Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1899-04-04
DEATH Of WIN. b. Irayers.

iASAS VIC III
William 81. Travers at noon that day in Rad
ford, Va. Mr.. Trayers left here Friday
previous and went to Roanoke on legal bust
ness for the Norfolk and Western Railroad
and was in his usual health. On
Sunday he went to Radford to visit his SON
in-law, Mr.. w. W. Coe, civil engineer of
the Norfolk and Western. While with his
son-in-law he was taken suddenly i'll with
a nervous shock and sank rapidly until his
death. Tuesday morning his wife and
daughter, accompanied by DR.. e. L. Rich
ardson. started for Radford, but while en-
route to that place they were telegraphed
the sad news of his death.
William Hicks Travers was born in Dor
chester county, Md, November 2, 1926, and
was in his 74th year. He was educated at
St. Mary's College, in Baltimore, and was
graduated in 1913. He subsequently stud
led law, and was admitted to the bar in Bal
timore in 1851, and at once took rank as
lawyer. He was married in Charles Town
in August, 1853, to Miss Elizabeth Pendle-
ton Hunter, daughter of DIR. David Hunter,
and they resided in Baltimore until 1861,
when they removed to this place and he
continued the practice of law as member
of the bar of Jefferson county. He soon be-
came one of the leading lawyers of West
Virginia and in 1879 he was appointed gen
eral counsel for the Shenandoah Valley
Railroad, which position he held until that
road was purchased by the Norfolk and
Western, and this road subsequently made
its general counsel. Besides his railroad
practice he was engaged in many important
cases in jefferson county and throughout
the State of West Virginia. On many oc-
casions he was elected special judge to pre-
side in cases where it was improper for the
court to preside and he conducted the court
with dignity and ability. He was regarded
as one of the leaders of the bar, and was
always hard student.
In his intercourse with brother lawyers he
was uniformly courteous and fair, respect
ing their rights, but at the same time pre-
senting his side of the case with force and
ability. His success in winning cases was
on the law and the force of his reasoning
more than upon surprise or technicalities
He was the Cheyalier Bayard of the Jetfer-
son county bar. He possessed one of the
finest law libraries in the State of West Vir
ginia, consisting of over 1900 volumes of re
ports and text books. He was held in the
highest esteem by member of the bar, and
was universally respected for his honesty
and integrity.
In politics Mr.. Travers was an unswerv
ing Democrat. He began his political ca
reer in the city of Baltimore, where he was
elected to the Maryland Legislature in 1856
and was made Speaker of the House of Dele
gates, over which body he presided with
fairness ability and distinction. After com.
ing to Virginia, in 1861, he identified him.
self the Democratic party, and when the
State of West Virginia was formed, in 1868,
he soon became one of her leading statesmen
in shaping the policy of the new State. In
1872 he was a member of the first Democratic
constitutional convention held in the new
State, which met in Charleston. AS mem
Der of this convention he was made chair.
man of the finance, education and corpora
ton committees, and his services in that
body were ofinestimable value in forming
the constitution which was to govern and
control the rights of citizens He was an
elector at large for the State in the electoral
college in 1876 and a so in 1888, in the form
er of which he voted for Samuel J. Tilden
and in the latter for Cleveland.
In 1887, during the fight in the Legislature
against the reelection of Senator Camden,
Mr.. Travers received several votes for that
office, although he was not a candidate
While he was always willing and ready to
serve his party, yet he was never an aggres-
sive candidate for any political honor, his
natural modesty procluding his pushing
HIMSELF to the front where there was a heated
contest. In social life Mr. Travers was
modest and retiring, treating every one with
whom he came in contact with uniform
courtesy. He was generous and charitable
to a fault, and from his kindness in aiding
struggling young men he was frequently the
loser of considerable sums. He was public
spirited and always ready to lend helping
hand for the advancement of his town, coun-
ty and State. He rendered valuable servi-
ces in the promotion and organization of the
Shenandoah Valley Railroad. He never
amassed more than a comfortable mainte-
nance, but this was owing to his unlimited
generosity. He was for long time men,
Der of Malta Lodge of Freemasons of this
place. A widow and two daughters, Mrs.
w. w. Coe and Miss Bessie II. Travers sur
vive him.
4He luheTdi tooh pIaCe thursday alter
noon from his late residence and was large
ly attended Services were conducted by
Rev DIR A Hopkins, of the Presbyterian
church, at the house The pallbearers were
Judge e Boyd Faulkner, of Martinsburg; j
Hammond Siler, of Berkeley SPRING Cleon
Moore, David and Samuel Howell, George
II Flag, DIR 7 Richardson, George L
Light w Carroll, ] G Davenport, William
Campbell and Col R Chew, of Charles
Town