Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1899-02-03
DEATH OF DR.. EsTILL
Was For a Long Time a Citi.
zen of TazewelI.
DIED IN LEXINGTON, VA
His Old Home, Where He Has
Been Spending The Winters
With His Son.


With His Son,
One afternoon, in the autumn of 1S48,
young mon, mounted ON splendid
bay horse, rode into the then small viii
lage OF Jeffersonville, and alighting in
front OF the tavern hitched his horse to
the rack, and went in. The hotel was
kept at that time by the late Reese Gill
lespie, Sr the father of Mrs. 1. L. Chap
nun, but now owned by Messrs. Surface
q White, and known famiiarly as the
Central. The young man attracted
much attention among the villagers, for
distinguished looking strangers were
not numerous hero then, before railroads
crossed and recrossed the country, and
from the appearance and condition OF
both horse and rider, they had Travelled
q long distance. The traveller was kind
y received, aud food and shelter given
him and his horse. The register of the
hotel showed the visitor to be DR.. j. NJ.
Estill, Of Lexington, Va. On Thurs
day AFTERNOON, Jan. 26th last,
more than fifty-three years afterwards,
DR.. Estill wns borne out of tho town in
his casket, followed by large concourse
OF people-old aud and young, black and
white, to his lust resting place in our
cemetery.
In this span OF more than q half GEN.
tury ia contained the history of DR.. Es-
tilPs life-a life filed with active, homo
rable labors and crowned with splendid
success.
DR.. John Miller Estill was born in
Augusta county, Virginia, April II,
1921, and died in Lexington, Va. Jan.
%, 1S99,being therefore nearly rs years
old. His father John Estill was n na-
tive OF Tennessee. His mother, Martha
Miller, was the daughter OF Harry Miller,
man of wealth and high social position
in his day, and q pioneer OF the iron iu-
dustry OF Virginia, having es tablished
the first iron furnace in the State. DR..
Estill was the youngest child of family
OF eleven-three sons and eight daught-
ers, all OF whom are now dead.
HIS EDUCATION AND MARRIAGE.
DIR. Estill graduated from the Univer-
sty OF Virginia in the Spring of 1916,
the same year in which he came to this
county. In 1s47 he married Miss Law
lette Davidson, the daughter OF Rev.
Andrew B, and Susan Davidson, OF Lex
ington, and brought his bride to Taze-
well, making the journey in a buggy.
He remained in Tazewell about five
years, when, upon the earnest solicita-
tion OF his brother, DIR. Harry Estill, he
returned to Lexington, and engaged in
the practice OF his profession. He re-
mained there only about nine months,
when, at the earnest request of many
friends, he returned to TazewelI, and re-
sumed the practice OF his profession,
which he continued with uninterrupted
activity until falling health compelled
him to give it up, which he did about
five years ago.
HIs CHILDREN.
To DIR. and Mrs. Estill were born three
sons and one daughter: DR.. Harry b.
Estill, Benz. Estill, Susan b. Estill and
DIR. Andrew d. Estill, tho only surviving
child, successful and honored physician
of Lexington, Virginia, with whom DIR.
Estill and his wife have made their home
since laying down their work in Taze-
well.
SURGEON IN THE civil, WAR.
When the civil war broke out DR.. Es-
till was called into service as surgeon of
the 51st. Regiment, which position he
filled with the Same conscientious care
that characterized him through life. He
was, for q long time honored by the
Medical Society of Virginia as it's Vice.
President, and was always a prominent
and important member OF that great
body of eminent physicians.
PHYSICIAN AND A CITIZEN.
Nho q anu CltiLtu, DF.
stood first among his fellows. During
his more than fifty years OF labor in this
and adjoining counties, he maintained
hts reputation for honor and integrity
and probably no man was ever more
tenderly and surely enshrined in the
hearts OF the people among whom he
labored than was he. Gentleness OF man.
ner, kindliness OF heart, flrmness OF con-
viction, were distinguishing characteris-
tics OF his nature, which never forsook
him, but were still prominent when ever
his physical and mental powers began to
decay. 1t is said by those who knew
him, that he was the very soul OF honor.
He was @ true man and friend and when
he died therewas probably not single
individual among the people who had
known him all his life that had word
fn pf IL