Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-06-01
tribute to departed worth.


On Monday last the members oil
the GAINESVILLE bar met at the City
Hall TO express their sentiments on
occasion of the death of the Hon.
R. w. Humphreys, we give below
the programme and resolutions adj
dopted. We viii add little in our
own name, not that we feel little,
but because our readers will rather
hear of the merits of the departed
from those who were every day
associated with him in the exer-
else Of his professional duties, and
who therefore had a more intimate
knowledge of his many good quail
tiles than from one whose inter
course with him was more casual.
We will not, however, withhold our
testimony as to the pleasure and
profit we have enjoyed from his
conversation when it has been our
privilege to enjoy his society. Judge
Humphreys was a man of extensive
general reading and was always
eager to join in conversation with
those of similar tastes, prompt to
communicate his ideas, clear in the
expression of them and appreciative
in listening to those of others. In
short his grand characteristic was
that of an open mind, always on the
alert for new ideas, and when we
add to this that this mind was as
ISOLATED with an open heart always
ready fOrsympathy in JOY or sorrow
with every human being, we have,
in those two items, described imam
who cannot fail to live in the affec-
lions of all who knew him:
The death of no member of the Bar of
GAINESVILLE has produced a more profound
sensation, or deeper sorrow, than that of
ROBERT w. HUMPHREYS. He died on Sat
urday, last, the 18th of May, at Bailey's
Springs Alabama, whittier he had gone
hoping its healing waters would re-
store his falling health. But, alas they |
failed to heal his fatal malady. ROBERT |
w. HUMPHREYS has been taken from his !
family and his friends, and lives only in the |
"
form will no longer be seen by us and |
though we feel he is transferred from this !
world OF sorrow and distress to that better |
land where sorrow VIII not come, and where /
distress IS stranger, we who knew him 1
well, and loved him for his virtues cannot |
be otherwise than exceedingly SOrrOwful \
over his untimely death nor can we, stand |
ing on his grave, restrain the poor tributes !
of our hearts. A good man has fallen and we |
mourn.
May we, gentlemen of the Bar, not forget |
his virtues, and may the Almighty strength |
en- us to initiate them. Mr.. HUMPHREYS |
was, in many respects n very remarkable |
in the discharge of every duty that was en-
cumbent upon him. As a man, though /
brave as lion in the defense of his cOuntry's
flag on the field, and as q lawyer in defense
of the right in the practice of his profession
in the courts, he was in all the walks of pri-
Vate life as innocent as woman. When a !
very young man, as Lieutena ut in our army !
he followed the flag of his country TO Mexi-
co, and stood where TrOuSdaie stood, at !
without the QuiTer of a nerve |
in the storm of battle and the Ieaden hail |
Of death. Returning to Tennessee his ma
tive state, after the war was over and the
golden shores OF California were added to |
our empire, he commenced the practice of
hi" profession, in this Judicial District, and
has been an able and honorable member of
this Bar TO the period of his death. 1t was
natural and appropriate that a son of Perry
w. Humphreys, who was the Judge of this
j Judicial District from 1921 to 1886 and whose
virtues are as fresh and fragrant as an or
chard in bloom, in the memory of all who
know him, should have sought the hand and
won the heart of a daughter of Mrs Charles
Merri weather, his first and only love. They
lived happily together and a numerous fam
Ily of sons and daughters live to treasure the
OF Their father, ROBERT w. HUMPT-
BEYS, and deplOre his loss. AS we stood by
his grave in Greenwood Cemetry, to-day,
md heard the funeral service pronounced
over his remains, we felt that the ''earth that
bears him dead, bears not alive q nObler
gem thereon" We have been often called
upon to attend the funeral of our friends, but
)n no occasion have we witnessed a more
crowd than was assembled
around his grave to-day. All seemed TO feel
hat they had sustained, in his death, per-
,onal loss that could not be repaired. Be it,
therefore,
Resolved, BY the members OF this Bar that
n his death we have sustained an over
vhelming loss, and that il should be the |
Tim of his survivors to initiate his virtues |
md treasure faithful remembrance of them !
n our hearts.
Resolved, That a copy of this preamble
md resolutions be forwarded to the city !
papers for publication and "A copy Ofthe same | :
De transmitted to his family with the sin |
ere sympathieS of the Bar of GAINESVILLE in |
heir sorrow and distress.
Resolved, That while we, the members Of
he Bar and community, have sustained an |
loss in his death, his family |
nave sustained an indispensable one. His
absence from the home circle will be missed |
n the bosom of his family that he shone |
brightest. He was the kindest of husbands | /
md an afIectiOnate father.