The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1882-02-15
HAWKINS COUNTY DEPARTING
L. L. PoATs, EDITOR.
MIME MORIsAIlM

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81 JOHN. A. M'KINNEY $50
= JUDeE john A. McKINNETisd lead
This is a short sentence, but it is as
sad a sentence as this poor hand ever
penned; ! He was our friend and we
loved him. He was a MAN and we
esteemedhi He was big hearted,
honorable and patriotic, and we
honored him. He is dead, and we
bcw our head in sorrow and gloom,
Judge Mckinney was in the dfty7
seventh year of his, age, He was
born in Rogersyille in theahouse in
which he died. Receiving a CLASH
cal education in his youth, he stud
led law, graduated at the Lebanon
Law, School and obtained license to
practice his profession in 1850. AIS
though his practice was not at any
time very extensive he was engaged
ia some Of the most important cases
ever tried and determined at this
bar, and we are told by a former
Clerk of one of our courts that his
cases were 1alwayo prepared with
great care, showing that his mind
was well trained and that he thor
oughly understood his profession.
He served the people of this Circuit
for about three years as Circuit
judge. and left the Bench with the
confidence and esteem of this entire
people. He was just Judge. He
administered the law as he under
stood it, and preserved his consci-
ence clean before God and man. As
public man he was known all
over the State and was respected by
all the people. 4s--Q 900. -a'. ''
But it was in private life that the
real nobility of the man shone with
the greatest brightness, He was
the friend of all good people. He
was the patron of every enterprise
that promised to enhance the pros
perity of the country or to increase
the happiness of the people. He
was the advocate of every measure
looking to the development and up
building of his native country. TO
the poor he was a steadfast, unfail-
ing friend; to the young and aspir-
| ing hewas a wise, conservative coun-
sellor; to those who were suffering
from sorrow or pain he was as ten
der-hearted as a woman.o To every
body at all times and under all cir
cumstances, he was kind, polite, af-
fable and gentlemanly.
God forgive us if the thought is
wrong, but it seems hard that such
man should be stricken down in
the very prime of manhood; that
such life should be taken in the
midst of its activity and great use
fulness; so many hearts are made
sad; so many of the poor children
will miss his open hand so many
men and women, struggling with
the cares of earth, will miss his
kind, encouraging voice-and yet
the ways of Providence are above
the ways of men. God krows best
and @Death loves a shining mark.
| 4 Five years ago when Judge Nc
Kinney came to us with message
or request from the editor of thC
Morristown GAZETTE that we should
write for that paper every week, We
little thought this feeble HAND
would remain to write the sac
words--aJohn Mckinney is deadP
Then he was as fine a specimen o
manhood as the State of Tennessee,
could produce-tall, erect, broad
shouldered, full chested, splendidly
proportioned, in perfect health, @ant
every inch a man." Now what il
he? Where is he? DEAD! AND
we are still here; struggling on
looking forward-waitingl "a Ovel
the river there is renewed life foi
us all. He has crossed oyer and we
can see him no more upon earth
butover there. those who knew anc
lloved him here will meet him agar
for He who made life is able tC
| preserve life, and verify He will dc
it. This world is not the end of be
ingEitis only the beginning.
And Just here-thc last words We
ever heard our friend utter come
to mind. Judge Mckinney had IN
.dertaken, to arrange a matter O.
business for a gentleman in whom
we were both interested, and step.
| ping into our Office a short time be
fore he died, he refused to be seated.
but placing his finger upon our
shoulder as we sat at the table wri-
ting, he remarked-'1t is all right
old fellow" And so, now, taking
Judge McKinney's life from his
youth up to the day of his death
taking inUo consideration his nuher-
Gus, his innumerable acts of benevo-
lenee, his honorable, upright walk
before God and men, his generous,