The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-02-01
THE LATE GEO. r. REEVES.
Memorial Services by the Legisla-
ture.
From Wednesdav,s DailvI

70
ladies and citizens, convened in the
hall of representatives to honor the
memory of Hon. George R. Reeves.
of representatives.
The services were opened by most
touching song by the Presbyterian
choir. "A1ake Me Whittier than Snow"
The roll of the house was called.
most of the members answering to
their names, and Speaker Chas. Z.
Gibson presiding.
The following prayer was offered
by the chaplain, Rev. Dr. Poindexter:
o Lord. our God, Thou who art very
great: Thou who hast clothed thyself
with light as with garment, darkness
is Thy secret pavilion. Thy rule over
man is as long ,' the earth and us
broad as the sea Ii Thou cut out, or
shut off, who cali hinderp In Thy
hands is the breath of every living
creature, and in Thy inscrutable provi-
dence Thou hast called from the
walks of men, from the association
of friends, from the bosom Of his
family. our fellow labOrer and brother.
We cannot understand Thy ways. Thy
providence to us is dark and mysterl-
Gus. In the midst of an honorable
and useful life. he has fallen, cut down
in the full vigor of his days. But we
bow with submission to thy righteous
will. knowing that the Lord of the
earth will do right; waiting patiently
and hopefully for that time that we
shall no longer see through glass
darkly, but face to face and know
even as we are known. We pray Thee
that the associates and friends and rep
| resentatives OF the people who tonight
commemorate departed worth, profit
| by his untimely fall and prepare to
meet their Cos in peace and so gain
an abundant entrance into that eter-
nal city whose architect and builder Is
God. Amen.
At the conclusion of the prayer the
choir sang most touchingly the beau
tiful song, Gathering Home"
The secretary read the resolution.
Mr.. Foster, of Grayson, seconding
the adoption of the resolution, said:
Mr.. Speaker:
In rising to second the adoption OF
the resolution read to the house, ]
have to say that when the death OF
the Hon. George r. Reeves was first
known to his constituency In Grayson
county there was one universal senti-
ment and expression of profound sor.
row. He had lived III that county for
nearly forty years; had been at an
early age initiated into the public
service, and from term to term. rs
often as he would, from thence
on until the day of his death
had been retained and continues
therein with continuous growth in
public esteem and an ever increasing
usefulness In the public service. There
are in the history of our politics but
few instances of men acting as prolni
nent Il part for so many years without
at some time mourning the publ,
displeasure; but Col. Reeves wa!
always Just and conscien
tious man, and walking il
hi, integrity, guided by a stronl
practical common sense, he made bu
few mistakes, and if he erred hi
, people knew that his heart WAS Tigh
and so they mourned his death rs
public loss; but more than that, IN al
, the relations of life, whether as a pri
vate citizen among them, as husband
| as father, a neighbor or a friend, hi
conduct was exemplary, his affection
/ strong. his counsels wise and all s
toned, tempered and controlled by hi
! good sense, sound Judgment and tixe1
Z principles of peace on earth and good
= will to lnen that he Was beloved b.
! all who knew him, and they each an,
|, all seemed to feel that in his dealt
2 they had sustained an individual, per
r Sonal loss. All this, Mr.. Speaker, wa
50 manifest at his funeral service
/ which / attended, as to justify a.
allusiOn TO that occasion. To a quie
country churchyard they cam
from every quarter, not merely no
to witness the earthing Of body, bu
l-drawn by love and sense of loss the
: come IN c4r-.22gSs, in wagons, o.
f horseback, on foot from all the town
and country around in honor of til
4 dead and to show their appreciation
{ of his worth and the high esteem
/ which they held him. Then was II
' stately hearse with nodding plume;
| nor gaudy show or mimmicry of sol
e row there, but by stricken friend
' with sad hearts and gentle hVnds h
1 was laid to rest, buried with th
solemn rites of that ancient free an
), accepted order Of which he was
8 member and in which he was th
|. master of the lodge.
i But perhaps, Mr.. Speaker, a shol
t summary of the life and public serviC
of Col. Reeves may not, now and her
!. be deemed out of time or plac
4 He was born on the Sd day of jar
a uary, a. D. 1926, in Tennessee, stat
that has given to Texas many goo
and great men, but none purer or be
ter than he; from Tennessee he r
|. moved to Arkansas, where, before b
had reached the age of twenty-oI
years he was married to Jane Moor
the estimable daughter Of wido'
y lady of that state, and in A. d. 184
q soon after his marriage, he remove
! to and settled In Grayson county {
: this state, where through life /
Il lived, and there he raised and left
E; splendid family of sons and daugl
u tiers, who, with O widowed mothe
+ mourn his death. The people {
d Grayson county, very soon after hi
J, settlement among them, discoyere
= the worth of their new citizen, Georg
; Reeves, and it was not long befol
y he was drawn from privat
l. life for the public service. He was fir
elected for tax collector of his count
II and as he was then but little mo-
q than boy and had been but a sho
y time resident of the county, and |
had neither experience nor prestige
command him TO public favor,
hardly know whether the great
compliment is due the people for the
e ready recognition of his worth or
t. the young man himself for the man
3 bearing and splendid deportmel
D which must have characterized hill
that he should so soon impress the
6 with such confidence in his honest
n and capacity, but honest and capab
II he was and his fidelity to that tru
II commended him for further prom
IS ton, and in A. d, 1850 he was electt
sheriff of his county, which Office
It filled creditably to himself and acce
'e tably to the people for four years.
A. D. 1855 he was first elected a incl
Der of the house of Representatives al
ID rendered good servicein the followiI
l. sessions of 1866, with men who
5. identity with the history of the sta
'e and fidelity to her interests have e
It deared their names and memory
ID her people. Col. Reeves was again al
le again returned by the people of Ora
20 son county to the house of represent
< tives, having been a member of Il
al sixth, the seventh, the eleventh, Il
,e fourteenth, the sixteenth, and Il
Ie seventeenth, and would have been
II this eighteenth also if he had live
1f for during his sickness he was, wit
A out any agency on his part, unar
Ip mously nominated by delegate co