Thursday, 22 Sep 1892:
THE MAYOR IS DEAD
Hon. Thomas W. Halliday Passes Away Sunday Evening

About five o’clock Sunday evening, September 18th, the tolling of all the fire bells of the city announced the death of Hon. T. W. Halliday, mayor of the City of Cairo. While this announcement was not wholly unexpected, still it caused a painful shock, to the entire community.

Mr. Halliday had not been well for several months. Last March he was extremely unwell and went down to Pass Christian, Miss., for his health. Receiving very little, if any, benefit there, he returned to Cairo and in a few days went to Hot Springs, Ark., where he spent several weeks. He returned the latter part of April somewhat improved, but he has never looked well since that time. He said he thought his trouble in the spring was a very bad case of the grip. He has not seemed light and elastic this summer. He has been quite fleshy, but his flesh has not seemed to be the result of good health and good digestion. He attended to business about as usual, but it was very evident that like a good general he expected his subordinates to attend to a great many of the details of business.

Last Tuesday he felt quite unwell and remarked that his head was not right, though he was on duty at the bank attending to business as usual during the early part of the day. He went home in the evening and Dr. Stevenson was called. The doctor said his trouble was a congestion of the brain. It seemed that nothing could be done for him. Dr. Woodward, of the U. S. Marine Hospital Service, and Dr. J. C. Sullivan were called to consult with Dr. Stevenson. The patient gradually became worse and all efforts at relief were wholly without avail. He became unconscious and was never entirely conscious after Thursday morning. At length, about five o’clock Sunday afternoon the silver cord was loosed, the golden bowl was broken and the spirit of Thomas W. Halliday returned to God who gave it.
BIOGRAPHICAL.

Thomas Wyatt Halliday was born in Pomeroy, Ohio, June 10th, 1844. He was the youngest of five brothers, all well known in Cairo, namely: William P., Samuel B., Major E. W., Henry L. and Thomas W. Halliday. He came to Cairo in 1862 with his brother Henry, his two older brothers having established themselves in business here previous to that time. He entered the firm of Halliday Brothers and continued with them until 1872, when he sold out and took a position with his father-in-law, Col. S. S. Taylor, of the Cairo Trust Property. He held this position for several years until after the death of Mr. A. B. Safford, cashier of the City National Bank. Mr. Safford died in the month of August, 1877.

It soon became apparent that a strong man, a responsible financier, must be found to take Mr. Safford’s place, and Thomas W. Halliday was the man selected for the position. He entered upon his new duties as cashier of the City National Bank on March 1st, 1880, and held that position up to the time of his death. The immense growth of that great fiscal institution, while under his charge, is the best evidence of his sound judgment and distinguished ability as a financier.
HIS PUBLIC LIFE.

But Mr. Halliday’s work was not confined to the affairs of the bank. In 1878 he was elected a member of the Illinois Legislature and though he only served one term, his ability and influence were recognized at once. He could be relied upon to support by his vote and influence any measure which he was satisfied would promote the business interests of the State or of any particular community. In short he was not very much of a politician, but was a thoroughgoing businessman in the legislature.
In 1880 he was elected a member of the county board of Alexander County and has held the office by re-election up to the time of his death. At the time of his first election, the county was involved in debt, the expenses were necessarily very high and the outlook was not promising. Mr. Halliday always had great influence in the county board. By his aid and influence the bonded debt of the county was greatly reduced by a compromise.

The courthouse was thoroughly repaired and a new jail placed within it. Eight or ten iron bridges were built in the county. A large and very fine farm was purchased and a large house built upon it for the use of the poor of the county. These improvements have all been made and paid for. The county is today in better financial condition than ever before. How much Mr. Halliday had to do with this improved financial condition, no one knows better than those who have sat with him as members of the county board.

In 1883, Mr. Halliday was elected mayor of the city of Cairo and has held the office by re-election up to the time of his death. Previous to his election to the office of mayor, he had been a member of the city council for several years.

As chief magistrate of the city he had another opportunity to display his signal ability as a sound financier and efficient executive officer. For the vast public improvements, which have been made in the City of Cairo within the past six years, the people of Cairo are indebted to his efforts more than to those of any other one man. It might be said of him as one of old: “Do you look for his monument? Look around you.” The solid, enduring streets of Cairo are a monument more impressive than towering marble.
THE MAN.

Mr. Halliday was a thoroughly successful businessman, but he was kind sympathetic and accommodating. We believe that he never refused to grant a favor which he could grant consistently. This is saying a great deal, for a man in his position as banker, mayor, county commissioner and prominent citizen is constantly besieged for favors.

He doubtless had political aspirations, but the demands of business of both a public and private nature were imperative and all aspirations of that nature must be suppressed.

