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 Tor
sometime that his taking off was only
matter of little while. He was first
taken with inflammation Of the bowels,
which was followed by a general break
ing down of the system.
The funeral services were held at the
Pierce residence Sunday afternoon, con-
Quoted by the Rev. DIR. J. b. Cottrell and
the Rev. II. 7. hampton, after which
the remains were deposited in their last
resting place in the Cloverport CITY
Cemetery. The pail bearers were
A. b. Skillman, f. n. D'lluy, j. I.
Skillman, Jas. II. Norman, j. j..
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
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
At an early age he became clerk in
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 a train on the
road-also mail agent between Washing
ton City and Richmond, Virginia.
The attention of the late d. 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-
verport and manage Harris large tobacco
business here. This brought Mr.. Pierce
to Cloverport in the year lS47. He has
resided here from that day to this.
As before remarked, 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 laborng
population of Cloverbort voted for him,
black and white, almost to man, re-
CARELESS OF party utilization, giving as
reason that he was a public benefactor
and just man.
During his career as tobacconist, ne
engaged in other enterprises-merchant
miller, farmer, etc.--drivng everything
before him with an energy and activity
that was remarkable. He built several
of the largest houses in the olden times
of Cloyerport. 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
House, which he rebuilt from an old
frame; the handsome and commodious
dwelling occupied by his son X. b.
Pierce, on High street; the large store
house of S l.. Sulzer; the large tobacco
stemmery on Huston street. ana other
houses of various kinds not now remem-
bered by the writer.
While member OF the Legislature he
procured charter for RAILROAD from
Louisville through this section, called
the Louisville, Cloverport & Western"
With such a man as Mr.. Pierce this
meant actuality-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 Fordsyille branch, today recog-
nized by its owners and all Others as
splendid property, benefaction to the
country through which it passes.
Were that railroad the only life-work
of Mr.. Pierce, it would be enough to
crown him with honor and invoke the
gratitude of the people. Who OF us can
estimate the anxiety suffered and the
labor performed by the man to consul
mate his hopes? He quailed before no
yielded to no disbursement,
submitted TO all kinds Of ridcule, and
moved onward till success, beyond even
his own most sanguine expectation, re-
warded his labors.
How large the benefits that the people |
along this railroad enjoy! 1T matters
little now that the Ohio freezes and dries
up, the people can travel and ship every |
day in the year. Towns have sprung |