The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-12-09
MILLIAlI HASTINGS DEAD
rho sudden End of Respected citizen,
Sketch of Ills Life,

Tho sudden End Of Respected Citizen,
Sketch Of Ills Life.
William Hastings, one Of Wheeling't
best known and most highly esteemed
citizens, died suddenly at his home Oh
Thirty.flrst street, ht 7:45 o'clock yester'
day morning. Tie news Of his death as
1t spread over the city was received with
expressions OF surprise and sincere sor.
row by all who knew him, and the mum
Der Is large; the suddenness Of his
death was q shock 10 all.
For the past three years Mr.. Hastings
had been considerably annoyed by a
lung trouble, but 1t did not interfere TO
any great extent with Ills work aud he
did not consider it Of q specially serious
nature. Saturday lie was at work rs
usual and in the evening spent two or
three hours with his children before re.
firing; he appeared to DO inthO best OF
health and spirits ut that time. About 5
o'clock yesterday morning lie Weakened
his wife complaining OF q severe pain In
his chest, over the lungs. He breathed
with difficulty and wasin such an alarm
ing condition that physician was sent
for. All efforts 10 relieve Mr.. Hastings
were useless and he grew weaker and
weaker, the heart apparently refusing
10 act.
Mr.. Hastings was in his fifty sixth
year. He was Penngylvanian by
birth and came hero from Belleioule,
the home Of Adj. Gen. D. Il. Hastings,
Of Pennsylvania, whose cousin he was,
In 1852. He went to work in the roll.
ing department OF the Belmont mill,
which was started about that time, and
continued IL work there I'LL about 1860,
when he became bookkeeper and sales.
man for the bottle Hrln Of Ripley,
Cowl & Go. Mr.. Ripley was his
brother.in.law. This firm started with a
small works on the creek bluff near
Chaplino and Twentieth streets; It soon
started a larger factory across tho river,
but It burned down soon after and
wrecked the firm. About 1870 Mr.. Hast.
ings accepted the management oil the
Top mill, which he held i'll 1877, when
he took charge Of the rolling department
at the LaBello mill, n position he has
held ever since,
HU was married in 1865 10 Elizabeth
Ripley, Of this city, who survives him
together with eight children, four sons
and four daughters. His mother, aged
rs, alBo survives llinj she lives near
MoundSvlIlU. a good citizen ho was
also kind husband and an lndulgeut
father. With the workmpD under him
he was popular, aud he enjoyed tho full
confidence Of Ills employers.
lie WIS ono Of the leading members
Of tho Fourth Street NJ, II, Church and
All active melnb,r OF the Wheeling Dis.
tflCt Camp Meeting Association. lie
waa a tuembUr Of Ohio Lodge No. l, a,
\, 4 A. NJ, oi Wheeling Lodge No. o
aud Abrams EnpampmOnt No, II, |. o..
0, r., and Of Welcome Lodge A, .. u.
W. lie served two terms az d membUr
Of tho City Water Board, aud held
other positions oitFnst and honor,
In politics hc was an active Republl.
eau, his RepubliCaniSm dating back 10
the tlnG Of tho arst organization OF the
party, HN was q supporter Of Fremont,
and there were but Of them lUrp,and
what few there were, were practically o..
tfRCised, ittOOk nerve 10 DO Repnbli.
can hpreabOui5 In those days. llewaB a
lieutenant In the militia aud started
with HE company Tor Grafton on one
early Ia the war when the
troops had been ordered there, AZ the
depot, however, no was accidentally
shot by Il member OF his company, The
ball passed clear through ll6 body, and
IhB wound always annoyed Him some.