The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-12-14
FAMOUS NORTH CAROLiNIANS

FORD, JUDGEOF THE U.S COURT.
The Funeral OratiOn of Rev Eebert W
| Smith Delivered in the Baptist Churc h
III Greensboro, Monday, Dec. ;, 1888.
! In last weeks CHRONICLE announce
ment was made of the sudden death of
| Hon. Thomas Settle in Greensboro. on
| Saturday, Dec. 1st. Judge Settle had long
been prominent figure in North Carolina
He had been the leader of his party, aud
enjoyed the respect of the people of the
State. He was man of ability and pow
er. He had many elements of greatness,
and if his party in the State had been able
to confer high honor upon him, be could
have claimed The highest place. Ia his
! life of political discussion, in the midst Of
| wholesale and malignant attacks upon op-
p0neuts, We never heard his integrity or
his sincerity questioned. This writer did not
know him well enough to make just esti-
mate Of his life and character. We there
fore give to our readers the funeral ora
| ton OF Rev Egbert W. Smith, whose long
acquaintance with him gives bin the right
! to speak. We have such confidence in Mr.
| Smiths judgment we are willing to en-
dorse his estimate OF any man. EDITOR
/ It IS seldom that the voice of God speaks
| to a community with such startling dis
! tinctness as it spoke to this community on
/ Saturday last The summons to the other
world Is always solemn and impressive,
and its lesson clear and unmistakable; but
there are circumstances that send this les
son home TO Us with tenfold its usual i'm
pressveness and power.
/ When death comes, as has so recently
come among Us, altogether unheralded,
announced, unexpected, like lightning
out of clear sky, like sunset at mid
day. it rings It's eloquent and mighty voice
into the dGliest ear, and lays upon the
most thou2ht.ess mind its awful weight OF
warning, Prepare TO meet thy God Ia
/ the hush Of life's SO sudden eclipse, in
! the hush Of 4 souls 50 sudden departure,
| We can almost hear the great waves break
ing on that further shore, we can almost
hear the Saviour saying TO US, 'Be IE also
ready, for ia such an hour as ye think not
the Sou OF Man oometh
When Death comes to the infant OF
days, whels he comes to the old ;nan bend
ing under ris ighf Of ttlree- score years,
we IN tie fUl' tide Of health and activity
4 =
ly impressed We claim for ourselves a long
immunity from his visits But when he
summons one in the prime Of manhood's 5
beauty and strength. we can shelter our
! selves no longer behind the cXu.tng Goa
sciousness Of health and gigor: his voice
breaks thro Our self security with Be
THOU also ready for | may summon thee
next" God is Nc respecter of persons OF
Of times He may call Us in the lnorning
Of life when the young heart is buoyant
and the future stretches out before Us Ike
dream If i'.i,dist He may call u, in he
noontime of life, in the full tide Of man
hoods responsibilities and achievements
while our bow ems to abide in ~treng h.
He may call is in thu evening of l.fe whe Z
the sun is SLOWLY sinking behind the west.
ern hills and lite's twilight has fallen upon
us. Take ye heed. watch and pray, fol
We know not when the tina is. Ie know
not when the master Of the hous- comeIh
at even or at mid night, or at the cock
| GROWING, or n the morning.
Leaves have their time to fall,
And flowers to wither at the North wind :.
breath
And stars to set; but all
Thou hast all seasons for thine own, {
Death
1t : this uniooked-for presence amons
Us that has called Us together to day. ",
have come to manifest our deep and ten
der sympathy with those whom God il
now leading thro' the valley OF weeping
thro' the deep vale of Getls"mane. W.
have come TO pay the last t"ibute of ou
respect and affection to one whom many
if not all of Us have known. admired an(
loved, whose loss will be keenly fell ant
deplored not only il this community. be
throughout our whole State and coputry
The leading facts and traits of his lif
and character have been furnished me b,
one of his intimate personal friends
Thomas Settle was born on the 23r,
of January, 1881. He was deScendft
from Josiah Settle, who located in WA
. is now called Rockingham county, ant
was the father of David Settle Thoma
+ Settle was the son of David and father O
+ him who now lies before Us. Thomas Sci
tie, SENIOR, was born in 1899 and becam
? distinguished He entered public life a
; member of the house of Commons i
: 1916; was elected member of CongreS
I in 1917 and again in 1919, when he de
| chned a reelection IN 1926 he wa
again elected TO the House of Common
I and was re elected in 1928. and serve
+ as Speaker. In 1882 he was elected Judg
n of the Superior Court and died n 1S5
o He married Henrietta Graves. who W.
G the mother of he sub ject of this sketch
: Judge Settle was graduated at Chap
Hill, and was atterward il 1861, 80 an
SO elected to the Legislature and serve
the last two years a. Speaker Of the HOu>
> of Commons He was chosen Solicitor
q the Fourth Judicial Circuit and serve
o without interruption Except one yea
when ne was in the Confederate army t(
nine wears He was elected to the Se-ta
and served SGpnkeT i, 1856
he was elected Assoc ate Justice Of II
Supreme Court. H Mas appointed MI
IS lister to Peru in 1871, | u resigned in Il
IL Spring of 1872 The same year he Vi
!, President of the National Convention
u Philadelphia, which dominated Gener
= !, Grant for his second Presidential teri
He became, unwiilingly. the candidate
10 his party for Congress Ill 1872; and "
again elevated, IN the Fall, to the Suprer
81 Court bench by appointment from Go
" Caldwell He served in this capacity II
}" til 1876, when ne became 4 candidate f
IA G pvernor against Zebulon B. Vance.
1877, he was appointed by President Gr4 I
III Judge of the United States District Coul
III for the Northern District OF Florida, " hi
d position he held at the time of his deaf
10 THE canvass between Judge Settle ii,
Mr. Vance was famous in the Annals
the political history of North Carolina,
a contest betweeil greaf men, who toget
er delivered speeches IN uea.iy all !
counties; and such crowds to hear the c