Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-11-03
DEAD ON HIS KNEES.
sudden Demise of DR.. EEunsey, the
Great Preachcr---FuIl Partic-
ulars of the sad Event.

Correspondence OF the Knoxville Tribune.
JoNEsBoRo, Tenn, Oct. 23.-Dr.
William E Munsey died at his resi-
dence in this place at ten minutes
after 8 O'Clock this morning. He
had been suffering intensely from
pain in his head for several days
past, and had spoken of q slight pain
in the region of the heart. He said
to his wife last night that he did not
expect to live through the day, but
as he was no worse than he had
been it was thought that he was
feeling despondent. His brother
in-law, Kennedy Blair, had been
with him for two weeks past, but,
thinking he was better, had sent to
the livery-stable for a horse to go
home. The Doctor was sitting in an
arm chair, and Mr.. Blair, seeing
that he seemed to be suffering, asked
him if he did not want to lie down.
The Doctor was then assisted to the
bed, and seemed to be much weaker
than usual. After Mr.. Blair had
assisted him to bed, he stepped out
of the room for some purpose. When
he came back, the Doctor was on
his knees by the bedside, and Mr..
Blair thinking that he was having
a nervous attack, went to his assist
ance, and took him in his arms.
The Doctor called his name once,
threw his head on Mr.. Blair's
shoulder, and died instantly, and
without struggle. For a long
while the Doctors nervous system
has been shattered, and he had been
unable to undertake any work. !
While he has been in very bad
health, his death was entirely un-
expected and was a great shock to
the community. We have just re-
turned from a visit to his home. !
AS he lies in the coffin, he is splen-
did specimen of a man, his finely |
formed face looking as it once did |
in the pulpit, when he was the most |
eloquent pulpit orator in the South. |
He has changed very little, and is
as fine looking now, as he lies in his
coffin, as he was in his brightest |
days.
The Doctors life was insured in
the Penn Life Insurance Company,
of Philadelphia, Pa, for $1,000.
A brief telegram from Jonesboro |
yesterday brought us the intelli-
gence of the sudden death in that |
place of DIR. w. E. Munsey, the
distinguished pulpit orator. The |
letter of our special correspondent,
on another page, gives the particu-
lars of the sad occurrence. DR. |
Munsey was a native of Southwest
ern Virginia, having been born, we |
believe, in what is now Bland coun-
ty. He must have been about for
ty-eight to fifty years of age. He
was a remarkable man in several |
particulars. His ascent was as rap
id as it was brilliant. His earlier !
performances were unprOmiSing, |
but about 1S60-61 he shot up among
the pulpit stars with the startling
flame of q meteor. His claims to |
the rank of great preacher we do
not pretend to discuss in brief no.
tice like this. However critics may
differ in their estimates in this re-
gard, it must be agreed by all who |
ever heard him that he was a man
of rare gifts and wonderful power.
He possessed a peculiar physical and
mental organism, which, under the
strain of immense labor and thought,
gave way several years ago, so that
for while his health was so preca-
rious that it was only occasionally
that he appeared in the pulpit to
preach, or upon the rostrum to lee
ture. He preached for several years
in Baltimore, where he acquired
great celebrity. Two years ago, he
was transferred to New Orleans, but
health failing, he went thence to
st. Louis, where he remained but
month or two. Broken in health
and spirits, be returned to Jones'
bOro, where he has lived, still hop
ing to regain his strength. Our re-
porter tells the sad story of his un-
looked for summons. Many thOus-
ands throughout the South who
have hung with rapture upon his
lips will hear Of his death
with peculiar SORROW.