Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-07-07

DEATH OF AN LX.MAYOH.
He Suddenly Closes q Long, Event.
fun ana active Life.

reached his heart aud suddenly termi
mated his long and active life. The ex
Mayor made his usual daily call at tn
REPUBLICAN office on his way to hi
place of buainess yesterday morning
and appeared to be in his usual healtl
and spirits, though for some time pas
he complained more Of the neuralgi
affection wi hich he had been sui
fering and for which he went throu Il
an electrical course of treatment by al
eminent Philadelphia cleo rIcal physi
clan.
On his return from his Office and hav
ing partakeu of dinner he complained
of nausea and concluded not to go tC
his office again that afternoon. Later
on in the afternoon he complained OF
increasing pain in his arms, shoulders
and breast, but as those complaints
had been frequent they created no un.
usual alarm amongst the m4mh9rs of
the family. In the absence Of his wife
who was in Philadelphia visiting a
sister, his daughter applied such leme-
dies as were ithin reach and which
usually gaverei=f upon such occasions.
AT tea time he declined going to the
table but preferred reclining upon a
lounge in the sitting room.
,. While the family were at tea the
daughter detected a peculiar smoth-
cred noise in the sitting room and 60
ing to see the cause found her father in
an unconscious state and breathing
loudly and With great difficulty. DIR.
Stubs and some Of the near nelghbors
were hastily summoned, but DO efforts
to resusCitate tie dying man we're eff
fectual and he died after breathing two
or three times after the doctor reached
him. DR.. Harlan the family physician
arrived soon after the death Of the ex-
Mayor and gave it as his opinion that
his death was caused by neuralgia
reaching his heart.
Ex-Mayor Valentine, was horn in
East Marlboro Township, Chester Coun.
ty, Pa, July %, 1911, and consequently
in twentyone days more would have
been Il years of age had he lived. He
was sou of John and Asenath Valen.
tine, and was QUE of seven
children. The father died last fall aged
90 years. j. X. Valentine, U. S. Dis
trict Attorney for the Eastern District
Of Pennsylvania was brother of the
Ex-Mayor.
The latter was educated in the
Friends school in East Marlboro and
in 1885, when twenty seven years Of age
he drifted down to Wilmington from
the home farm and became clerk for
the firm of Pierson 81 Hollingsworth,
until 1910 when he was appointed
principal of public school No. u. In
1912 he was appointed clerk and
chief agent of the P. w. & B. railroad
company in this city aud continued in
that capacity until 1858 when he was
elected and took seat in the Legisla.
ture of the State as member from New
Castle county having been elected by
the Wing party.
He was one OF the leading and active
members of the Legislature and was
mainly instrumental in baving the bill
passed chartering the Delaware Rail
road Company. He made a strong but
unsuccessful effort to pass d bill giving
married women the right to hold and
own the property they possessed when
they were married. Mr.. Valentine be-
came very active in procuring stock
subscrip ions for the building of the
Delaware Railroad and so continued
until it was finished in 1856 He was
City Auditor from 1857 to 1859 and
Street Commissioner from 1859 to 1861.
When the civil war broke out Mr..
Valentine although past active military
age, but possessing the patriotism of
the youngest lover of his country,
volunteered in defence of mis- country's
institutions and his country's flag. In
May 1862 he was commissioned cap
tain, and recruited Company X. of the
Fourth Delaware Regiment under com.
mand of Col. A. H. Grimshaw. His
Company WAS mustered in September
1862 and lett for the seat of war the
following November
At Arlington Heights mis- regiment
was assigned to brigade under the
command of Col. Grimshaw, which
afterwards became The Thru Brigade,
of Gen. Cutters division in the Fifth
Army Corps. Captain Valentine served
with his command 10 the army of the
Potomac throughout the remainder of
the wal, and proved himself a competent
and gallant officer. IL may not be in ap.
rapriate to give an incident Of Jle Cap
tain which took place the day after
Lees surrender. Captain Valentine at
the time of the surrender was absent
on leave and hearing Of the expected
surrender he was hurrying forward to
ioin the forces to take a hand in the
last battle.
With him were quite NUN Der of
privates who had made him their COM
nauder and all were hurrying forward.
When about fifteen miles from the main
army they we're overtaken by Col.
Crockett in command Of a body of
Texas avalry, who gObbled up the
whole c mpany az prisoners and took
cLCm TO Il farm house where a fine din
ner was prepared tor the capturers and
c2pmred. The capture took place sew
eral hours after Lees surrender and the
rebel Colonel must have been fully
aware of that fact. Captain Valentine
being finely dressed and having 5000
gold watch became conspicuous object
for rebel cupidity.
Col. Crockett at once had him to take
of his bat, coat and vest, and then fol.
loved h watch and pantaloOns. The
captain having a very small foot was
in hopes that no one could be found
who could wear his boots. But one was
found and the boots went with the
watch and Other clothes. Then COM
mencHd he process of dressing the cap.
tain mp in all old hat, old gray coat and
paHts and pair Of coarse brOgans,
presenting rather q ridiculous figure
compared to the well dressed gentle
man OF few hours before They were
compelled to stay at the farm house all
night and in the morning no rebels
we're in sight, they having silently
stolen away during The night. Wheu
the captain in his ridiculous plight and
his mrn came marching into camp the
next day roars of!aughter greeted them,
In the fall of 1866 Captain Valentine
was elected the Republican mayor of
Wilmington and proved to he 80
popular and efficient that be was three
times elected tor the one year term.
The law was then changed and the
term of the mayors office extended to
three years and the retiring official
made ineligible TO a re.alection Ha