Albert Bartlett Moss
The Payette Independent
Thursday, March 19, 1914
PROMINENT MAN PASSES AWAY
A. B. MOSS, AN OLD AND PROMINENT CITIZEN DIED AT BOISE HOSPITAL SATURDAY EVENING - WELL KNOWN OVER STATE
A. B. Moss, head of the Moss Mercantile Co., and one of Payette's most successful and public spirited business men, died shortly after 6 o'clock Saturday night at St. Alphorns hospital at Boise where he was taken for treatment the Monday before, suffering with typhoid fever. It is said he was ?ing very nicely until late Saturday afternoon he took a turn for the worse and sank rapidly, passing away before members of his family from here could reach his bedside. The news of his death came as a surprise and shock to Payette people as he was not known to be in any immediate danger.
The body was brought to Payette Sunday evening and taken to his home where it laid in state from 10 to 12 o'clock Tuesday forenoon and was viewed by many friends. The funeral was held from the home Tuesday afternoon at 2:30. Rev. Thomas Ashworth of the Episcopal church holding a short service. In the funeral cortege were members of the A. F. & A. M., I. O. O. F., Rebekahs, G. A. R., and Knights Tempkar from Weiser and Ontario were present. Masonic services were held at the grave under direction of Worshipful Master Albert White, Sr. It was one of the largest extended funerals ever held in Payette.
The schools were closed Tuesday afternoon in deference to Mr. Moss interest and past connections with them and to allow teachers and pupils to attend the funeral. All business houses were closed during the funeral. The floral offerings were many and very beautiful, and a number were sent from various parts of the state and which in a measure bespoke the high esteem in which Mr. Moss was held.
Mr. Moss is survived by his wife and five sons, Lieutenant Wentworth Moss of New York, who arrived in Payette Friday in response to a telegram from his mother announcing his father's illness; Fred Moss of Boise; A. B. Moss, Jr., of Portland; William Moss, who is at home and Heber Moss, the youngest son, who is at Philadelphia attending school.
Mr. Moss was one of the Pioneers of Idaho and was well known throughout the state, and prominent in state affairs, at one time a candidate for governor. It has been impossible to secure the necessary and correct data for an obituary this week and for that reason has been deferred until next week.
Payette Enterprise (Thursday, March 19, 1914)
Payette’s Pioneer Laid to Rest
Large Number of Citizens in Payette and from Various Parts of State Pay Last Tribute to Albert B. Moss.
The funeral of A. B. Moss, who passed away at St. Alphonsus hospital last Saturday afternoon from typhoid fever, was held at the residence in this city on Tuesday afternoon at two thirty.
From ten until twelve the body lay in state in the parlor of the home, the room being a solid embankment of beautiful floral designs from the different organizations, friends as well as prominent men of the state. During the time the body lay in state it was viewed by a large number of those who had known and esteemed this man during his long residence here.
At two thirty after a short prayer by Rev. Thomas Ashworth of St. James Episcopal church, and a hymn, the funeral was taken in charge by Washoe Lodge No. 28 A. F. and A. M. and at the cemetery the beautiful and impressive Masonic ceremony was observed. Forty of the Knight Templars from Boise and Weiser command???? In full uniform acted as an escort. The Odd Fellows, of which the deceased was an honored member attended in a body in regalia as did also the Order of the Eastern Star.
J. E. Crouch, T. J. Brown, B. L. Downs, D. W. Alney, Joseph Oldham and J. S. Thurston acted as Masonic pallbearers. The honorary pallbearers were Judge Richards, Joseph Pickham, F. R. Coffin, and J. M. Johnson, of Boise and Henry Ervin and John McGlinchey, of Payette.
The funeral was the largest Masonic ever held in Payette and was attended by prominent Masons and Odd Fellows from other sections of this state as well as from Oregon.
Payette Enterprise (Thursday, March 26, 1914)
Hon. A. B. Moss
Hon. A. B. Moss, who passed away at St. Alphonsus Hospital, Boise, Saturday afternoon of typhoid fever, was one of Payette’s most prominent pioneer citizens. So intimately was he associated with all its enterprises, his death will have a tendency to paralyze financial interests for a time. Mr. Moss was born Nov. 9, 1849, at Belvidere, Ill. He attended the public school till he was sixteen, then came west and engaged in stock raising in Colorado and Wyoming for fifteen years.
March 10th, 1881, he was married to Miss Celia Mellor of Rock Springs, coming to Idaho in1882 to fulfill a contract with the Oregon Short Line, for a quarter of a million ties to be delivered at this point, he seeing the possibilities of the surrounding country, drove the first stake in the dirt of this fertile valley and founded Payette. Later prophesying it was to be Idaho’s most populous and thriving section and he lived to see many of his predictions come true.
In 1883 in partnership with his brother F. C Moss, who survives him, he engaged in general merchandise, stock raising, real estate and banking at Payette. He was the pioneer ditch and road builder for this section and was Payette’s first mayor and many times school trustee. A member of the Constitutional Legislature and at the time of his death President of the First National Bank, President of Moss Mercantile, President of the Cannery Company, Chairman of the Asylum Board for eight years and Treasurer of the Payette Valley railroad, a railroad that his influence gave us.
In politics he was a Republican and was candidate for Governor in 1896 on the Gold Ticket. He was a veteran of the Civil War, entering the service so young he was obliged to enlist in an adjoining town where he was not known. He served in the 69th Illinois regiment and was wounded at Shiloh.
He was a man broad and liberal in his religious views, a devoted husband and father with a generous hand and warm heart in alleviating the sufferings of others, an energetic business man owing his high standing to his individual efforts and most remarkable personality. He was a Knight Templar and member of the I. O. O. F., Elks, G. A. R., O. E. S., and sending beautiful emblems of their order and attending in regalia, the funeral which was held from the house Tuesday afternoon, Rev. Thomas Ashworth, Rector of St. James, reading the prayers and Ben Samuel Applegate, an old time friend, spoke most feelingly of his acquaintance with the deceased.
The body lay in state in a solid embankment of floral offerings of friends, from 10 to 12 and was viewed by many. Coming from a distance was Masons and I. O. O. F. from Weiser, Ontario and Boise. He honorary pall bearers were Judge Richards, Joseph Pinkham, Frank Coffin, J. M. Johnson, Boise, John McGlinchey and Henry Erwin, Payette. The Masons took charge at the cemetery.
Mr. Moss is survived by his wife and five sons, Lieut. Wentworth Moss, U. S. A., who arrived home Saturday, Frederick Alvord Moss, A. B. Moss, Jr., William Moss and Herber Moss who is attending school at Philadelphia, one sister and two brothers, to whom we extend most sincere sympathy.
