Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-09-06
Death Of Octavlus Carol smith.

the deceased.
Octavius G. Smith was born il
Louisa county, Virginia, about
thirty-two years ago. He was the
son of J. W. and S. G. Smith, and
in 1853 his father moved with his
family into Todd county, KY. Or
farm in that county the subject Of
this memoir spent his youth. In
{ 1867 he came to this city and entered
on business in the tobacco warehouse
of his brother, A. f. Smith, where
he stayed until 1870, when he en-
tered the Chancery Clerks Office in
the employment of Captain Polk @.
Johnson. Here he did good service
for nine years, during which he
acquired the reputation of being the
best business man in GAINESVILLE.
We have the testimony of Captain
Johnson to the great merit Of his
invaluable services, the loss of which
he deems irreparable, but mourns
more for the friend than the clerk,
the relations between the two being
more like those of brotherhood than
of mere business men.
1t is only sterling qualities of the
highest character that can account
| forthe universal estimation in which
the deceased was held. Everyone
/ ,,,bo loI b,,e;yo11 4ro pcaofioue, with
him, everyone who associated with
him, and especially those who
worked with him in the service of
the Methodist Church, of which he
was devOut and consistent MEM
Der, feels his loss as that ola brother.
To ask favor of o. G. Smith was
to confer a favor on him, such was
his delight in obliging his fellow
creatures. Perhaps the warmest of
his many warm friends We're the
young men who had been members
of his Sunday-school class, and the
most touching thing in the funeral
was their performance of the duty
of pall-bearers, designated as they
had been to that service by his dy-
ing wish. Even the eloquent trib-
ute of the preachers Messrs. Brown
and Mooney did not touch our
sympathies as it did to see these
young mourners sOrrowfully and
affectiOnately convey the remains of
their beloved teacher to their last
resting-place. He had cared for
their souls as one who must give
account, and their tears watering
his grave were the most fitting trib
ute that could be rendered to the
virtues and Christian graces of a
good man departed.
On the adjournment of the Circuit
Court on Thursday at noon, a meet
ing was held by the members of the
Bar to do honor to the memory of
the deceased.
The Hon. John F. House being
called to the chair, and Messrs.
Riley and Wright appointed Secre-
taries, Col. House opened the pro-
ceedings with a feeling tribute to
the memory of the departed, after
which,
On motion of Hon. C. G, Smith, |
it was proposed that the Bar of |
GAINESVILLE should attend the fune- |
raj in a body. This motion was
carried unanimously. During its |
discussion it was proposed that !
members of the Bar should be Sc
lected as pall-bearers, but it was
stated that the deceased had himself |
designated his old Sunday-schOol |
class to this duty on his death-bed, |
whereupon the subject was dropped. |
it was then moved by General |
Quarles that a committee of five
should be appointed to draft resO-
lutions suitable to the occasion and |
report at an adjourned meeting at |
II o'clock on the day following
(Friday).
This motion being carried unani-
mously, the Chairman appointed as
members of the com mittee Gen.
VIM. A. Quarles, Chairman, the
Hon. c.. G. Smith, Capt. Polk G.
johnson, Judge J. w. Scales and
w. a. Jackson, Esq.
The meeting then adjourned.
The following is the report of the
above-named committee:
O. C. Smith, a member of the
GAINESVILLE Bar, and for many years
Deputy Clerk of the Chancery Court
at GAINESVILLE, died at his home in
this city on Wednesday, the Sd day
of September, 1879, being thirty-twO
years old at the time of his death.
He was prompt and accurate in the
of every official duty, and
in his intercourse with the Bar and
public was always courteous and
polite. He was an honest man and
a thorough Christian gentleman.
Therefore be it resolved by the Bar
of GAINESVILLE,
First-That in the death of o, c..
Smith, the Bar has lost one of its
most conscientious and honorable
SecOnd-That we recognized in
him tha character of an honest man
the noblest work of GOd-and the
graces of a deY0ut and humble
Christian.
ThiFd-That in his death the COM
has sustained the loss of one
of its best citizens, and society one
of its truest and best exemplars.
Fourth-That we tender to his
bereaved family the poor cOnsola-
ton of our unfeigned and sincere
sympathy, and request the Secretary
to furnish them ii copy of these pro-
ceedings.
w. y. QUARLEs,
Chairman,
CIIAS. Ct. SMITH,
Polk q. JOHNSON,
j. w. SCALES,
w. y. JACKSON,
COnmittpp