The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-07-21

DEAId Ut LIN. L IL. ShAhh. DiSA OuN0
denly at Ironton, Ohio, on July 18th, DR..
Pleasant H. Clark, son of DR.. James T. and
the Mrs Martha J. Clark, of Mt. Scion, Va.
The unexpected intelligence of the death of
our friend came with an intense shock of sur
prise and grief, not only to the hearts ofhis
home circle but to many friends and cOmpan-
ions of his childhood in the neighborhood OF
his old home, from among whom he had gone
out more than ten years ago, to seek his pro
fessional fortune in the West. He was born at
Mt Scion, in November 1916, received a class
ica education, and entered the University of
Virginia in the fall of 1868. Here his naturally
fine abilities, Joined to the closest methods of
research and diligent study, gave him justly
high rank in his classes as we'll as in the opin-
ion of his professors and the greatest surprise
him from offering for graduation at the close
of the year. Taking distinctions however in
all the branches of his school he graduated the
following year at Bellevue Medical College, of
New York, and, after brief sojourn among
the scenes of his boyhood, left with high
hopes and enthusiasm for his new field of Ia
Dor. In 1872 he received the appointment of
U. s. Medical Examiner at Elk Falls, Kansas,
and in the same year was married to Miss
Martha Waddell, daughter of Mr.. ]. A. Wad-
dell, of Mason City, W. Va. The western
climate seriously impairing his health, he
returned to Middleport. Ohio, where he con-
tinued the successful practice ofhis profession
and was elected Secretary of the Mason coun-
ty Medical Society, and also held the same po-
sition in the Meigs county Medical Associa-
ton, in 1875. In 1877 he was elected Medical
Director in Chief to the Athens Asylum for
the Insane in Athens county, Ohio, and his
lady appointed matron ofthe same Institution.
At the expiration of year he voluntarily re-
signed and settled in GAINESVILLE, where he
resumed the practice of his profession, and we
believe was residing there at the time of his
demise. Such is the record of his brief, but
busy and useful life. In his short career,
among strangers and unaided by the accidents
of wealth and long acquaintanceship, his &C.
complishments and energy had made their i'm
press on those by whom he was surrounded
and had elevated him at his early age to
those positions of trust and importance
What larger achievements might have crowned
his life we know not. Life and its possiblli-
ties are now to our departed friend and COM
panion sealed book. Standing on the border
line of that invisible world and sometimes
seeing beyond it the shadowy forms of those
we loved in youth and in early manhood, we
weary at the mysteries of human destiny. We
had known the deceased from infancy. The
very earliest recollections of life we associate
with hin, and the friendship began almost by the
cradle side has ended only at the sharp angle
of the grave. To the stranger he would have
appeared cold and reserved, but to those who
knew HIM intimately he was always the con-
siderate friend and to his schoelmates the pa.
tient and helpful companion. TO the anguish
ed hearts at home that SO loved him the blow
is unspeakably heavy. Death tempered lii ere by
weeks and months Of anxiety and fofeknowl-
edge is cruel, but more SO when its object has
been sudden victim, and hearts that cling to it
regarding it as strong and healthfui and full
of promise are in one instant brought to see
it cold and liteless. Though absent for years
his memory was living pFesence to father
sister and brother and none but those who
have themselves gone thro' the cold waves OF
sudden bereavement can tell the bitterness OF
their sorrow. To them and to his desolate
wife and orphaned children we tender the
poor boon of our human sympathy.