The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-01-11
Dr. william M. Compton.

DR.. William McCorkle Compton was
born in Madisonville, Hopkins county
Kentucky, on the 4th of August, 1888
and died of yellow fever in the vicinity O
Holly Springs, Mississippi, on the Sd day
of October, 1873.
The loss of such man is indeed 6
public calamity. From early manhood tc
the hour of his death, he was citizen OF
the State of Mississippi, so recently and SC
greatly bereaved in the death of many Of
her brightest and best sons end daughters,
and all of his hopes, affections and aspira'
tiors were immutably fixed upon and in
volved in the welfare of the commonwealth
of his choice and adoption. 1t is exceed
ingly difficult if not altogether impossible,
to place fair and just estimate upon such
man as Compton was. Endowed with
the rarest powers and richest gifts of head
and heart, enlarged by extended experience
and observation, and strengthened and in
vigorated by thought and study, lie was the
inferior of none and the equal of any. AS
a physician, he deservedly ranked among
the highest, and best in his profession.
With mind broad in its comprehensive
ness, and quick and acute in its percep-
tions, he acquired information upon any
and all subjects, so readily as to create the
impression that his knowledge was the re-
suit of intuition, yet the latter years of
his life particularly, were nevertheless spent
in laborious research ard anxious investi-
CATION. He did not confine himself to the
learning of his chosen profession, recog-
niZing the fact that had he done SO, he
would have been mere mechanic, and
could never rise to the dignity of an
Architect or Master builder. He did not
stand trembling at the Threshold of the
vast store-house of knowledge as thong
afraid to meet and hold converse with the
mighty dead, but as he saw emblazoned
upon its portals, 'Pulsate of aperietnr
Obs" he boldly entered its most hidden
chambers, and gathered fearlessly and at
will, the rich fruits garnered there. Recog-
nized as among the first of living con-
tributors to the lelief of physical ailments
generally, and ESPECIALLY, mental and nerv~
GUS disorders, he was at the same time so
thoroughly versed in political history and
economy, and the principles and duties of
true craftsmanship as to cause him to be
feared and respected by all opposers, and
revered as most sagacious counsellor and
infallible oracle by all who belonged to the
same household of political faith. He en-
tered the army at the beginning of hos
tilities between the States az a private
soldier, but was speedily promoted and be-
came one of the most distinguished of that
heroic band of skillful surgeons who fol-
lowed the fortunes of the Confederate flag |
Having been honored by Marshall county |
with seat in the Legislature and in the |
Constitutional Conventions of 1865 and |
1868, he was chosen Superintendent of the
State Lunatic Asylum upon the advent of
the Republican party to power, under its
great chieftain in Mississippi, James L.
Alcorn, of which he became a member,
greatly influenced by his personal admit !
ration of and devotion to Governor Alcorn,
over which lie presided with distinguished
and universally recognized ability for
eight years, and brought it from
infancy and obscurity
70 its present gigantic proportions,
and caused it to be regarded as one of the
yrandest and most useful and benefcent of
American eleemosynary institutions. Not
he least among the many tributes to his
is the universal gloom and sorrow
manifested by the illstarred inmates of the
Isylumn when they heard of his untimely
leath Reared by pious mother he was
leeply impressed with the truth of the
christian religion and the great plan of re-
lemption. While he was without faith in
II liberation for professions without prac-
ice or that self-righteousness which could I
'nly see notes in other peoples eyes, he [
vas profound believer in a rational prac
ical Christianity, having for its foundation
ruth and charity, and which sought its
uccess, nor in a spirit of consciousness
nd condemnation of others, but in good I
Torks and all pervading love. '
His genial smile and cheerful voice will I
10 seen and heard no more on earth. He
as gone to his reward, and may we not I
ope and believe. is now reaping the fruits |
f his good deeds while here, which, when c
-eighed in the scales of impartial justice Z
ill far counterbalance all of evil he ever c
bought or did. The kind and tender hus-
and, the fond and loving father, the duti> q
1l and affectionate son, the sincere aud @
nselfsh friend, and the good, wise and +
aithful citizen, has ceased from his labors. 7
arewell, noble and generousNhearted Fl
ompton farewell, for yet little while, p
)r- e
In that sweet bye and bye, we shall meet on that
beautiful Shore" p