Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-12-26
lFrom the Winchester Republican.
The Late Hugh Holmes Lee.


TheNLate Hugh Holmes Lee. 81
IN has already been ann ounced that
Hugh Holmes; Lee departed this life on
Friday. theIoth ult Taken$off in what is
called theSprime of life, his death calls for
more than the, mere formof publication.
Col. Lee hss'claims on our grateful me-
mories such as few of his surviving asso-
ciates can present. His was no ordinary
life, and few knew under what trials he
sustained its labors, and dis charged its
many duties.
Years before he attained his majority,
the death Of his father threw on him the
charge of his mother and large family.
At-the age Ollie Hugh Lee was boy as
others; before he passed that age he was a
man in everything that gives dignity. to
manhood. The head Of a family consisting
in part of infant brothers and sisters, it
was difficult 10 recognize in him the man
OF to-day the boy Of yesterday. >, AT that
age he succeeded his father as sole clerk
Of the chancery side of the circuit superb
or court of this county. and continued to
discharge the duties Of that Office until
the division OF the county. when he was
appointed by the late Judge Parker clerk
OF the circuit court Of Clarke. During
this period he had prepared himself for
the practice Of law and been admitted to
the bar. He also received and held until
his death the Office Of master commission
er in both the counties Of Frederick and
Clarke. and the District Court of appeals
at Winchester appointed him clerk at
their organization.
T.. a. oaS ofI
ties Of these Offices. few men have left
such a record behind them. AS clerk,
he was regarded as perhaps the best in
Virginia; indeed it is fact, not general
ly known, that the provisions in our late
statutes, excepting clerks of the circuit
court from the law requiring all officers
to reside within their counties or district,
was. and WAS meant to be a personal COM
plmeut to Col. Lee, and no one doubted
that, had he chosen to avail himself of it,
he would though a nonresident, easily
have been elected to that office.
| AS q commissioner in chancery, the
bar of this circuit will with one accord
bear witness to his remarkable worth.
AS lawyer. his practice was mainly on
the chancery side OF the court. and was, of
course. affected by the calls of official
duties. but his education having been in
the chancery courts. he was admirably
| fitted for that practice. and was certain Of
success. That golden rule Of chancery.
He who seeks equity must do equity"
was ingrained in his nature, was " hid in
his heart" and he could not appear as
counsellor of wrong or advocate Of inius-
tice. In May last, Col. Lee WAS chosen
President of the Bank of the Valley, in
the place Of the late r. A. Tidball, ESQ,
but his health. which soon after fastened
to decline. prevented him from attending
to the duties Of this office in the manner
in which he had discharged all his 9TH
er trusts.
| Few know that this life Of labor was
also life of constant pain that there
had been scarce an hour for many 10 70
years that Col. Lee was free from perso
al suffering. A disease which defed the
| ply sicians Of America. France and Eng
land-a slow, gnawing, consuming disease
was wearing away his BODY all the while
His relief from agony was dull pain !;
sIeepless nights were relieved by fever's
itful sleep.o or the lethargy ofutter exhaus-
ton. Against all this he struggled with
hvmness that YVES more than heroic In his
Office he was prompt and attentive to an
cry clients and quarrelsome witnesses,
while racked with pains.
The writer Of this has known him 10
roll in pain the entire night. and attend
to all the calls Of impatient lawyers, suit
ors and witnesses in court the next dav,
without sign of suffering and this not
occasionally but through a term and terms
We say he died in the prime of life, as he
was but al years of age, but in truth his
life can hardly be said to have had a
prime certainly, if it ever hail, he had
long since passed it. The manly son, the
fond husband, the brother that was a pa
rent, has gone to his rest, and the weary
word rest comes with a double blessing
as applied to him. He was sustained in
life by holy hope an humble follow.
er of Christ, he bore the "aff1ictions
which are for a season" as knowing they
would work out far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory The bereaved
friends should rejoice to believe, in their
distress. that he enjoys rest, and that his
is "the rost which remaineth."
1T.
The TERRITORY OF ARRAzoN1A.-The