Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1876-07-04
TUESDAY, JULY 4, 1876.
DEATH OF JAMES w. SHEF.
FEY.


pared for the announcement that
Mr. James White Shetfey, the
delegate from Smyth county to the
Legislature of Virginia, is no
more. He died last Wednesday
morning about thirty minutes be
fore I o'clock. He was born in
Wythe county in March, 1913
Being left an orphan at an early
age he was taken into the family
of his uncle, James White, Of
Abingdon, whore he was reared
and educated. In 1885 he was
married to Miss Eleanor f. daugh,
ter Of Col. John Preston, of. this
county, and settled in Marion,
Smyth county, where he has resi-
dcd since, and has reared quite a
large family of children, several of
whom are now dead. In 1855 he
was defeated for the House of
Delegates by very few votes in
favor of Col. Thos. l.. Preston
In 1860 he was elected to the Con-
Stitutional Convention, of which
he shono as one of large number
Of the very brightest intelIects of
the State. r-- 80 +-A ---
In 1875, in his absence from,
home, and only twelve days prior
to the election, he received spons
tancous nomination for the House
of Delegates, and though he was
not present in the county during
the campaign, ard had previously
refused the most urgent solicita-
tions to allow such use Of his name,
he was elected over one of the
most popular gentlemen of the
county.
In the organization of the pres
ont House of Delegates he was
made Chairman of the Committee
on Privileges and Elections, before
which there was an unprecedented
amount Of business. Besides this
he was assigned honorable positions
on both the Finance and Judiciary
Committees. When the appoint
mcnts were published he remarked
to the writer of this that the Hon
orablo Speaker evidently regarded
him as having unusual capacities
for labor. He evidently consider
ed himself over-tasked, but with
his usual resolution and energy he
went to work, and in these, as in
all other capacities in his life he
had done, he performed an amount.
Of labor which would have told at
an early day on constitution less
vigorous. Mr.. Shetfey rarely adj
dressed the House, but when he
arose he commanded throughout
his speech its undivided attention.
If at any time the present dis
tinguished Senator from S. w.
Va. had failed of denomination it
was the purpose Of the Southwest
orn delegation to place Mr.. Shelf
fey before the caucus, but he mod
cstly and properly refused to allow
ms name to antagonize Mr.. john
ston's. ' @a
In person Mr.. Shefey was of
medium stature and of robust fig
urc. In his movement he was ac-
tive, and until the opening of the
late legislative session he enjoyed
almost perfect health. AS a law
yer he has for years been one of
the ablest and most successful in
the State. But for his intense ap~
pllcaton to much Of his outdoor
business he would doubtless have
shone rs one of the very first lu>
minaries of the Virginia bar. He
amassed large and very hand-
some estate, and as an advocate he
made a name second to none in the
Southwest. AS an orator he was
concise, forciblo and emphatic
Perhaps one of the leading secrets
OF his success was the fact that he
always threw into any case OF
which he had charge his entire ag~
grogated powers. Even where sue
cess seemed certain he, to use a
commonplace expression, always
did his best. His style was terse