Mohave County miner., 1888-03-24
ohisuary.

In Van Hagen died OF consumption ou
5aa1ay norning. March 18th. isas at fhomp
soa1 ranch In this county. where he had besn
for ssrnS moaths past rssidiag with his family
MS. Van Hagen was = native Of the
state oi Missouri. hut went TO Csiifornis
with the early pioneers. He wss an ener
,etic, resolnts young man, and took active
oavf In the organization OF the courts ol
that new Htats. His influence In bring
iog order ont Of confusion, although quiet.
~ exsrted, wss always coysnt and per-
vasive. u 'ss-. ..
Men always had respect for his tndg.
nsnt and the sonndness of his convic.
'ions. Such are the men who exert q
wholesome influence In a new country
lie Was Sheriff for number Of years IN
Srvads county, California. and has held
firions o'her offices Of trust and Away.
siih cre,iit to himself and satisfaction 10
ais constituents. At the outbr~ak OF the
mining excitement in Nevada he went to
hat tthen) Territory, where he spent
-oms years, and subsequently was On.
aged In various mining enterprises In
Utah and Colorado.
Hs Was asll known In nearly all the
mining camps on this coast and had hosts
II friends everywhere. His life. like tina,
OF nearly all the pioneers. was checkered
one. goof and bad fortune, success and
defeat In his schemes, Joy and sorrow in
his life. sanshine and shadow In bis sur
ronnding,. Through IL oil be bors a
brave mind and tranquil heart He
never complained oi fate. never shrsnk
from ths call Of duty. He deliberately
chose the straight path Of rectituds. He
who can do this through all the p-rplex
tiles OF business and ths allafements and
exritements OF mining camp 10 indeed
Zero and entitled TO DO crowned by bis
fellow men. f. ..-....e = .ss..---.
He was q kind husband and s6sctionstc
father. To sse him in his home with his
estimsbls wife and two little daughters
was sight to bring happiness 70 any one
able TO appreciate domsstic felicity. His
bright children were treated az eompan.
ions, an all children should ha treated by
parents who hope TO maintsin per-
nauent control over, and the lasting sdec.
ton OF their children.
n His death, though somewhat sudden,
was not unanticipatsd by himself and his
friends. His health had been declining
for more than two years. and after con-
sultaiion with eminent physicians he
became satisfied that his disease was in
durable. His long. wasting illness gave
him ample leisure to look calmly TO the
open grave and TO what lay beyond. He
was an obssrvant. thoughtful, intelligent
man. With clear sight and calm courage
he relinquished his earthly an bitions
and sundered all his earthly friendships.
With touching tenderness ne took leave
OF the wife Of his youth. and the little
girls not yet merged from childhood's
winsome ways. 70 turn his vision towards
the "Habitations OF the blest."
The religious element OF his character
though not bound by any sectarian BELLE,
was strong and earnest. He heard the
voice that speaks within and in all nature
around us, "the startling word''
"Maa thou shalt not die"
Not many weeks before his death he
converted with the writer freely concern.
ing his views Of the future life, and though
much WAS said that may not he found in
this brief notice, it is proper to say that
he was firm believer in that life. He
believed that the voice Of nature 40 well
n revelation spike OF the tender love and
soIicitude Of the Good Father for all his
children. He believed that he who nn-
ceasingly sent down from the sun the
PARTICLES Of light and beauty that clothe
the earth n ith yerdure, wou'i not xrudse
the material, or the conditions. to attnne
the human soul TO sweetest harmony and
pur-st loys--so cloth IL In robes OF white
sym olic Of purity and truth, that he
who planted In the human souI the germ
OF an nnresting progress wonld properly
nurture 1t until 1t should blossom into Il o
rIpd,-t prolgct of creative wis lon
that man should yet build his home IN
the st,rs, shoIld walk in the brightness
Of Celestial goodness, and dwell in the
OF peaee and love.
Sustained by this faith and iealin1 that
he had done some god and a. little harm
81 'he fr ,ilty o: ihe flesh would ;ermi,, !
he 'elt that he had 10 cause TO fear the
and o. sIadOws
All that was mortal OF him rests In tho
graveyard at Hackberry, among the ashes
,f the pioneers in that locality who ha*-
preceded him to the silent land. The
memory Of his virtues will live on, and |
remain bright In the hearts OF those Who
Knew and loved him. 80