Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-26
HARRISON PHTBUS.
His sudden Death; Sketch OF HIS Career.
-Corresr ondence ofthe Richmond DISPATCH

His sudden Death; sketch OF HIS Career.
Correspondence ofthe Richmond Dispatch. J
FORT MONROE, Feb. %, 1856.
One of the saddest events that has
occurred here in years was the sudden
death Of Mr.. Harrison Phgbus, pro-
prietor Of the Iygeia Hotel, which oc-
Cured here at 6 O'Clock this morning.
The cause of death was heart-disease.
Mr.. PhUbus had been enjoying good
health until last Tuesday, when he
caught a severe cold and was confined
to his house but neither his physicians
nor his friends expected that his end
was so near. His cold developed symp-
toms Of pneumonia, and DR.. Baily,
post surgeon, and DR.. Seldom, of llamp-
ton, were called. The disease was
checked and Mr.. PhTbus rested quietly
last night. About o'clock this morn
ing he reused up and asked Mr.. Pike,
his private secretary. who was in at
tendance, for drink Of water. This
was given him, and few moments later
he passed away without struggle.
Mr.. Phnbus was eminently self
made man. Born in Princess Anne
county, Md, in 1910, he received
common school education, and after
wards learned the trade of carpenter.
When the war broke out he Joined a
Marylan regiment and served with it
until the close of hostilities. Apply
ing for work at the Adams Express
office in Baltimore he was given mi
nor position at IS per week but the
company soon saw that he was capable
of better things, and he was rapidly
promoted to special messenger, running
for some time between Baltimore aud
Lynchburg. In 1866 be was assigned
to the agency here, which position he
held until his death. lie was also agent
Of the Baltimore Steam Packet Com
pany, the Old Dominion Steamship
Company, the New York, Pennsylvania
and Ohio railroad, and indeed nearly
all the transportation lines centeIlng
here.
In 1874 he purchased the Hygeia
Hotel, then but small affair, which
hardly gave promise of its present great
development, and but for the remark
able energy and business talent OF the
deceased might never have attained its
present proportions. Its history since
that time is too well known TO need
any comment. Several years ago he
was offered $3.50 900 for the property.
but declined it, claiming it was worth
sjO0,00O, which is about its present
value.
In addition to this, Mr.. Phrbus
had recently purchased the Segar es-
tate, comprising about sixty acres,
fronting on Hampton Roads and adj
Joining the Soldiers grounds,
where he was arranging to erect a
handsome residence for his family, and
to which ne hoped to retire from the
cares of business in his old age. lie
had also an interest in the canning eS-
tablishment Of McMenamin k Co., OF
Hampton, Va, and was director in
the Citizens Bank of Norfolk, which
was organized to supply the place OF
the defunct Exchange National.
Personally Mr.. Ph@bus was a ge-
NAL, whole souled gentlemen, generous
to a fault, and his many acts OF charity
were never known except to himself
and the beneficiary.
The management OF the hotel will be
continued for the present under the dl-
rec,ion Of Mr. S. E. Crittenden, pro-
prietor of the Cooper House, CooPers'
town. \. Y, who has acted as manager
here during the winter season for the
past five or six years, and who under
stands thoroughly and will carry out
the wishes Of his late chief.
Mr.. Phpbus leaves a wife and seven
children -four boys and three girlst, all
under twenty years of age. The boys
are at school in New York. lie will be
buried in the old st. Johns church
yard a, Hampton, and "may the 500
rest lightly on bis grave" b.