South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1868-04-17

PHILIP WILLIAMS, one of the purest and
best men that ever lived, closed his earth
ly career on Thursday last, at Woodstock
Shenandoah county, Va, in the 9th year
Of his age.
No effort Of ours TO commemorate hi.
lovely character and wonderful attachments
will add one title to the estimate an which
his memory will be held by tue readers Of
this journal forall knew, and admired, and
loved him.
Crowned with honors, undisI u'ed ard
unenvied while living, tradition will hand
down the blessings os his example and the
fragrance of his virtues through many geu-
erations of the people with whose every
interest he has been so long and so promi-
ncntly identified, without the aid Of monu-
mental marble, or the more perishable chron.
icles Of passing events But Winchester
paper, circulating in the lower Valley Of
Virginia, the fortunate field of his labors
for the past half-century, and throughout
whose tntire limits his name is "hmiliar rs
household word, would shock the gcner
al feeling if il failed to give some express
sion, however inadequate, to the deep sor-
row which pervades every class of society
/ Ut inc lOsS--lue UTSpaTdUiC losS-OL SuCu
man as PULP WILLIAMS.
What can be said of few men, especially
Of men whose spheres of action are extern
sive, can be said of him without n hair
breadth deviation from truth--that he full
filed the obligations Of every relation of
life. As Christian, his whole life shone
out vii the beauty Of holiness, and he was
indeed ga living cpstle, known and read of
all men" with whom he came in contact !;
a regular and devont attendant upon the
public services of the sanctuary and the pri-
! waite prayer-meo;ings the principal Of the
! Episcopal Sabbath-schonl of this place for
twenty-five years n chief counsellor in the
assem- bles of his Church consistent, ear
nest, 'aborious--well might DIR. SrARPow,
| of the Theological Seminary, say # him,
when lie heard of his death, ''There is no
man TO take his place in the Church of Viz
ginia."
At the bar he was the acknowltd god Lad
or. Others were equal to him in many re
spects, and probably, in few points, his
superior; but for the general practice in
all branches of the law, and in capacity for
labor, he was without peer.
As citizen, latoring, at all times, with
d zeal and carncstncss rarely seen in this
'elisb world, for the welfare and prosperi-
~ Of bis people; as friend, whose hand
was over ready 10 obey the promPtincs of a
heIrt Overlooking with beneyolcDce, So
chez, fuI, SO charitable and considerable Of
the feei;rgs Of al around him-where shall
we look 10 his like agaiu !?
To be edih d by the wisdom, cheered by
~ ~ hv ha oh
moral courage OF SUCH n man, was rich
blessing to any community, and II IS but
natural that there shoJld tc general sor-
row when death has qncnclled the lumi-
nous centre from Which these precious priv
ilcEc radiated
For some months prior to his death, the
indications of infirm age were apparent !;
his eyc-sight had grown dim, and friends
noted, with heavy hearts, the struggle go
ing on between his indomitablc spirit and
its falling tenement of flesh, and anxious
that his valuable life should be prolonged,
urged and entrcated him TO rest from his
labors, but he was so accustomed tn meet
and surmount diiieultie,, and having M
fear of death, it is probable he did not re
alize what was so painfully evident to them :
or if he did, it was impossible for him to be
idle or east upo others the manifold trusts
which had been con6led to him.
So it was, there was no rest for him this
side Of Heaven, and he literally died i'll the
traces.
BY a singular coincidence, he fell il the
! courtroom, within foot Of the spot from
which he had, forty-fve years before, de-
livcrcd his maiden speech at the bar-:he
opening Of n professional career not less
successful than honorable and illustrious.
As veteran falls on bis last battlefield,
so he fill in the fray of the forum, amid
the scenes Of many professional triumph,
won without enmity, aud borne with rare
nodcsty.
And thus, full Of years and Of honors.
with scarcely pang, the same sweet and
serene expression upon his features, which
all so well remember, the unsulled soul Of
! PHILIP WILLIAMS passed from the Courts
Of Earth to Heavens Chauccry and the
Recording Angel greeted him with u smile;
for there was uu need Of n tear to blot any
thing from his record, which had been wash.
cd in the blood Of tie Saviour lac had fui,h
/ fully served - Winchester Tim =, 1prH ).
DEATH OF p. WILLIAMS, ESQ
At meeting Of the members Of the Bar
II Frederick county, held at the Town Hall
IN Winchester, Saturday, the 4th day Of
April 1865