The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-01-07
DEATH OF THE REV. 0. T. P0RCHER

loss to any community, than that
which occurred in the death OF
Rev. Octavius II. Porcher, Rector
of St. Stephens Church, Willing
ton, and Principal of the we'll
known Academy at that place, on
Tuesday the 30th ult. The Jealous
and devoted pastor, the able and
faithful teacher, the kind ncighbor
and sympatlizing friend, has been
taken away, and a whole commit
nifty unite their SORROWS and sympa-
thics with the afflicted and desolatcd
household.
A victim of consumption, the
deceased had been for a long time
in failing health, but he sank more
rapidly, and the summons came
sooner, than was expected. More
than a year ago he went on a health
tour to the North, but derived no
material benefit, and returning
home devoted himself with renewed
zeal to the work Of his life. Abating
nothing Of his ministerial labors
until his voice failed him, and with
the aid Of his accomplished daugh-
ter keeping up his school until the
close Of the session, it was only a
few weeks before his death that
the indomitable resolution of the
man succumbed to the ravages OF
the destroyer, and he was forced to
take to his bed. Here he met his
death with the calm reliance and
confident trust which had charac-
tcrizcd his life. Calling his rela-
tives and friends to his bedside, he
desired to share with them the
communion, according to the rites
Of his own beloved church. Cir
cumstanccs prevented the admins
tration, but relatives and friends
were there to tender the last offices
of sympathy and love, and the Glo-
ria in Ercelsis, chanted at his bed
side, formed a fit prelude to the
songs of cherubim and seraphim
which were soon to greet his en-
raptured ear.
The deceased was born at Pine
Vile, in st. Stephens Parish, on
9th June, 1929, and was hence in
the forty-fitth year of his age, at
the time Of Lis death. lie graduated
at the South Carolina College, in
the class Of lS49, and in January,
1850, took charge of the Academy
at Wilmington, where he remained
two years. Upon his marriage to
Miss Georgia Dcvcaux, December
18th, 1851, he, in January, 1852,
moved the school to his residence
near by, where he then boarded
and instructed a large number of
pupils. In December, 1858, at
Black Oak Church, st. Johns
Bcrklcy, South Carolina, he was Or
daincd to Dcacon's. Orders, and at
the meeting of the Convention III
Abbcvillc in May, 1870, was or
dained to Priests Orders, in Trini-
ty Church, Abbeville, South Caro-
lima. lie leaves a family Of six
children - three sons and three
daughters. The funeral services
were performed in the presence of
a large congregation, on Thursday
1st January, by the Rev. e. Il.
Miles, after which the body was i'll
tered in the cemetery adjoining
the chapel, where a number of
his relatives lie buried. A striking
feature of the funeral was the large
attendance of the colored people,
to whom the deceased was en-
dearcd by lifelong devotion to
their interests.
Mr.. Porcher possessed in an emi-
ncnt degree the rare combination
of qualities which fit one for success
as a teacher. Without the profound
attainments or rich endowments Of
the gifted Arnold, he possessed the
same faculty of securing the respect
and love Of the pupil, and Of in
sEiring high aims and noble pur-
poses. Resembling his great pro-
totypc, DR.. Moses Waddcll, in
many of his mental and moral traits,
he brought to the work Of the
teacher the same earnestness of
purpose, the same thoroughncss Of
preparation, and the same conscien-
tious discharge Of duty, which,