Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-12-30
OBTTUARY


Nhlndu JhtObhf u uhNiNb VI mhilbOAOg W.
and brother of Dea Clark Jacobs of West
Brattleboro, died at the home of his daugh-
ter, Mrs. Colonel Howard, near Kings Noun
tain, Ky, Nov slh, in his Slth year. The
Cincinnati Commercial of Dec. LIST, in an
obituary notice Of him says;
"Mr Jacobs moved West with his family
more than fifty years ago. He lived awhile
at Newark, O., where he was well known as
machinist and mill-wright. He then re-
moved to one of the widest parts of Ken
lucky, the "Three Forks" of Kentucky River,
in Owsley County, where he built steam
saw-ml aud for many years was engaged in
the lumber trade.
The good influence which he exerted among
the people Of that mountain region for forty
years will make his memory dear to thousands.
His pleasant, courteous Manners intelligent
conversation and readiness TO help those
who were in need, challenged the respect of
all, so that 1t may be truthfully said he died
without an enemy. He voted the Abolition
ticket openly and alone in his county for sew
eral years, and afterward the Free-soil ticket,
with but few associates, then the Republican
ticket during the balance of his life In early
times this was considered in his section a
very dangerous and imprudent procedure.
But while he provoked no quarrels, conced.
ing 10 every Luhu ne was ucClucu-
ly tenacious Of his own. He was brave, even
to recklessness, in an emergency, and on
more occasions than one he rushed between
and separated belligerents engaged with
knives and pistols in mortal combat. Said
one of the parties at Three Forks, do you
take it up?" His reply was prompt and en-
phatc: Gentlemen, you shall not fight
l take up nothing but to do right You have
no business to kill each other. 1t is wrong
to your families and to the neighborhood-
aud wrong which shall not be done"
Whiskey being at the bottom Of these neigh
borhood quarrels, he bad procured measures
which prohibited its sale in the settlement
Soon after numerous shanties were built on
the opposite side Of the river, where whiskey
was sold outside the jurisdiction of the town
authorities. A fight soon sprung up in which
ALL hands on that side of the river were en-
gagged. Several we're wounded and / think
two were killed. 1t had continued two days
when Nathan Jacobs said to his neighbors {:
This thing has gone on too long and must
be stopped" In vain did they try to dissuade
him from going over, as they were sure he
would be killed. He never carried a revolver
or bowie knife, and always maintained that
none but towards did. Without his coat he
got into his boat and pushed across the river.
lie went boldly into their midst and not an
other shot was fred. "But how did you do
it," said l, as he told me the story. "Oh,
simply reasoned with them but think il
possible some of them would have shot at me
if they had not known that l never carried a
weapon" Many similar incidents might be
given illustrative of his vigorous Christianity
We will mention but one more:
The bully of the whiskey crowd across the
river, out of hatred OF Mr.. Jacobs opposition
to the sale of whiskey in the place, had used
!. 4 Z IL II
| ten challenged him. The challenge was a.
often declined for the reason that there wal
no occasion for it, till it began to be reported
that he was afraid Of the bully. The lattei
soon after learned his mistake. He chanceC
| TO be at the mill with yoke OF steers, for
| load of lumber. The steers not moving L
suit him, he commenced beating them un
mercifully and finally seizing heavy club
knocked of horn from one Of the steers
Mr. Jacobs seized the man by the collar ant
shook him violently, adding the injunction
"If ever again see you abuse a brute in tina
way will fog you severely" The quietinl
tendency of this summary procedure wa
manifest
He was sufferer in his person, family an,
estate from both armies during the late war
and to this day his modest claims upon tn
Government have never been paid. For
time he was one of John Morgans prisoners
(He then lived near Somerset One of tn
rebel officers solicited his opinion regardin
the Southern Confederacy. His reply was i
substance, 'You are engaged in the creates
crime ever committed by man, and l wish
was great bombshell, and could explod
right here in your midst, and blow you all il
to eternity"
The great improvement in society aroun
him was a comfort he enjoyed during th
closing period of his life. He was not a men
ber of any church. yet his hopes of blesse
future life were firm, and his faith unshakeI
His wife, with whom he had lived in happ
! union fifty eight years and four months, su
wives him Their descendants, down TO IL
, third generation, are nearly all residents I
Kentucky