Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-01-12
MAJOR HICKMAN.
He Life and Death.--PrOpOsed Aonors is
hls Scenery.

Many an expression Of heartfelt sor-
row will be provoked In this city by the
announcement Of the death Of Mai. Ed
win Hickman, for many years Mayor OF
Memphis. He served through five or six
terms Of Office, and was never beaten but
once; then by a young lawyer, formerly
OF GAINESVILLE, Tennessee, now Of FlOrids,
named Einlay. Finlay has since demon
strated his worth, not only by profess
sional success, but by laurels won as
commander of q Florida regiment n
brigade during the war. Major Hickman
was born, we believe, in Nashville. in
l7o5, Just after h close of the old revoIu-
tionary war. There he spent his earlier
years.. He became q citizen Of Hunts
vile. After a short residence there, ne
made Memphis his home in 1922, where
be resided, or on his plantation, the Clay
ton place, four miles east of the city, un-
Gil 1852 or '53, when he went to San An
tonic, Texas. There he has resided until
his death, on the 18th ult. Mai. HEX
mar was as elegant a gentleman, in dress
and manners, as the famous Beau
hickman, of thirty years ago.
he never forgot the maxim that the
apparel oft proelaims the man." and yet
in all else he wa wholly unlike the
Washington fOp. ScrupulOusly honest,
his word was his bond, and no people
ever relied more implicitly upon the
honor of a citizen and officer than those OF
Memphis upon the sublime integrity of
the proud old gentleman who devoted the
best years of his life to the promotion Of
their prosperity. When his death was
announced yesterday at the Mayors
office, Squire Richards, who was in Ofhce
during Hickman's administration, John
NewsOm M others, who knew and loved
the old man, wept like children who had
just heard the story Of their fathers de-
mise. The story Of Major Hickman's
life would be the history OF Memphis
from 1922 or % till 1858. There was no
scheme of charity or of public improve
ment in which he did not lead. Associated
with Winchester u Jackson through the
earlier years of his life, he was a thor
o~ugh-paced Democrat, devoted not only
TO theories of local, but of practical, per
sonal Independence. He was never a
member of any association. He egcheWed
even church membership, and yet his per-
sonal morals, at least after we knew him,
we're faultless. His friendship for Colonel
HanPelt, the founder of the APPEAL, was
close and enduring. He was the only
living man who dared to utter Ian
gusge strongly c~OndemnstOFy, interlarded
with harsh epithets, to the original chief
engineer OF the APPEAL. He Wept over
Pelt's grave and often afterWard, |
when coming YER the pages of the pa
per, his eyes would be filled with tears
and he would bless the name and memo
ry of his friend. His personal attach
we're very strong and his gsneros-
ity to the unfortunate ~bOundless. He was
never heard to inveigh against a friend
whom he had served and by accident or
misfortune made himself the loser
money. This last test of his
goodness was often ap-
piled and the Mayors generosity to
faults was always triumphant
over his love of money
The "Old Folks" Of the city and
and city government might very
properly sJtest their admiration for the
of such a man, and tender to
memory tributes that are due. If
mems names and character are not
20 be held in veneration, there would be
title gained in death by a long and hon
life.
His health, Notwithstanding his wears.
good until a few weeks ago. when by
N accidental fall his leg was broken near
he hip joint. He did not suffer greatly
Until the night before his death, when the
lse of %anOdynss became Indispensable. A
lervOus chill s~upervsned about midnight
nd he never spoke afterWard.