The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-05-31
WILLIAM TORBERT.
This true glory and renown when God,
Looking on earth with appreciation,
Marks the good man.

Marks the good man.
Propriety and good taste have set a
limit to tilial eulogy of parent, but no
one who knew William Torbert dis
trusted his Christianity, or doubted the
purity of his life.
The suspicion OF insincerty, there
fore, need not attach to this tribute to
his memory and worth. penned As it is
at the hands of son.
William Torbert was i native of Kent
county. Delaware, and was born 1T
| Camden-wherc the mortal remains of
his father, the Rev. William Torbert.
Senior, now repose-on the 18th OF
December, 1905. His father was a
pious and devoted preacher of the Cos
pei, who sacrificed his personal ease
and the comfort of his family to the
artuous work, and multiplied domestic
disComforts. of the early Methodist
Itineracv. From his father he inherited
L deeply religious nature, with areticent
| disposition and reflective mind, and
trained as he was to fllial Obedience
and taught early lessons of humility and
self denial. it is probable that, but for 4
deep sense of his personal unlltness for
so responsible Il calling, he. like his
elder and only brother the Rev. iona
than X. Torbert, would have followed
in the parental footsteps and have be-
come Methodist minister.
But the father had different plans for
his sons.
He held the old and orthodox, but
now obsolete idea, that every man what
ever might be his final occupation in
life, should as early As possible acquire
some skill at mechanical trade. on
which he might rely if necessity COM
PEELED. or adversely suddenly over took
him. In accordance with his views.
both of his sons were early sent from
home, William the younger being APP
prenticed to master carpenter in the
city of Wilmington.
His obedience and fortitude were
early tried, for the business to which he
was apprenticed was not congenial, as
he had no natural mechanical aptitude.
Submission to his parents will, how
ever, even in the choice of pursuit in
life, was cheerfuliy rendered, and he
served the full period of his apprentice
ship, demonstrating his moral courage
to conquer his own will and inclina-
tons, by submitting them to his super
iors in age if not in Judgment.
i period Of five years of his minority
spent i'll 4 carpenters shop, simply in
Difference to his fathers wishes, was
quite in harmony with his future career,
attesting one prominent and underly-
ing principle of his lfe-respect for
and obedience to constituted authority,
whether in the family, the church, or
the State.
The attainment Of his majority in
the year 1926, having released him
from an occupation, which though irk-
some he had faithfully fulfilled, he tenn
porarily engaged as a clerk with James
l Boswell, afterwards prominent mer-
chant of Philadelphia.
Upon the removal Of his father to
Milton, Delaware, he again became a
member of the home circle, and en-
gagged with 4 merChantie firm in that
town, from which, on the 10th of
March, 1920 he came to Elkton. where
his career in life really began. and
where, until Monday last. May 20, 1884,
a period of over fifty-five years, he has
continuously lived, respectful to all, and
by all respected.
The secular work of his life in Elk
ton-a struggling village when he came
to it-began in the old store house next
to the Court House, his father having
advanced him modest sum, with
which to embark on his merchantilc
career. Tae genial but cratic /ebu-
Ion Rudolph was his early partner in
trade. The world smiled on him. bust
ness prospered, friends multiplied, and
confidence and credit grew apaCe.
Then came a most important event.
On bright day in June, 1882, she
who through long years of prosperity
and adversely, in sickness and in health,
in sunshine and in sorrow, has been his
ever ready help-mate, counsellor and
friend, in bridal dress alfred, stood 4
comely maiden at his side. Francis
Hodson, he of fragrant memory, pro-
nounced them man and wife, and VIM.
Torbert and Adelne NJ. Silver, assumed
the marital VOWS that only death re-
leased flfty-two years after. They set