Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-05-27
sTAUNToN sPEcTAToR AND GENERAL ADyERTIsER.
DEATH OF GEN. EcHoLs.

81 u II IN II MA II "A
i DEATH OF GEN. EcHoLs.
| Only some ten days ago Gen. John Echol
reached this city, and went Immediately t
the home of his son. Senator Edward Echols
1t was known to the public shortly after hi
arrival that he was somewhat indisposed, in
| deed our people had been apprised that he ha'
been in California for his health, but non
save his immediate friends and his physician
knew he was seriously ill., On Thursday las
lrumors began to grow current that he was
very sick man, and from that time until hi
dissolution. public interest and sympath.
were wrought to the highest tension in his be
half. It was soon made manifest that his cas-
was hopeless and that it was with him,
matter of only short time. Occasionally at
ter Saturday morning there was slight i'm
provement in his comfort, lucid period
when he recognized his friends and talked
bat he would again relapse into lethargy ant
at seven O clock breathed his last
Gan. Echols was in his seventy-fourth year
At the time of his death he was receiver
and general manager of the Chesapeake, Ohft
and Southwestern Railway and president Of
the National Valley Bank of this city.
He wasa Confederate soldier of great gal
lantry and renown.
On May Is, 1864, he was i'll the battle of New
Market, Echols and Wharton's brigades OF
General John Z. Breckinridge's division de-
feating greatly superior force of Federals un
der General Francis Siegel. General Echols
supported the flank of the cadets in their ia
nous charge in this fight. General Echols
| also commanded at the battle of Cold
Knob Mountain, West Virginia, November 26,
1862, and at the fight at Droop Mountain, West
Virginia. November 6. 1868, He also took
fpart in the bloody battle of Second Cold Har-
Dor, June IL, 1854.
He was born in Lynchburg. After
at Virginia Military Institute and completed
his course of study at Washington and Lee
University and Harvard College. In 1865 he
moved to Staunton, where he has since resid-
ed, though spending the greater part OF his
time in Louisville, KY, for the past ten years.
At the close of the war he became senior
member of the Staunton law firm of Echols,
Bell & Catlett, ard built up large practice.
Years ago he went to Kentucky
! to attend to large railroad interests there. He
was close friend and adviser of c. P. Hun
tington. and represented his Interests in Ken
lucky and the Southwest.
| When the war ended General Echols along
with Hons. John Baldwin and A H H Stuart
rendered Virginia great service in the mellow
ling of political asperity, and securing better
government.
| He was one of the most splendid
specimens of manhood. He lowered above
his fellows with stateliness and grandeur
always imposing and added to his magnif-
icently:: proportioned physique, was mind
peculiarly adapted to the times, and the bust
ness chosen in life. As lawyer, he was
in the presentation of facts, frequently elo.
quent, though not given to the flower of
speech.
When he left the bar and engaged in
pursuits which were of a different, but prob
ably of larger proportions than would ordina-
rily fall under the care and to the charge of
the practising lawyer, such affairs as belong to
the great railways of the country. and spring
from vast and varied corporate development
and huge business qualifications, he measured
as he had done in his former avocations OF
soldier and civilian, to that standard. which
at once placed him in the front rank.
He had been president of the Ma
tional Valley Bank of this city from its in
corporation until his death, and like other
business interests intrusted to his care, as well
as his own business affairs it prospered and
grew to be one of the most solvent financial
institutions in Virginia.
| He was twice married. His first wife was a
sister of ex-senator Allen T. Caperton, of West
Virginia, and after her death he married Mrs.
Mary Cochran Reid. of New York, who, TO-
gether with his two children by the first mar
rage Mrs. NJ Erskine Miller and Hon. Ed
ward Echols, survive him.
Many expression of sympathy have been
received from friends at distant points, the
circuit and county courts adjourned out of re.
spect to his memory and resolutions of sym.
pathy, and sorrow were adopted at a meeting
of the National Valley Bank whose building
was drapered in mourning as mark of re-
spect.
The funeral took place from the First
Presbyterian church, of which Gen. Echols
had been an active member and an elder ever
since his residence in Stanton in 1865 at
o'clock yesterday afternoon. Rev.A.M m. Fraser
the pastor, assisted by the Rev. DR.. VIM. S
Plummer Bryan, of Chicago, officiated. Inter
tment was in Thornrose cemetery. A large
number of prominent citizens of Stauntor
and Louisville acted as pall-bearers, active ani
honorary
The Stonewall Jackeon Camp, with the Stone
wall Brigade Band, attended in body, as wei
.. as the officers of the National Valley Bank
old Confederate soldiers, and the citizens o
Staunton generally.
The following gentlemen acted as pail
bearers, active and honorary
Active-Henry Hutchinson, H. M. Nc
Ilhany H. A. Walker, J. Howard Wayt
Arista Hoge, Captain Thomas D. Ransom
Isaac Witt, J. Fred. Efinger Captain Jane
Bumgardner, Captain F. B. Berkeley. Jane
H. Blackley, G. G. Gooch.
Honorary-Ro. W. Burke, Major II. N
Bell, Captain R. H. Catlett George M. Coch
ran, Major s. M. Yost, W. L. Lushbaugh, Ms
jor A. F. Kinney, A. s. Lara. Major Je
! Hotchkiss, of Staunton; Colonel J. Stoddar
Johnston, Colonel Thomas w. Bullitt, s.
! John Boyle, Colonel William R. Ray F.
Thompson. Dennis Shanahan. Gen. Bas
Duke of Louisville. KY; Judge William M,
Laughlin, of Lexington, Va; Hon. John Ra1
doph Tucker and Prof. Alexander Nelson
!. representing Washington and Lee Universit!
' The West Augusta Guard acted as guar
of honor.
II SPRING HILL LETTER.
]. w. Wriggle, of our town, who has bee
under treatment at the "KIng's Daughter
= Hospital has returned home very much in
proved.
IS Mrs. Glen Ruckman with her two childre
has gone to visit her mother at Lanrens, s.
l. They will be absent about three months
/ IN Il. \