The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1893-12-13
HON. r. r. PIERCE.
HIS DEATH OCCURS At HIS HOME
IN THIS CITY ON THE 9th
INSTANT.
Peacefully and Quietly He Passes
Away Surrounded by His
Relatives and Friends.
A Sketch of His Life, a Tribute of
Love and Resolutions of Respect
by Those Who Have Known
Him and Revere His
Memory.
A GOOD MAN GONE.

The Hon r. r. Pierce died at his home
in this city last Friday, the Sth inst, at
3 80 o'clock p. m.
Mr. Pierce had been sick for several
months, and it had been apparent for
sometime that his taking off was only
matter of little while. lie was first
taken with inflammation Of the bowels,
which was followed by general break
ing down of the system.
The funeral services were held at the
Pierce residence Sunday afternoon, con-
Quoted by the Rev. DR.. j. b. Cottrell and
the Rev. IL. T. Hampton, after which
the remains were deposited in their last
resting place in the Cloverport City
Cemetery. The pail bearers were
A. b. Skillman, +. n. D'Huy, j. T..
Skillman, Jas. II. Norman, j. E.
Keith and Dudley Hambleton.
We know no more fitting tribute to his
memory than to make some extracts
from sketch of his valuable life which
we published in these columns nearly a
year ago, Jan. 18th 1898.
"Mr. Pierce was born in Louisa county,
in the state Of Virginia, in the year 1928
and was educated at what was known as
"Old Field Schools" at that time the
best patronized and most popular schools
OF any in the cold Dominion"
At an early age he became clerk in a
country store. Afterwards he was depot
agent at a point on what is now the
Chesapeake & Ohio railroad. In time
he was made conductor on train on the
road-also mail agent between Washing
ton City and Richmond, Virginia.
The attention Of the late ID. b. Harris,
one of the largest tobacco operators in
the country, was attracted to the young
man who was exhibiting the finest bust
ness capacities. 1t resulted in an en-
gagement of his services to come to Clo-
yerport and manage Harris large tobacco
business here. This brought Mr.. Pierce
to Cloverport in the year 1877. He has
resided here from that day to this.
As before remarked, a more useful
man never lived in any community.
His tobacco operations were large Tor a
great number OF years, in which time he
paid out large sums OF money to planters
and employed hundreds OF hands in his
stemmery. His fairness and business as
an employee was singularly illustrated
in a successful race he made for the Leg
islature, some years ago The laboring
population of Cloverbort voted for him,
black and white, almost to a man, re-
CARELESS OF party utilization, giving as
reason that he was a public benelactor
and just man.
During his career as tobacconist, he
engaged in other enterprises-merchant
miller, farmer, etc.-driving everything
before him with an energy and activity
that was remarkable. He built several
of the largest houses in the olden times
of Cloverport The large brick building
on Front and Oak streets, in the West
end the large building where the post
Office is now kept NOW the Heyser
Housed which he rebuilt from an old
frame the handsome and commodious
dwelling occupied by his son r. b.
Pierce, on High street; the large store
house of S l.. Sulzer; the large tobacco
stemmery on Huston street, and other
houses of various kinds not now remem-
bered by the writer.
While member Of the Legislature he
procured a charter for RAILROAD from
Louisville through this section, called
the Louisville, Cloverport q Western"
With such a man as Mr.. Pierce this
meant actualty-not railroad merely
ON paper. He saw its possibilities, and
after his service in the Legislature, with
his usual untiring energy and indomita-
BILE perseverance, he allied himself with
others, and his labor finally eventuated
in the Louisville st. Louis & Texas rail-
road and Fordsville branch, today recog-
nized by its owners and all Others as
splendid property, beneiaction to the
through which it passes.
Were that railroad the only life-work |
of Mr.. Pierce, it would be enough TO
,rown him with honor and invoke the
gratitude of the people. Who OF us can
estimate the anxiety suffered and the
abor performed by the man to consul
nate his hopes? He quailed before no
liGiculty, yielded to no encouragement,
submitted TO all kinds of ridicule, and
moved onward till success, beyond even
iis own most sanguine expectation, re-
garded his labors.
How large the benefits that the people
long this railroad enjoy II matters
title now that the Ohio freezes and dries
10, the people EN- travel and ship every
lay in the year. Towns have sprung
nto existence where formerly the corn