Senator Moses M. Ham View All Years

MOSES M. HAM was born in the town of Shopleigh, York county, Maine, March 23, 1833; he died at Dubuque, Iowa, Dec. 25, 1902. Mr. Ham came of revolutionary stock. His ancestors bore an honorable part in the colonial and revolutionary wars and the war of 1812. He was educated at the Collegiate Seminary at Carysville, and at Oneida College, Schenectady, N.Y. He graduated at the last named institution in 1855. Migrating westward he first settled in Jonesville, Mich., where he became principal of the public schools which place he held for two years, at the expiration of which time he began his career in journalism. He secured a position on The Detroit Free Press, of which Wilbur F. Story (afterwards of The Chicago Times) was the editor. He entered the military service in the war for the Union, and was for a short time adjutant of a Michigan regiment, though he saw no active service. He remained with The Free Press until 1863, when he removed to Dubuque and secured an interest in The Herald of that city. He was first associated with Stillson Hutchins and Patrick Robb. Two years later Mr. Robb died and Mr. Hutchins removed to Washington, D. C. Mr. D. D. W. Carver, who had been associated with A. B. F. Hildreth in The Charles City Intelligencer, then became a joint partner with him in the proprietorship of The Herald. Mr. Ham from this time was the editor of The Herald “for thirty-five years without a break.” It became under his editorial management, one of the foremost democratic papers in the State. It was able and enterprising in all its departments, but especially in its commercial reports. Mr. Ham occupied a high position in the councils of his party, not alone in Iowa, but in the nation, serving as delegate in its national conventions and as a member of its national committees. He enjoyed the confidence of Samuel J. Tilden and President Cleveland. He was tendered the appointment of assistant postmaster general by the latter, which he declined for business reasons. He accepted the position of postmaster of Dubuque, which he held eight years. He served a term as state senator, and as trustee or regent of the State University several years, and long as a member of the local board of education. He was a tireless worker, who gave all his energies to whatever task his hands or head found to do, a vigorous, able and versatile editor. No man in his city enjoyed in a higher degree the personal respect and confidence of those who knew him well. Several years ago he became a victim of that fell disease known as locomotor ataxia, which resulted in paralysis of his lower limbs. He was unable to move about except in an invalid’s chair. But until a short time before the end came his mind was bright and clear and he continued to write for the public press. Two of his articles relating to the early history of Dubuque were prepared for and appeared in this magazine. He and Mr. Carver presented to the Historical Department of Iowa a file of The Herald for more than forty years, a gift which will always be esteemed as of great value by the students of Iowa history.