Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-20
IN MEMORlkN.
a sketch Of the Life of "A Noble son of
Virginia.. Who Ens.ch AAXnY Iust Mcnk

virginia, Who Passed Away Last Week
Died. Monday. the eth of May, in Buck
insham county, at Rolfton, on the Upper
Slate, his home for nearly fifty years,
Robert Kincaid Irving. Esquire. at the
ripe old age OF 50. For thirty years with
drawn from public life. and for the last
ten, the period OF his total blindness
rarely absent from his own roof-tree. he
Will still, notwithstanding this long in
terval and the transforming events with
which II is crowded. be wildly recalled
by the Few who survive him of his asso-
clates In the Legislature and the legal
profession, for none could forget his
splendid face, his striking figure, and his
nObly courteous barring. Few, indeed
are those men of eighty winters that still
lnger on the hlther shore, and. far from
numerous his younger contemporaries.
for along with Stephen o. Southall. OF
Amelia; Watson and Lake. OF Albemarle.
and Bocock. of Appomattox, OF the older
set. have passed of the scene his knsman.
Judge Irving. OF the Circuit Court. the
gallant Thornton, OF Prince Edward. and
many others. though all were born
decade later. only his own retcntive
memory and lively interest In the past
could have called the roll over and given
the true proportion of survivors.
Born at the very outbreak of the last
war with Great Britain. and bred 10 the
law at the old college of William and
Mary, grandson, too of Archibald
Cary, Of Ampthill. he seemed to belong
more to the revolutionary mould Of public
men than to the political school OF later
times. Articles Of his very apparel-the
broad stock and high collar-his long,
curling hair. siyery white many years
before his death, ana his ciOse-shaven
face. all suggested the fashion of that
famous generation. Yet Wing and
Conservative though h. was. with Il lofty
contempt for the dema gOgue and his arts,
he was for twenty years the most popu-
lar man in his county. and after serving
"A second term I'm the House OF Delegates
was easily elected to the State Senate
over his Democratic rival But trained,
as he was, for public life. with an in
herited aptitude therefor, which he
shared with two Of his brothers-Henry
who represented Cumberland in the Leeis-
lature. and Joseph, Of Amherst who took
fist rank among the criminal lawyers Of
his tlme-an ardent student Of history
and Of parliamentary oratory, fond OF
the ancient classics, and gifted with a
memory remarkable alike for its VIDE
range and It's accuracy. 50 richly endowed
and apparently destined TO a brilliant
career, in lSjS he deliberately turned his
back upon the allurements Of political
life and, declining further legislative
honors. he offered for the county clerk
ship, made vacant by the retirement Of
his father-n-law, Rolfe Eldridge. Esquire,
AID thus succeeded that notable worldly.
who had served with notable credit for
many years This oil e he held TN the
reconstruction period made its tenure in
District 40. 1 no longer a matter Of the
pgf yr.ff q
dl. life, he resumed tie law as a profess
sion, but radical changes in all about
him. no less than his long withdrawal
from the bar found him untitled for ii
wider teld, such as MS brother Joseph
had so brilliantly occupied. and in his
own county the business that remained
afforded scant opportunity for a lucrative
practice Yet 1t Is this period of his life
embracing the evil times that have borne
SO heavily upon thOus ands In our State,
which revealed to the little circle that
learned to know him most intimately
the lofty beauty Of his character; the phil |
osophc calm with which he faced his
poverty; the chasteneI fortitude which |
sustained him in his crown Of sorrows.
the death of his devoted wife: the noble |
patience that, through all the years OF
his blindness, made This sore aiillction
seem less cause for loving pity than for
rcverential love.
Notwithstanding hs long severance |
from public life and from the world. he |
felt to the last the keenest interest IN |
men and their pursuits. trade, science.
literature. everything, but above all, poll |
tics, and he seemed al the same time ready, |
nay, waiting. for the summons hence, |
yet fun OF the sense OF all that was doing
in the busy, bustlinR world az told
through the press day by day. Comments
upon passing events would be mingled !
with his "reminiscences Of other times, his
ever-ready memory calling up elections, |
trials speeches. what not, and nothing
pleased him more than 10 answer the
eager questions Of his grandchildren about
his college days In the ancient capital, |
his active life as law yer legislator and !
clerk-not what he dI or said himself, /
for never was dignity better blended with |
modesty in any man-Dut the dolngs and |
sayings OF his contemporaries and or the |
county notables, whether of his own or !
earlier days, as Peter Francisco, OF giant |
build and strength, hiE doughty ancestor, |
Colonel John Jordan. OF revolutionary |
fame, and many others. especially II the I
record admitted OF a humorous turn, as /
he had his literary hnsman's own trick |
OF story telling, when he and GeOifry |
Crayon Gent might well have inherited !
from Il common ancestry. their Scotch |
forefathers OF the Borderland. or Aber- |
deem, as the tradition varies. y gentle |
man OF the elder race. whom Minor. OF |
the university, will remember as young |
lawyer in Scottsville. ey-City-Treasurer |
Greenhow, then OF Preston x Greenhow, |
commission merchants, as legislator |
sojourning In the capital Cabell Turner |
and many more, Of Buckingham. as
County Clerk. all TO speak his praise, |
bur the years OF his retirement few /
know OF other than his neghbors and |
his children-the former 10 treasure them |
as an honored and dear memory. the
latter as precious and sacred heritage. |
Just before sunset Oh the Tuesday fol- |
lowing his death. after simple. sweetly |
solemn service. he was laid to rest by |
the side OF his loving consort. borne
thIther thirteen years before In the family |
burial place OF the ElNfdge's on the