Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-11-25
From the Winchester Republican.

l. has already been announced that FIrGH HOLMES LEE
departed this life on FRIDAY, the 10Th ult. Taken on IN
what ia termed the prime of life. his d"sth calls Tor nloic
than the mere form OF publication. Col Lee has claims
on our grateful memories such as few OF bis surviving ~
s"ciatcs can present HE was no ordinary life, and lew
knew und"r whit tris!" he Sustained It's iabors, and d''
charged his nrny duties.
Years before hc attained bis majority. the death OF his
in;her threw ON him the charge ut his mother and II large
family. At the age Of ii Hugh Lee wa. n boy. HI others:
bco,e h. passed that age he was u man in every thing
that gives dignity to !nlnhoOi. The head Oi "A ih'nlly, CON
sis,inr in part ui inimnt brothers mud sisters, il WAS difficult
to recognize in the man at To day the boy OF yesterdHy.-
Al thar aye he Succeeded his fa:hcr rs sole clerk of the
chAncrry side OF the circuit superior conr, OF thlr county,
and continued To discharge the duties oi that once nnhi
the division of the county, when he WAS appointed by the
late Judge Parker clerk al he circuit court OF Clarke
During this period ne had prepared himself Tor the prac'
ticc OF lrw aud been admitted 10 the bar. he also rrcciv'
ed and held ill his ,Irn h the office Of master commission.
rr in both the counties Of Frederick and Clarke, and The
Distr!c, Court OF Appeals Mt Winchester appointed him
clerk nj their organization
In tir. heavy and Outlines complex duties of thcsc Of.
icrs, lew men have lcr such II record behind them. AS a
clerk liz was regarded rs pcrhnps the best in Virginia.; in
deed, il is "A fact not generally known, that the provision in
our lnte statutes. excepting clerks OF the circuit court
from the law requiring MI officers 10 reside within their
counties or districts. was, and Sas meant TO bc, n personal
compliment TO Col. Lee, ard no on" doubted that, had ne
chosen to avail! h inset Ut ii, he would though Il non.Icsi.
dent, have been cHsIlv elected To that office.
As a commissioner in chancery, the bar of this cir
cal; Will with one accord bear witness to his remarkable
worth.
As lawyer, his practice was mainly on the chancery
side OF III" court. md WAS, OF course, affected by the cnlis
VII lie tHla 'a AAh4f-, Atl bT ''h' lDh NV A''h ~ h'#
chnnccry cOurfs, he was admirably fitted for tina, practice
and was cerfnin of success. Tint golden rul. at III anccry,
HE nkO setks equity m">t do e7"iiy, - was ingraiued in his
nature. was aid In MS heart, and he could not appear as
counsellor Of wrong or advocate OF injustice. In May
last Col. Lee was chosen President OF the Bank OF the
Valley, IN the place OF the late T. A. Tidball, Esq, but hs
health. which soon after hastrDed to decline, prevent ii
him from attending 20 The duties OF thu, Office IN the man.
ncr in which he had discharged all his other trusts.
Few know thnt this lite Of labor WIS also n lite OF con.
slant pnin: tina; there hnd been scarce an hour Tor many
long years that col. Lee WIS tree from personal suffering.
A disease which defed the physicians of America. Eng.
band snI Franre-H slrw, rna~ing, consuming, Intestinal
disease WAS wearing away HE body MI the while. His re-
liet from agony was dull pain; ~sleepless nights were re-
licvcd by levers Et'Gl sleep, or the lethargy oil utter es'
| ha.s,ion. A:ains, MI this he struggled with II frmncss
ths, was more than heroic. In his office he WIS prompt
aud attentive 10 angry clients and quarre.oine witnesses,
while rncked with pains.
The writer Of this has known him 10 roll in pain the rn.
tire night, md attend 70 all the calls O! impatient IN" ycrs,
slitors aud witnets es in court the next day. without Il sign
ol suffering; and his not occasionally, but through q term
md terms.
W. sag he died In :hr prime of fife, a. he wGs but forty,
one years Of age. but in truth his lie eau be hardly said
10 have had a prime; ccI .iniy, II i, ever had: he had long
since passed il. The manly son. the fond husband. the
brother that was n n parent, has gone I" his rest, and IN"
very word rect comes with n iouDle blessing rs applied To
him. He was sustained in Ee hy n holy hope: Nh humble
follower of Christ, he hnre,he "H,.iIrriOns which are tor II
season" ss knowing they would work out n far more TX
cerGing and eternal weight OF s!rrv The bercavcd
,ri.nd- should rejoice 10 believe. in their distress. that be
enjoys rest. and that lis il, the rect which reraGinaL.,