The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-09-19
TEXAS LOSES a pATRIor.

Col. Ben II. EPperson died at his
home in Jefferson, surrounded by his
relatives and friends, on the sixth of
September. Had he lived until the
third of November he would have been
81 years of age, a period usually in life
when one should be in full man.
hood aud vigor. But Col. Epper
sons death came at lhis age as q
result of unremitting devotion to labor
and an overworked system. Ben II.
Epperson was a native of Mississippi,
whence he came with his father to
Texas while yet a boy. He was
educated at Princeton College, and
studied Law with B. II. Martin,
leading lawyer of Clarksville. Elrly
in life he assumed a deep interest
in all things designed to advance
the interests of the country, and from
his earliest manhood took a great
interest IN politics. He was Wing
of the Henry Clay school, and at the
age of twenty-eight was brought for
ward by his party as candidate for
Governor of Texas, receiving a strong
support. He was time and again sent
to the State Legislature from Red
River county, and his wise
craftsmanship has been indelibly
stamped upon the political features OF
Texas.
To Col. Epperson Texas is as much
indebted as to any other man for her
magnificent system of internal i'm
provements. Contemporary with Iious-
ton and Rask and the fathers of the
State, and serving with Governor
Throckmorton in the House of Rep
resentatlves at the time when the lib
eral policy of appropriating lands to
works of internal improvement was
inaugurated, he threw the weight of
his talents and influence in favor of
the policy, and by his efforts and those
laboring with him more than two
Thousand miles of railway now ira.
verse the State, all constructed and in
successful operation, without the ap-
preparation of single dollar from the
public treasury. North Texas espe-
cislly will revere his memory as one of
her most useful citizens, and wherever
the Texas and Pacific road shall pene-
trate, the people along its line will en-
tertain grateful recollections of his
great labors in its behalf. He was an
ardent Union man in all the conflict
and discussion which Immediately pre-
ceded our great civil war. He met the
most distinguished secessfonists on the
stump, and always maintained his views
of the great questions involved with
all the fire and strength and anima-
ton of his nature; and as Whig and
q Union man he was placed upon the
Bell and Everett electoral ticket IN 1860
Nevertheless, he did not believe in the
power of the Federal government tC
coerce, and he went with the South il
its affliction, and did all in his power
for the success of the cause that wa
lost. During the war, and after it, hi
purse was open to the needy, and thou
sands of his substance were spent ii
relieving them. A grateful peopl'
elected him In 1866 to Congress
but he, with the others from Texas
were denied the privilege of taking
their seats. He settled In Jefferson il
1872, and was next sent to the Sat
Legislature by the people of Marion
county. His career has been one o
generous impulses and of noble pur
poses, and in his death Texas has los
citizen whose place it will be Difficult
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