R. S. Bashore of Tremont.
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News articles and photograph from Newspapers.com.
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