The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-08-22
Death Of Hon. VIM. Mines, j

After q prOtracted illness OF SeVeTdl IloHtnS
duration on the 14th inst, death laid his Icy
hand on this philanthropst and beckoned him
to the unknown realms of eternity. Gods
finger touched him and he slept failing to full
fl his allotted three score and ten by eight
years-years constituting a life generous and
noble, an open book from which friend and foe
alike might read the character of the man. He
had been in failing health for the period OF a
year. manifesting general debility and CORE
spending decline of mental powers and Var1-
Gus other symptoms Enthusiastically indicating
chronic atrophic white softenins OF the BRAIN
June 9th he suffered Slight apoplec6lc SEIZURE,
with consequent paralysis, and from this time
forward his decline rapid until his demise.
The physicians skill, the loving aSonized devo-
ton of those most dear, were alike poWefless TO
resist the fell approach of the grim destroyer
who stole upon him las thief III the hlSht,
another admonition of our impotence TO fetard
the appointed hour.
Mr. Mines was born i'll Lancashire, England,
December Sth, 1927. He was 2 years OF age when
his parents emgrated to America, taking up
their residence at Pottsville, Pa, where his
father, benjamin Mines engaged in mining
and manufacturing on large scale, achieving
great success and large fortune. After rece1v-
ing liberal education, young Mines, endued
with an innate mechanical genius, notwlth-
standing his father was wealthy and largely
engaged in extensive business pursuits, needing
his services, conceived the idea of placing him
self beyond the reverses of fortune by learning
trade. In pursuance thereof he apprentlced
himself at the age of seventeen years to firm
engaged in the machine and blacksmith1ng
business, and four years later found himself
master of every department. of his trace. He
then accepted the position of shipping clerk for
G. M R,.,,, oyfnn a n
gagged in the coal business. After having been
engaged in this capacity for two or three years,
he resigned to accept the position as superin-
tendent of the Pine Forest Colliery, very large
mine operated by Mines & Snyder. couple of
years later with his father and brother John, he
purchased the Hickory Colliery, a very extern
Siye mine, which was conducted under the tim
name OF VIM. Mines, il. q Co., for twelve years,
and proved to be eminently profitable in
vestment In 1864 they sold out to the Mammoth
Vein Consolidated Coal Co., and in December,
1865, he removed to Virginia, where with his
brother John and his cousin John Fields, he
purchased the old Forrer Iron Works i'll Page
and Rockinghom counties, comprising about
5000 acres, to which they added about as much
more making it the largest mineral tract in the
State This was known as the Shenandoah Iron
Works, and was operated under the firm name
of the Shenandoah Iron Lumber. Mining and
Manufacturing Company, with VIM. Mines, jr
as President and General Manager for more
than 20 years.
He was largely instrumental in efrecting the
constructing of the Shenandoah Valley r. r.
devoting much time, energy, and money to the
furtherance of the enterprise and was Presi-
dent of the road until shortly after its compile
tion In 1882 he resigned the position on ac
count of the largely increasing business of the
Shenandoah Iron Works totally preoccupying
his time.
So well did he succeed in commencing himself
to the favor and confidence of his adopted
neighbors, that Notwithstanding the bitter feel
ing against Northern men extant in the South
Immediately after the civil war, he elected
to Congress in 1869, although after the earnest
solicitation of his friends, he consented to be-
come candidate only seven days before the
election. He was elected by more than 5000
majority and entered the 41st Congress as a
representative from Virginia, when the Recon-
Struction Act contaminated January 27th,
1870, and served on the committee of Railways
and Canals and Committee on Accounts.
From early youth he a most jealous
Christian and active worker in the Methodist
church For him it contained the Ark of the
Covenant; to him it was the gate of Heaven.
The world of religious belief is replete with
solecisms and contradictions, yet he ever
verified with freshness and delight to the simple
instincts of religious faith, which earliest inn
planted, longest survive. But the browning
characteristic of his religious opinions indeed
all his opinions, was liberality. He was charlta-
BILE in all things. Tolerance was of his nature.
He contributed to the support of the church
with unstinted hand spending fortunes from
his ample wealth for the furtherance Of religion.
He was ordained local preacher of the Metho-
dist church and discoursed with such impressive
sincerity and frankness of expression that he
never failed to be heard with most enrapt at
tention. Never lived man more charitably
inclined. No mendicant going away from his
presence empty handed He donated thousands
of dollars annually to charitable purposes.
Socially he was most hospitable and agreeable
entertaining muniicently and with open doors.
Throughout his long career, many years of
prosperity, latterly of financial reverSeS, there
is no ghost of dishonor in his past to rise up and
cry upon him shame His children can ''rejOice
and be glad' in the example of whom the
world could say There was an honest man.
He was noted for his integrity, his sturdy indie
pendence of character his devotion to his
friends, and his recognition of the equality OF
all men who were honest and upright, regard
less of social position; as consequence he was
the idol of the large numbers of the horny
him in the relation of employees. No employer
was ever more sorrowfully mourned by his
workman and they lament their common bene
factor as those 'who will not be comforted."
OF his immediate family who deplore his depart
ure are: His brother John, a gentleman well
known in business circles of Philadelphia. Mrs.
J. w. Rodgers, of Mines, Va, two sons, Benja
min and George; three daughters, Bessie, wife
of DR.. A. L. Wolf, of Page; Mary, wife of DR.. S.
Arthur Austin, of Augusta county; and Maggie,
who is unmarried. All of these were with him
in his last illness, sOicitOus to bestow every at
tention loving hearts could suggest to assuage
the sufferings of his dying couch. 1t is not our
purpose to indulge in adulation, but he
man who could i'll be spared to country, friends
or home. Yet we stand, so to speak, at an open
grave, to say our last farewell; we know our
father, friend and brother has crossed to the
other shore to join the immortal thrOng. Among
others the loved companion of his bosom and
loved children who have preceded him. He
has gone, and grief sits visbly on the brow and
pervades the heart of every one with whom he
ever came in contact. His noble form has been
committed to its kindred dust and earth has
never received into her bosom a manlier form
OF nobler breast The halo of his manifold
deeds of benefcence will illumine the grave into
which his body has descended, and the fra
ulchre. He has gone from our sight, but not
from our memory He must live on, embalmed
by our love and garlanded with our affection,
his name growing brighter and brighter as time
rolls on. His name is inscribed indelibly on
the entablature of too many hearts to make
the aid of bronze or marble requisite to perpet-
uate it,
The funeral services were conducted by Rev.
A. P. Boude, time honored friend, by whom
few most appropriate remarks were uttered.
He was inferred with the solemn rites of
Masonry to whose constitutions he was most
jealous votary; great numbers Of the order con-
! their departed brother.
TITS true the grave in it's silence gives forth no
voice or whispers of the morrow, but there is
voice 'borne upon the lips of the morning
zephyrs that let's fall whisper quickening the
heart with the knowledge that there is an abode
beyond the tomb" All our lamps are burning
some more brilliantly than others; some shed
their light from mountain tops; others from
lovely wales; but let us endeavor so to trim
them that they may all burn with a bright
ness equal to his when suspended in the
mansions beyond the mysterious river Here
we may meet our departed friend
S. A. A.
Heating Bros. & Co. have telegraphed
hQip 10 ~