Under the pressure of business cares and responsibilities most men become nervous and somewhat curt and brusque, but this was not the case with Mr. Halliday. He was uniformly gentle, thoughtful and considerate.

To the city of Cairo his loss is irreparable. No businessman has ever been taken from us whose loss was so generally and deeply felt.

In 1866 Mr. Halliday married Miss Charlotte Josephine Taylor, only daughter of Col. S. Staats Taylor, who is now left a widow with ten children to mourn the loss of a kind and tender husband. The eldest son, Thomas W. Halliday, Jr., is married and is now in Las Vegas, New Mexico, for the benefit of his health. He has been considered in quite a precarious condition from a lung or liver trouble. Mr. Halliday is said to have carried life insurance to the amount of $25,000. He had acquired considerable property, but of this we can give no details.
THE FUNERAL.

The funeral occurred Tuesday afternoon and was largely attended. It was first announced to take place in the Episcopal Church, but it soon became apparent that no church in Cairo would hold a tithe of those who would wish to attend. Consequently the services were held in St. Mary’s Park. An organ was placed in the pavilion and seats arranged for relatives and friends. The thousands of citizens who wished to pay their last tribute of respect to the deceased, gathered around the pavilion. Rev. F. P. Davenport, now of Memphis, conducted the services in accordance with the simple custom of the Episcopal Church. The police force attended as a body in uniform. The aldermen and city and county officers all attended, as did also the Board of Trade and the Illinois Club. The fire companies all attended in full uniform. These organizations made a very imposing procession. The floral offerings were very numerous, very elaborate and very beautiful. After the solemn and impressive service the cortege formed and marched to the Illinois Central depot, where a funeral train of eighteen cars conveyed about one thousand persons to Beech Grove Cemetery, where all that was mortal of Thomas W. Halliday was consigned to the tomb.

THE CITY IN MOURNING.

Monday morning had scarcely dawned before Cairo began to take on somber colors. The city council recommended that the buildings be draped in black, and the recommendation was promptly and universally adopted. Thousands of yards of cloth were hung in graceful loops and the supply was soon exhausted and more had to be ordered by wire. Never since the deaths of Grant and Garfield has the city presented such an appearance. Tuesday afternoon during the funeral all business was suspended and business houses were closed and locked. It was truly a day of universal sorrow.
THE ACTING MAYOR.

The city council meets tonight to elect one of their number to act as mayor until the April election. It is generally conceded that Col. Charles O. Patier will be chosen. Mr. Patier, has every qualification needed for such a position, and his long service in the council has given him a thorough insight in municipal affairs.
THE COUNTY BOARD.

The board of county commissioners is now totally disabled. Two deaths have occurred in it during this year: John Miller, of Thebes, and Hon. Thomas W. Halliday, of Cairo. The surviving member, Mr. A. S. Cauble, cannot transact business by himself and so there can be no meeting until after the election in November.
ACTION OF THE BOARD OF TRADE.

At a called meeting of the Cairo Board of Trade held Monday evening, September 19, 1892, for the purpose of taking action upon the death of Hon. Thomas W. Halliday, the following preamble and resolutions were, on motion of Hon. John M. Lansden, unanimously adopted to wit:

We, the Board of Trade, of the City of Cairo in special meeting assembled desire to place on record an acknowledgement of our profound sorrow upon the death of our late esteemed fellow member, the Honorable Thomas W. Halliday, and to that end, to hereby sadly and solemnly give expression to our feelings, and

Resolved, That by the death of Honorable Thomas W. Halliday, this Board has lost its most valuable and enthusiastic director and advisor, one ever ready to devote his time and energy to the advancement of public interest, and one whose place absolutely cannot be filled.

That the State has been deprived of an able advocate of popular rights, and one tried and true in her legislative council;

That the county mourns him as an untiring laborer at the head of the county board, ever solicitous for the welfare of the people;

That the city has met with a loss, at once great and irretrievable, and as the chief executive of Cairo, Mr. Halliday has been preeminently able and faithful and has earned a reputation second to none, upon the long list of worthy men who have preceded him in that honorable office;

That as a citizen ever upright and public spirited, his wise council and great influence will be sadly missed;

That as a husband and father his affection and devotion were ever most untiring and faithful.
To his family we offer our united sympathy in this greatest affliction.

It is ordered that these proceedings be published in the Cairo papers, an engrossed copy be furnished the family, and that four honorary pall bearers be appointed to act at the funeral.
Miles F. Gilbert, Vice President.
Attest:
George E. O’Hara, Secretary.

(Thomas Wyatt Halliday married Charlotte Josephine Taylor on 1 May 1866, in Alexander Co., Ill.—Darrel Dexter)

borrowed from rootsweb http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilgssi/Cairo/obits_1892.html