The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-27
I'M MEMORIAM.
Hon. III. A. Williams.


1t is difficult to associate the idea Of
death with certain people. They are SO
bright, they complain so little, and they
are so truly brave. Such was Captain
Williams. The Spartan boy who endured
the fox to gnaw to his vitals rather than
complain was lot more heroic than was
our late friend during the past few years
| of his life. Those who knew him best
alone knew what he underwent, meeting
strong opponent on the Congressional
stump sometimes twice a day, being
afflicted with Bright's disease, with its
resultant headaches, and having hemor-
rhages from the lungs at night. Other
men are content to complain. He glo-
ried in succeeding. Other men coveted
sympathy; he wanted admiration. Other
men loved good excuse; he endured no
excuse. Other men asked help; he gave
help. Other men said Life and its
troubles have conquered me-; he would
have died before making such an admis-
sion. No wonder, then, that he was
doing battle when the summons came to
go. To loving wife, anxiously caution
ing him that he must rest, came the an
swer: II can die, but / cannot be idle"
Capt A. Fl. A Williams was not an
ordinary man. He poss essed the faculty
of attaching men to him, and they will
lingly served him, for the service was of
love.
No man had cooler head; no man
had steadier nerve, and few men had
broader views of life Like most men
born to leadership, he was chary of his
presence; and knew the value of silence,
of prudence, of avoiding strife, of gen
tlemanly demeanor, of moral excellence,
and of fishing in the deep waters. Had
his lot fallen in Chicago or in Atlanta,
he would have left great riches. Let it
not be thought that this gentle nature was
lacking in ST. rner stuff For while no
man perhaps can say of him that he ever
willingly gave offense, yet he knew as
well as the best how to stand his ground
when sat upon.
In the days when he fought the bill
creating warehouse charges in the Legis
lature and when he aided in putting on
the Statute Books that law for Granville
that has done more practical good than
all the laws, State or Federal, of quar-
ter century, "The no fence law" he
made some enemies, yet no man who
ever lived in the county had more faith
ful and devoted friends.
The Badly Williams of 1882 1884 1885
was powerfully resourceful man. Take
him as the president and lessee Of rail
road; or as member of the State Legis-
lature twice; or a little later, as the
redeemer of his Congressional District;
finn uF,F1
will, take him as a distinguished
ornament Of those noble orders the An
Gent and Accepted Free Masons, or the
Odd Fellows; or take him in his capaci
Gus house after the manner Of the old
order of things, where scores of citizens
gathered every Sunday afternoon to talk,
and to hear him talk, or listen to him as
he stands before thousands of old sol
diers at their reunion in the grove of our
Orphan Asylum and in burning words
recalls the days of Gettysburg and Of
Sharpsburg and while tears of sadness
and of sorrow pillow down their upturned
faces; or come and go into the sacred
recesses of his home life and see him in
gentle, loving, familiar, converse with
wife and little ones, and then let tie
world say, ''Was not this MANI
He was not an ELUSIVE man. He had
himself well in hand. He knew when
to speak and what to say. Consequently
his advice was often sought. He was
generous to a fault. He gave because
he had a kind heart and he gave also bc-
cause giving is an index of the old fash
toned gentleman. He helped all classes
he gave to Orphan Asylums, to churches,
to poor soldiers, and his home, perhaps,
entertained in twelve months, more peo-
pie than any other in North Carolina
One of the tenderest letters Of sympathy
to his widow came from a now pros
porous business man whom he took from
the asylum and reared as a member
! Of his family. He was a plain. accessible