The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-04-10
Death of A. T. Gllkeson.

Death of A. T. Gllkeson.
A. L. Gilkeson died at his home, cor
ner Market and Prospect streets, Sunda.
night last at II o'clock. He was on thu
street Saturday buying family supplies
and seemed to be in perfect health. Sun
day he was not out, but was about his
lot, and died not complaining of being
sick. Sunday night he retired earlier
than the rest of the family, and while
Mrs. Gilkeson was sitting in the room,
she heard groan from the bed, where
Mr.. Gilkeson was found lying on his
face. Thinking something was wrong,
she called her daughters. The alarm
was al once given, but before the neigh
bors could get to the bed of the sufferer
he was dead. Mr.. Gilkeson died of Or
ganic disease of the heart He was
about CT years old. When a young man
Mr. Gilkeson taught school. He was
good scholar, and was faithful and
earnest worker. When our townsman,
Hon. A. H. H. Stuart, was appointed
Secretary of the Interior by President
Fillmore, he gave Mr.. Gilkeson position
as clerk in his department. He after
wards engaged in the hardware bust
ness in the storeroom now occupied by
John W. Abby with Mr.. John K. Woods,
under the firm name of Woods Il Gill,e-
son. The firm was one of long stand
ing, and had a well deserved reputation
for fair and honest dealing. The change
of name and dissolution of the firm was
brought about by the death of Mr..
Woods, who died suddenly in March,
1874 Mr. Gilkeson continued the bust
ness for some years but finally retired
and sold out to Frank Alexander Il Co.
Since then he has lead quiet, unobtru
sive life, his chief pleasure being found
in the circle of a loving and devoted
family. Mr.. Gilkeson was one of the
best known gentlemen in the city, and
had the respect and confidence of the en-
tire community. He leaves his family
the priceless heritage of a good name.
Mr.. Gilkeson's wife survives him, to-
gether with his children, two sons and
two daughters. The daughters live at
home; Willie, the oldest son, is in the
hardware business in Culpeper, and
Harry is in the same business at Buena
Vista, Va. The funeralitook place from
the First Presbyterian Church Tuesday
last.
The following gentlemen acted as pail
bearers: DR.. J. w. Alexander, J. A.
Waddel. Robert M. Guy, John B. Hoge,
w. H. Weller. H. H. Myers. of Lexing
ton; J. A. Templeton and E. L.. Ed
mOndsOn.
Rev. r. H. Phillips.
A telegram from Norfolk, Va. to Mrs.
DIR. Charles Phillips, was received Mon
day last announcing the death of the Rev.
r. H. Phillips, which occurred Monday
morning at o'clock. Mr.. Phillips had
lived in Norfolk since the summer of
1886 He was for nearly forty years the
principal of the Virginia Female Insti-
tute, and under his administration the
school gained a high reputation for
scholarship. While engaged as princi-
pal of the Institute, Mr.. Phillips was
active in various business pursuits. He
dealt largely in real estate and built a
great many houses He built, as one Of
three story brick store house, now occu-
pied by DR.. N. Wayt & Bro. and Maslin
Booker Hardware Co. He built also the
house now occupied by the senior editor
of this paper (Which has since been ad-
ded to, however,, and the house on the
diagonal corner, and q large number of
other houses, among them the Mo
TART Hall. He was an earnest Mason
and took an active part in erecting the
Masonic building. He was paralyZed in
1879. and the next year resigned the
charge of the Institute and retired from
active life. During his entire residence
in Staunton he was prominent in all
matters of public interest. His mind
was rich in resources, and he used his
talents for the promotion of the public
good, always taking q leading part to
which he was entitled by his command
ing abilities. He was charming in con-
verSation; a successful instructor; and
a forceful, pleasing and instructive pull
pit orator.
The remains reached here Tuesday
last by the 5 o'clock D. M train, and
were met at the depot by the members
of the Masonic lodge, and all the old pu-
pills who attended the institute while
Mr.. Phillips was principal. The escort
proceeded to the church, headed by the
Stonewall Band, where the Epis-
copal service for the dead was read, and
then to Thornrose Cemetery, where the
Masonic Ritual and the concluding
church service consigned to the earthly
tenement all that is mortal of r. H.
Phillips, the efforts of whose mind and
activity of life have been felt in this city
as much as any man who ever lived in
it. He was one of the chief promoters
of the beautiful cemetery grounds,
where his body will rest until the great
resurrection morn.
The pail bearers were J. H. Skinner,
Kinney Maj. Elder, f. b. Berkeley, J.
F. Tannehill. Masonic-H. NJ. Nell
hany, w. L. Lushbaugh, W. A. Burke,
P. H. Trout.
Capt. Thomas D. Ransom was in Lewis
burg last week ON professional business.
The University Glee Club, sixteen
voices and eight persons in the banjo