Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-30
PROMINENT CITIZEN DEAD
FORMER REPRESENTATIVE e. e.
MEREDITH PASSES AWAY.
Three Times Elected to Congress
From Eighth Virginia District, He
Declined Fourth Nomination.

MI EnSna r. Meredith, FORMER repre-
sentative from the eighth district of yir-
ginia in the national House of Representa-
tives. died. of perftonitis at his home In
Manassas, Va. yesterday afternoon Al
though he had been Ill for some time. his
death was unexpected. Yesterday morning
the attending physician realized that it had
become necessary for Mr.. Meredith to I'M
dergo an operation. if his life was to be
saved, and DIR. J. Ford Thompson of this
city and DR.. O'Brien of Alexandria, Va,
were telegraphed for to come at once to
Mr. Meredith's residence for that purpose.
The doctors named responded promptly. but
upon their arrival at the bedside of the
sick man they saw he was past human aid.
and that an operation would be useless. and
so informed Mr.. Merediths family.
Mr.. Meredith was conscious to the end.
which came at o'clock. All of his family
except his younger son. William. who was
at Atlantic City. were present when death
occurred. The latter who had been tele-
graphed for. arrived shortly after his father
had passed away. Mr. Merediths law part
ner. Mr.. J. b. T. Thornton, was also at the
bedside.
Mr.. Meredith was in his fifty-second year,
bama, December 10, 1913. While he was
still quite young his parents removed to
Prince William county, Virginia. taking the
boy with them He was educated at Hamp-
his cousin. Gen. William H. Payne, at
Brentsville. Va. He was admitted to the
bar in 1862
His Political Career
For seventeen years he was prosecuting
attorney for Prince William county, In
1888 he was elected a member of the state
senate of Virginia, and served there four
years. He was presidential elector in
1883 December 0. 1891, he was elected to
the Fffty-second Congress, to I'LL the va
cancy caused by the death Of W. H F. Lee
ana was Reelected to the Fifty-third and
fifty-fourth Congresses. He declined a re-
nomination IN 1897 because he preferred law
to politics Mr.. Meredith was married in
1877 to Miss Silvia Contee of MARYLAND
VINO with two sons. survive him.
MI. Meredith was very popular through
oul tue entlre state. but especially in the
community In which he lived. He was
ever ready to lend his aid to every work
that promised to benefit his fellow citizens
and took marked interest in the Manassas
Industrial School for Colored Youth. A
Wasningtonian who is interested in the
never asked favor for the school which
was In MS power to grant that he did not
seem pleased to respond to, and that while
ne knew the promoters of the school wsre
mostly republicans and old-time abolition
ISIS, ne, although an ardent democrat. let
1t be known to the board Of directors that
ne was from the frSt the friend Of the
school.
Exhibition of Interest.
continuing, the same person said: 1.-THE
colored people were ignorant, the state was
poor and limited in It's educational re-
sources and he was as much interested in
the advancement Of the educat fonal in
terests of his district any one. Twice
when he was Ill. when buildings were dedi-
Gated at the school, he came out to the
public meeting to show his friendship and
approval, and the second time he was so
physically weak that he held to a support
while he made short address.
Another instance of his friendship was
shown when Mrs. Phoebe Hearst who had
been appealed to for aid, wrote to Mr.
Meredith. he lived at Manassas, for his
opinion of the school before giving. Mr.
Meredith replied so kindly about the insti-
tuition that Mrs. Hearst sent the directors
$3.50 at a time when it was much needed.
The colored people Of his district have
certainly lost a warm-hearted friend by
the death of Mr.. Meredith"