Daily Republican., 1881-06-21
sEvERING GOLDEN LINKS.
An OctoEenarian Passes Away at
the Golden age OfS5.

the GOl0en age OfS0.
One by one the golden links of lif
that bind the present with the pas
are broken and shattered to pieces, aut
with the breaking of every link we drift
away farther from the sunrise anC
towards the unknown future. Th,
latest link severed that bound two cen.
turies together is William Provost, who
died on Sunday afternoon, about
O'Clock, in the S5th year of his age His
last hours were calm and tranquil, and
as sank the sun peacefully behind the
western hills into the full etfulgence OF
golden beauty, so passed the life of Viii
liam Provost away into the glorious
sunset, which but ushers in the silvery
dawn of never ending life of future
immortality.
Mr.. Provost was one Of the oldest citi-
zens of Wilmington, but few living
are older. He was born February 9TH,
1896, in a small house, which, some
% years ago, stood at the foot of King
street, where his parents for many years
resided. In 1898 the yellow. fever
scourgtd Wilmington, and William
then Jut "A little fellow, between Two or
three years OF age, was sent over into
New Jersey, to reside with some rela-
tives until the scourge passed away
Elizabeth Montgomery, IN her "Relnin-
iscenses Of Wilmington, relates the fol-
lowing interesting incident in The lives
Of William Provost's parents, they both
having been stricken down with the yell
low fever:
"An extraordinary case occurred on
llemphill's wharf (the name then given
TO the foot of King street, j. Provost
and wife were both subjects CT the fever
and the committee for the relief OF the
needy, were applied to. They sent the
only help in their rpOwer to procure, two
worthless IColored women at two dol
lars day, for nursing. These soon re-
ported their death. Men of similar
character brought their coifinS in cart
and were hurrying them to their graves
when n humane man, though unable to
do much, having lost an arm, noticed
the cart and wenf 10 oversee these peo-
pie. His daily visits were to houses of
mourning, yet this one had been passed
by. He was induced TO prevail on a
timid old lady to follow him to the
lowly abode Of contagion. His fore
bodings seemed to warn him that death
was not there. Ascending the stairs
their footsteps alarmed these misCreantS
while dragging the apparently liteleSS
man from his bed, though still warm.
In the same room lay his wife, sensible
but speechleSs, waving her hand. An
effort to place her in the coffin had
aroused her to resist at the moment
these good SamaritauS entered.
By bathing them changing their
clothes and administering suitable
nourishment, they soon revived, and
both lived for years useful members OF
the Methodist Society and would often
recount the scene with gratitude to
their Heavenly Father and to these
kind friends, and tell their marvellous
story. Mrs. Provost said their harsh |
treatment aroused her feeling at her
sad fate with indescribable awe. Her
feeble resistance alarmed them. Turn |
ing to her husband in the most inhu-
man manner, they had resolved to bury |
him dead or alive. In this deplorable
state there seemed to be no hand to help, !
no power to resist wretcheS who for "a ,
Scanty pittance were crushing them out
of life into an endless eternity. The |
individuals who rescued |
them were Mrs. Susanna Sellers an old |
and Mr.. Miller Methodist |
local preacher, whose good deeds dur
ing that season of calamity ought to be
held in everlasting remembrance.
This disease was most prevalent along
the water. In the village of Brandy
wine many died, two being sons of
Joseph Tatnall, ESD"
After the dreadful yellow fever
scourge had passed away the son Will
liam was brought home again and
lived with his parents, and at the age
If eleven years, he was bound to James
smith, a cooper in Brandywine village,
with whom he remained until he was
nineteen. He then removed across the
way and worked for A years, and after
hat he worked in another shop for a
lumber of years. While working in
village he married Miss
Ann Vandever, of the old original Van
lever family of Wilmington, and lived
or 35 years in stone house on the
concord Pike in later years occupied
rave up his old residence with tears and .
emoved into the city of Wilmington,
10. 10S East Fourteenth street where :
lie died. Mr.. Provost was a strictly
moral, upright man, unusually intelli-
,ent ana fond of reading, and was a
,reat lover of home-so much so that he .
vas never in any city but Philadelphia !
nd in that city only once when he took
lis son Edmund with him. In politics
lr. Provost previous to firing on Fort
umter had always been Dem ocrat,
ut after that event he became Re- '
ublican with which party he ever S
fter acted, preferring to support the G
arty that supported his country's flag. |
n April last Mr.. Provost's wife died i
t the good old age of 81, since which a
me the afflicted husband lost his t
heerfulness and seemed to desire to a
epart and be with her where there
'ould be no more parting. He leaves
,ur sons and one daughter. William
] foreman of sugar refinery in Ches-
Or, Pa; Benjamin served three years n
1 the army putting down the rebellion, q
enlisted for five years in the .
egular army, but his whereabouts at g
le present time is unknown. Edmund
the we'll known and efficient City As
,ssor and tax collector of the Northern
istrict. Lewis is ship carpenter in
le city, and the daughter is the wife of '
Ienry IL. Hawkins. Il
The remains of Mr.. Provost will be 3
lterred in the Wilmington & Brandy I
inc cemetery on Wednesday, Ito p
lorrow) afternoon to leave the house
! $50 clock.