The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-11-11
HONORS TO THE DEAD.
The Members of the AbbevilIe Bar
Pay Just Tribute to Their Deceas-
ell Brother, w. A. Lee.

Ell brOther, w. "A. Lee.
sThe members of the Abbeville Bar, and 9TH
ers, met in the Court House on Monday NO
vember 2, 1896, in respect to the memory Oh
the late William Augustus Lee, who was the
oldest member of the Bar. We give below
some notes of the proceedings as follows:
Remarks by Hon. VIM. III. Parker.
Rrethren of the Bar, aud Officers OF Court:
We have assembled today To discharge
mournful duty, TO pay suitable tribute to
the memory OF departed member OF Tue
Abbeville Bar. ,,,o
njace of our late associate WIN. Augustus
Lee is now vacant.
70 me the loss Is great, not only as broth.
er-atforney with whom have associated In
the lines of the profession, but as personal
friend. with intimate association or nearly
fifty years. ofo family wbosa
has been nTng the many
snent in this community he well sustained
Ihe high character OF the name.
VIM. Augustus Lee departed THIS lie on
Friday Srd GG!E0sp of aeouS several Weeks
He was born on Johns Island, near Char
lesion on March End, 1926, and was therefore
In his list year. -, IT..
father's removal TO Abbeville, but 1t was
about 1886 or 1897. Nor am l informed al
what schools he obtained his earlier educa.
ton, though, If not mistaken, nave heard
him speak of attending school at one time
near Wilmington under the younger Wad-
dell.
He completed his education at Erskine
College, Due West, where he graduated in
1873 with distinction.
He always retained a warm interest in the
welfare of his alma mater, was for some years
a member of the Board Of Trustees and In
appreciation of his high character and
scholarly attachments was honored with 1.-The
degree OF LII D., several years ago. After
deVoting two or three years to teaching, Mr..
Lee studied law, and was admitted as an at
torney In December, 1917, and settled at Able
vile.
He came to the Bar, when Abbeville was
still favored with brilliant array OF Attor.
neys who we'll sustained the high reputation
of the Abbeville Bar TOR learning and ability.
There were ArmStead Burt, I99mas 1raaS, I3om rnr,
rhos. c. iPerrin, S. MCGOWAN, late Asso
cate Justice OF the Supreme Court, still sur.
vivins, honored and beloved by his fellow
shall, BENZ. Y. Martin, for some years State
Reporter Tor the State of Georgia, John II.
Wilson, the Moragnes, Paul, Noble and oth'
ers of younger generation.
Mr.. Lee was @ laborious student and came
to the Bar with thorough knowledge OF the
text Books and Reports OF the day.
His extreme modesty and tlmidtty prevent
ed him from taking that position In the
Forum TO which his intellectual abilities So
justly entitled him, but his legal acquire
ments methodical habits, and general know
ledge were SO highly appreciated that al dil
ferent times he was associated with Is: T.
Martin under the firm OF Martin & Lee. after
wards as member OF the firm of Marshall
Il Lee; Orr & Lee; Lee q Blake, and still later
Lee & Bon ham. AS lawyer, his Judgment
was sound, and discriminating and his know.
ledge OF pleading and practice thorough
Attentive TO the interests OF his clients and
just in his dealings with them; Courteous
and frank with members OF the Bar ana al
ways respected and esteemed lor MS integrity
and exalted character.
The literary attalnments of Mr.. Lee were ol
a high order, not equaled by many who had
not made literature their profession.
His reading was extensive, varied and
Thorough and bis Information accurate, and
he had a choice and well selected library OF
scientific, theological, historical WORKS ano
the current literature Of the day-his dictiop
was chaste, and he wrote with ease and
facility, always entertaining and Instructive.
AS citizen he was public.spirited, never
seeking office, but such was the appreciation
in which he was held by his fellow.citiZens
that be was twice honored by seat In the
General Assembly and in the State Conven.
lion Of 1865.
IN daily intercourse with his fellow-citizens
be was modest, rather reserved, gentle In his
manners, actuated by high sense of principle
required 1t.
Constitutionally not endowed with the mil.
itary feryor he early entered in the late civil
War, in the service Of the State he loved SO
we'll, submitted cheerfully to the privations
and trials of q soldiers life, manfully bore
his part in several hard fought battles and
finally surrendered with Lee at Appomattox.
He was a consistent Christian from early
life ever manifesting an exalted faith, well
grounded and rooted.
For over forty years he was vestryman In
Trinity Church, Abbeville, ever earnest and
Jealous in Christian duties.
He was conspicious for purity In daily life,
thought and word. No unseemly language
ever passed his lips.
II as is said in Holy writ, the ".pure In heart
shall see God," then the spirit of our deceased
brother Is one of that tbrong of angels In
heaven. worshipping around His Throne
death was to him "elernal gain"
He was loving and tender husband, de-
voted parent, true and steadfast friend
Such was the character OF our deceased
brother whose life may we'll be held up to Us
all as an example worthy OF Imitation a
striking instance Of the quiet but forceful In.
huence of pure. modest, gentle, unaSsum
was built upon rock.
Remarks by w. C. MCGOWAN, Esq.
After MIR. Parker's remarks, Mr.. w. C.
MCGOWAN rose and said
Mr.. Chairman At meeting Of our Bal
ed to draft suitable resolutions on the death
of Mr.. Lee. The committee consisted OF Mr.
Ellis g. Graydon, Mr. NJ. P. DeBruhl and my.
self, and as chairman OF that committee,
now otisr the following resolutions:
Resolutions.
Whereas. 1t has pleased an all wise Provi
dence to remove w. A. Lee, Esq. LII. D..
from the scenes Of his earthly usefulness
and
Whereas, the Bar Of Abbeville, in meeting
assembled desire to put t on record s ,ai and per
his worth; therefore, be II resolved:
First. That In the death of William Au-
gustus Lee-the Nestor from our ranks-the
Bar of Abbevile has sustained great and
serious loss; and the State Of South Carolina
deprived of a useful and patriotic citizen.
Second. That In every walk of life, whether
as lawyer, literateur, soldier or legislator his
fidelity TO duty made him always conspicu-
Gus.
AS lawyer his judgment was sound; In
literature his scholarship was rare; as a
soldier he was true and tried, and as a legls.
lator his counsel was wise, conservative and
safe.
Third That his high Christian character,
the gentleness Of his disposition, and his uni.
form Kindness of heart, endeared him to all
bis friends and that we, his brother lawyers,
lament his death as q personal loss.
Fourth. That copy OF these resolutions
be sent TO the family OF the deceased; pub.
llsneu III LHe AupeViHe papers, anu lhdI Ine
Presiding Judge, al our next term, be request
ed TO have them spread upon the Journals ol
the Court.
w. G.. MCGOWAN,
NJ. p. DeBruhl,
Ellis G. Graydon,
Committee.
do not propose, Mr.. Chairman, In the pre-
sence of those here SO much better able 10
perform that duty, to make any extended re-
marks upon the ability and virtues of our de.
ceased brother. There are those present who
have known Mr.. Lee intimately and we'll for
half century and more-his contemporaries
from his youth up. Those who not only
knew him in the "ups and downs" of daily
practice, but who suffered with him In the
trials and terrors OF war and enjoyed with