The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-12-06

tndrmity arising from bad habits and
advancing age was added that due to Il
stroke OF paralysis, He seemed then
doomed to carly dissolution. but he
chung o lie with wonderful tenacitv.
There was day when I. L. Cockavno's
name was household word in the Ohio
Valley. lie was the head OF Whcelings
leading orchestra, and dance or we'd
ding or concert with Cockayne's band
left out was incomplete. Later he was
regarded us an expert steamboat cook,
and within not so many years he was
employed MS cook in restaurants.
Tommy knew all the newspaper men,
and made himself at home in their
sanCtums. Seated year or SO ago in
the lNTELLTGESCEE office, entertaining
the force with "reminiscences, which he
was very fond OF narrating, he said:
"0ld Tom will not be with you much
longer, boys"
This led TO suggestion that Tommy
furnish material for an obituary sketch
of himself. This he agreed to do on
condition that when it was printed his
picture should accompany it. So, whilc
one member OF the staff made notes OF
his own sketch OF his career, another
drew 4 number Of portraits OF the old
man. One OF these, when they were
shown him, struck his fancy. and he
pickedit out, saying, THAT goes, boys"
This picture is reproduced herewith.
This is probably the only case on record
where a man furnished hisown obituary
and approved the portrait which was to
accompany il,
Tommy said he was born in 1920,
which made him q good deal older than
most people thought, His birthplace
was an old farm house which stood on
the hill in what is now part OF the Mt.
Wood cemetery. He claimed to be one
of the oldest natives OF Wheeling, and
probably it is TACT that very few born
here as early survive him.
His "reminiscences Of oid-time society,
famous balls, weddings OF people now
prominent old citizens, receptions to
men of national fame who passed
through Wheeling by the historic
steamboat and stage route, would have
filed an entertaining book ii told in
fommy's prime. for Tommy was q good
historian. Even rs an amateur reporter
he showed no mean ability, and many n
readable batch OF news mas he con-
tributed to the riyes column in all the
local newspapers.
trouble in st. Paul, where he went
with Mr.. G. Z. VanKenren when the
latter moved there and started res
taurant. In Wheeling Tommy's laugh
was well known, and an induigent pub
lie never objected to it. Butin ST. Paul
when he went to q minstrel SNOW and in
an uuguarded moment let his disabilities
have free vent, the people Kissed, and
policeman put him out. An account
OF the experience as given by Torn was
printed in st. Paul paper, and went
the rounds, and he probably carried
the clipping OF this until he died.
IAN is WE'LL" was his favorite greet
ing and his stentorian, Right is right
and right wrongs no man." was rs
familiar us his laugh. He had favorito
ests, too, for even after death seemed
TO have lien on him." as he himself
expressed it, he vas jolly fellow. One
OF his Conceits was to come in, wiplng
his eyes, and say mourGfuiiy:
"Well, boys, poor George is dead"
George who?' was asked always, OF
course, even by those who knew his
joke,
George washingtonw and then his
shrieky laugh awolie tho neighborhood.
After he was stricken with paralysis
he tried TO eke out subsistence by
peddiing pencils and other notions, but
failed, and sick and friendless lie finally
had IN 10 tn FIN infirnary This htfrt
him, with all he had gone through. \
few times in good weather he came bacl;
to town, but only for little while.
Last night about 10 o'clock Suporin-
tendent Pebler dropped in where
Tommy was, and found MIN breathing
his last. lie passed peacefully away,
cheerful in his last conscious moment.
He was q widower and has n grown
daughter at GAINESVILLE. Other relatives
live in Marshall county.