The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-01-09
OBITUARY..
Hon. s. b. Rew1ev.

Tue subject of this sketch, the Hon.
s. B. BEWLEY, was Born in Greene
county, East Tennessee, May 28th 1926.
Els father. the Hon. Jacob M. Bewley,
Senior, was a substantial farmer aud
representative man Of his time aud sec
ton, representing his district in the
Legislature of Tennessee more than
once, and receiving during the long
period of his life many other evidences
of the confidence and esteem of his con
stituents and contemporaries. But, as
will be seen hereafter, nature had re-
served for his SON her choicest gifts, and
lavished them upon him in a variety and
profusion seldom equaled and rarely, il
ever, excellcd.
The son, to whose memory this tri-
butte is paid, grew up and received his
earliest impressions amid the mountains
and picturesque scenery OF his native
country, and obtained the rudiments of
his education, afterwards so thorough,
in log school-house near the home of
his childhood. AT the age of twenty
three years, having completed his cduca-
ton at Strawberry Plains College, East
Tennessee, he left home to shape des-
tiny for himself in distant States and
amid different scenes. Leaving college
with finished education and a lofty
ambition, but without money, he be-
came a school teacher as a temporary
expedient to relieve his peeuniary ne
cessities, and as a stepping stone and
means of preparation for the profession
| of law the attainment of an eminent
| position in which had been the subject
| of the fOndest dreams of his boyhood
and the highest aspirations of his ma
| turer years.
Pursuing his occupation and rising
rapidly to distinction as teacher, he
removed to Alexandria, Benton county,
| Alabama, in the year 1919, and during
his residence there formed the aeqnaint-
ance of Mary e. johnson, TO whom he
| was married on the 18th of January, A.
D. 1851. One year afterwards, he re-
moved to Texas, and settled, first in
Henderson, Rusk county, In January,
1862, where he became the first Presi-
dent of the Fowler Institute, which he
conducted with great success until Jan
uary, 1855, when he removed to San
Augustine, to become President of the
Wesleyan College, then flourishing
! institution. This position he retained,
giving universal satisfaction, and gain
1 ing great popularity, until January, 1850,
| when, in pursuance of long-cherishcd
design, he bid adieu to the school-room,
and entered upon the practice of law !.
| Less than year afterwards, he became
a candidate for, and was elected Dis
trict Attorney of the fifth district, then
noted for its able and brilliant bar,
against a number Of opponents of dis
tinction, ability and long residence in
the district. He filed the position with
eminent credit TO himself and to the en-
| tire satisfaction of his constituents I'M
/ til the war came on, when he entered
the Confederate army as a private SOL
der.
After the war, in 1856, he was again
elected District Attorney Of his old dis
tTict, but was not permitted to serve out
his time, being removed from Office
about year after his election, by the
reconstruction acts of Congress, and
was DISTINGUISHED for participation in
the rebellion until the emancipation of
the State and the recovery of the govern
nent by the people in 1878, when be
was Immediately elected to represent
his district in the Legislature, and be
came one OF of the leading, and by far
the most brilliant members Of the first
Democratic Legislature which assem-
hled in Texas after the war. About the
time OF his return from the Legislature
be was attacked by deadly, and as he
knew, an incurable disease. He endur-
ed its pains and contemplated It's Tavages
with fortitude difficult to imagine,
and impossible to describe. From its
effects he died at his home on The morn
ing of the 9Th, of December 4. D, 1877,
at 5 O'Clock, surrounded BY his affec-
tionate and heart-stricken family and
lamented by all who knew him-s
Few men of this, or, in fact, of any
other age, combined the qualities OF the
honored dead of whom. we write. OF
strong natural mind, much learning
and unsurpassed eloquence OF speech,
he was the pcer of the first statesmen.
inrists and orators OF his day No
lawyer or statesman Of the writer's ae-
quaintance could successfully cope with
him where tact, skill or q thorough
knowledge Of human hature could be
made decisive; and when fascinating,