Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-15
OBITUARY.

JAMES @. McCUE. son OF James w. anu
Martha McCue, born May Is, 1883. died at
his residence, Alton, Albemarle county.
Va, March IA, 1891, Of heart failure:
To the stranger how simple this an
nouncement, but to the hearts OF his be-
loved ones what agony IL conveys.
When death strikes down the infant we
say :" 1t il WELL" Heaven has but rescued
its own from sin and sorrow and suffering.
When it calls home the aged we feel |. II
but natural-his work beng ended he
should go TO his rest. but when the sum-
mons without warning comes TO the strong
man in the very prime Of life. who has
fought through the breakers OF early man.
hood, surrounded by everything necessary
TO make life dear, who has every prospect
of long life's enjoyment of the fruits OF
his hard Fought battles-when such Q man
is stricken down we stop appalled,, and
feel that indeed lite is but vapor. These
thoughts apply with peculiar force TO the
death of Mr.. McCue.
Married October IL, 1867. to Sallie j..
daughter of Samuel 0. Moon, of Bates
vile. Va, life opened for him with the
brightest prospects. Soon after his mar
riage he located on the farm where he
lived to the dayof his death. He at once
went to work with an indomitable will to
improve and beautify his home. When
the first angry mutterings OF the civil war
broke over the land it found him emf
nently successful in his work and on the
high road 10 prosperity, surrounded by
happy in the love of his idolized wife and
pratthng babes; but his country called
him from peace to war. He joined Com
pany Il. Tenth Virginia cavalry. On the
I'd of April, 1865, he was taken prisoner At
Ford's Depot, Va. and taken to Point
Lookout, where for weary months he
thought of and longed for'home and loved
ones.
It was the writer's privilege to read q
letter written to his wife during this i'm
prisonment, which breathed throughout a
touching affection for mis- wife and little
ones, and at the same time complete and
and resignation to His will. Confined in a
loathsome prison far from all he held most
dear. tortured by q dread uncertainty as
TO their tate or his own. he writes, he
never before enjoyed so fully the consola-
tions Of religion. In this letter we find no
word Of enquiry as 10 his property-no i'm
patient muttering-his whole thoughts
seem concentrated on his devoted wife and
helpless little ones and deep gratitude 20
his Maker that II was as well with him as
il was. On bis release from prison and re-
turn home he found that the grim fate OF
war had swept away the fruits of years OF
laboTs. his growing crops destroyed, his
horses and farming implements stolen OF
destroyed, even the bread and meat stored
to feed his family taken-nothlng between
his loved ones and suffering but his own
bare arm. Weakened by disease and long
Imprisonment, but the same indomitablt
will which characterized his life kept him
from falling q victim to despair. Those
were for him dark days. but time was toe
precious 10 be sent in useless repinings
lie at once went to work to retrieve his
fortunes, and though for long time be
was tossed from blow TO blllow, and Tins
and again il seemed his bark must bt
wrecked, the watch-word of his life, my
wife and children sustained his fiagginG
strength. and he rode through the storm
to victory.
In early life he embraced religion ant
connected himself with the Methods
Church, which through life remained thu
church of his choice, but living at an in
convenient distance from this church an,
his wife and several of his children havin
united with Lebanon Presbyterian church
which was close by, he for many years al
| tended that church, manifesting the deep
est interest In its welfare and contributin
| literally to its support. Some years az
seeing the necessity OF more safely invest
| ing portion OF his money he purchase
the splendid Brooksyilleiproperty, wbic
| adjoined his home. About two years az
he had this property divided among six .
| his sons. and his daughter, Mrs. w.
Rodes, reserving his home place for the tw
| boys who are quite young. Mrs. Rodes Il
| the division had drawn and was occu
pyine the BrooksvIlle mansion. Fou
| OF the sons had erected comforts
bic dwellings, and with their familie
were settled around the homestead. Tn
| dream of his life seemed realized, his bat
ties had been many, but victory had come
| The future stretched out before him in
| gentle peaceful decline TO the shores c
| eternity. The picture Of perfect physica
manhood he seemed destined for yet man
years of life.
On March 18th, Just three DAYS befor
his death, he was called 70 Stanton o
business. After reaching his hotel he hear
that celebrated opera troupe would CIV
an entertainment that night in the city
and being lover of music he started
hear this opera. On reaching tn
street he heard church-bell ringinf
| Guided by some subtle inhuenc
be turned and went 10 church instead {
the opera. The services were to him of
prophetic character, but how little he n
allied It | The text was Matthew XIV
| 10: watch, therefore. for ye know neithe
| the day nor the hour wherein the SO
| of Man cometh." And strange to say b
three favorite hyms-viz., Come Tho
| Fount, There is o Fountain Filled wit
Blood. and How Firm Foundation-wer
| used. On his return home--his last nigh
| on earth, his last hour with his love
/ ones-while seated with his family aroun
his Preside he related 70 them these inc
dents, and seemed deeply impressed wit
the fact that Divine hand had guide
and richly rewarded him. Had he know
this was his last hour in his famil
| circle he could not have spent
more profitably for himself or left for hi
| family and friends a richer consolation
How precious the thought 70 that griei
stricken wife that he preferred his Master
service to worldly amusement, and thi
| his last social hour on earth was spent |
religious converseI How pleasant TO kno
that his last thoughts were OF Heaven, th
last music he heard on earth was praise {
his Redeemer. A large concourse OF so
rowing friends from Charlottesville, Bas
City, and the surrounding country a
sembled at his residence to pay to b
memory their last sad tribute OF respec
| Among this vast assemblage were larG
| number of the old family servants an
their children. He was left TO sleep in I'll
family graveyard beside his two infaI
boys who had preceded him to that bett.
land, and his spirit, doubtless now. wit
theirs, is only waiting 70 welcome hon