The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-05-21
The Late John Il. Plunket.


TWAS our painful duty last week to an.
nounce the tragic death of John II. Plum
kett. caused by being thrown from his
buggy on Tuesday morning, the 18th. The
! injury he received was so severe that he
died thenext morning about o'clock from
the effects. His pulse was Immediately
after the fall about 40 shortly afterwards
it went to go and kept at that beat until
about midnight, when it went up to $50.
Before any application could be made to
relieve this, it suddenly began to subside
until death interviewed. His right side was
entirely paralyzed and his left almost in
sensible to pain from the effect OF the
shock to the nerves. He was thrown up
from the buggy about eight feet and COM
ing down, struck his head against stone.
The burial of this useful and worthy
man took place from his late residence on
Thursday last, Rev. j.. S. Gardner officlat-
ing. The large gathering of people to pay
the last tribute OF respect TO the deceased,
and testify to the esteem in which he
was held by all classes of citizens, was ex-
pressiye of the deep hold he had upon their
affections and his appreciation 10y those
who knew him best. There were not less
than five hundred people assembled on the
occasion, many of them colored, who had
received kindness and employment from
him. 1t was an unusual sight The heads
| of families. with their children, were
dressed up in their best clothes, as if de-
sirous of showing in this way their respect
| for their departed friend.
There were solemnity and grave COLI
Germ written on every face-an unspeaka-
ble sadness that told of the reaction from
the sudden shock OF his death and the
realization of an irreparable loss. Men,
women and children stood around the
house in groups, where the remains of the
deceased lay, talking in subdued tones of
the virtues and charities of their departed
friend. All around were the evidences of
his enterprise, of his active life and
well-directed energies, and where the
means were furnished for the services of
| he men to make IL living for those de-
pendent upon their daily labor for support.
| Incidents of his generosity were related and
tears stole down cheeks unused to the
melting mood, =" as the story of his disin-
| terested kindness and unselfish care were
| repeated by those who had been the re-
! cpients. 1t was stated that not less than
| thirteen families were the objects of his
care and charity during last winter, and
SO it had been for past seasons when The
weather was such that outdoor work could
not be performed. His hand was ever
open to Ave and to help and no appeal
was ever made to him from those in need,
that ready and willing response did not
come
Not only was the character of the de-
ceased eXemplified in the grief and sadness
of the working classes, who had assembled
in such large numbers to look for the last
time upon the form and features of their
friend and benefactor and follow his
remains to the grave, but business and
professional men, merchants, contractors,
and those engaged in every department
of trade and enterprise were there to show
how great loss the community had sus-
tanned in the death of John H. Plunkett.
Indeed. it was the most expressive mani
festaton of the feeling of people we
have ever witnessed. 1t came from every
condition of society, and from every ave-
nue. of endeayor, illustrating the ramifed
relations he bore to the public, in quiet
. ON n font afi ha I, ,rl,
gard in which he was held by those with
whom he came In contact.
The Masons and Odd Fellows, of both
Of which Orders he was a member, turned
out in unusually large numbers, bearing
the dead body to the cemetery, and there
performing the impressive and beautiful
burial ceremonies Of the respective orders
over his grave.
Others have been called away from this
community in obedience to the final sum-
mons, who were more widely known and
of more pretentious repute. But no one
within our remembrance has been sum-
moned to the last account, whose absence
will be more seriously felt, land whose rela-
tions to community touched SO closely the
every day life of SO many of the laboring
people. 1t is an absence that will be missed
and place that will not be easy to fill.
Sad and sorrowful words came from
every lip. Busy men were arrested in their
pursuits in contemplating the tragic oc-
currence which deprived community of so
useful man and paused to give express
sion to their profound sorrow that the ia
miliar form and genial, kind face of poor
John Plunkett," would be seen no more
forever in the circles of every day life.
His death is publ loss and as such it
is mourned.