Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1896-09-03
NAPOLEON HAGANs
Dead But Yet Liveth.

Q clOcK, on MOnday evening, Aug
ust oath, 1896, the white winged
messenger that accompany. the
spirits of mortals to the realms
beyond, quietly visited the
home of the subject Of this
sketch and peacefully, gently,
conveyed across the mystic river
of time, all that was mortal of
Napoleon Hagans.
Mr.. Hagans was born Septem-
Der Goth, 1910, and was, there
fore, So years, II months and 2s
days old, at, the time of his death.
He was reared on the farm, and
early learned to love the high
calling of tilling the soil. He was
farmer, and to this vocation he
directed his best thoughts, gave his
closest personal attention and de-
voted all the energies of his active
and useful manhood. His devo-
ton to duty and the right coupled
with industry, perseverance, and
economy brought to him large in
f1uence and possessions. ssEarly
to bed and early to rise'' seems to
be the motto of his life; and as a
reward for strict adherence there
to, he was robust, vigorous and
enjoyed for years most excellent
health.
By his industry, economy and
vigilance he accumulated three
large farms, one of which COM
prises more than 400 acres, an
other over $50 acres, and the
third contained a less number of
acres than the second. These fer
tile fields, dotted here and there
with comfortable, substantial ten
ant houses, and well supplied with
good teams and other valuable live
stock, yielded annually to their
sweat browed owner something
like a hundred bales of cotton,
hundreds of barrels of corn, thou
sands of pounds of. tobacco and
quantities of other produce. He
owned, in addition to his farms,
valuable property in the town of
Eureka and in the city of Colds
boro.
He was not technically educated,
and yet he possessed an exceed
ingly well-trained mind. He had
a wonderful incite to human ma
ture, and could read men so accu-
rately till he rarely made a mis-
take in selecting his associates or
choosing trusted employees. He
reasoned well from cause to effect
He had tact and ability and used
both. He was modest and unassum-
ing and was not in the least
oste1tatious.
AS a friend. he vas generous to
the echo-kind, yet irm-posi-
tive, yet considerable, and at all
times well self-possessed. If any
one of the many noble traits of his
useful life stood out more promi-
nently than another or shone more
brilliantly than all the other char
acteristics which he possessed,
possibly it was bis fidelity. Moth
ing could swerve him from what
he conceived to be right-from the
performance of duty. His adher-
ence to his obligation or promise
was not to be broken.
While he did not enjoy the adj
vantages of Il technical or book ed
ucation himself, he saw to it that
his children, only two sons, should
and did have the advantage of the
best school training, and conse-
quently, Henry E. and William
l.. Hagans r graduates from the
classical departments Of Shaw and
Howard Universities, respectively.
That Napoleon Hagans was held
in high,esteem by his large circle
of friends and was evidenced by
the large concourse of sympathetic
friends, white and colored, in at
tendance upon the occasion of his
funeral which took place at his
late residence in the northern por-
ton of Wayne county, some ff-
teen miles from Goldsboro, on the
25th of August. The funeral GER
emonies were conducted by Rev.
Jonah Williams assisted by Rev.
C.. billiard. The pall-bearers
were " essrs. j. l.. Nixon, c.. D.
Groom, Henry Williams, William
Chapman, B. Fl. Hogans and E.
E. Smith.
Friends were presentfrom twenty
miles around. Numbers were
there from Goldsboro, Pikeville,
Fremont and Wilson. Floral of
ferinss were kindly contributed by
Mrs. w. J. Exum, and Mr.. ane
Mrs. j. j. Bardin, Fremont; Miss
Clarisa Williams, Wilson; Mrs. Z.
E.. Smith, Goldsboro.
Letters of coincidence bave beer
received from Mr.. w. H. Borden.
Goldsboro; Mr.. A. w. Curtis.
Raleigh; Me-. c. D. Sauls, Snow
Hill, Mr.. w. II. Mcneil, Mrs. F,
"A Garrett DIR. T. e. DelIinoer,