The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-07
In Memoriam.
Henderson Gold Leaf,

Mr. Benjamin Willis Hicks, an honor
ed and useful citizen of Granville county,
died at his home about four miles this
side of Oxford at 3 o'clock Saturday,
December Both. The funeral was held
on Sunday, 31st, the body being ia;A II
rest i'll the old family burial plot OH Tie
premises, where from 1742 the ipoctai
part of his paternal ancestors had found
intcrment. The funeral service was con-
Quoted by his pastor, Rev. w. c. WhIta-
ker, assisted by Rev. ]. s. Williams, of
Henderson. There was a large attend
ance, the number of persons who mad
come from far and near to pay the last
sad tribute of respect to his memCry
testifying expressively to the high char
acter and esteem in which the deceased
man was held in the community.
Mr.. Hicks had not been in good
health for many years. In 1891 he had
violent attack of sciatica from which
he suffered much, and two years later
physicians pronounced him victim Of
Bright's disease On December H2nd,
while riding home in his buggy from Ok
ford, he was partially paralyzed and grew
gradually worse until the Goth. when lie
became unconscious. a somewhat s;ngu-
lar coincidence is the fact that Mr..
Hicks father died i'll the Christmas Of
1857, while he died during the Christ
mas of 1899.
A wife and seven children survive.
These are Mrs. $. Il Harris and Mr..
L. II. Hicks, the we'll known and sue
cessful lawyer, of Henderson; Mrs.
James T. Cozart and Mr.. A. A. Hicks.
D--c L, Il,
Senate from Granville, also a prominent
member of the bar; Mr.. II. B. Hicks, ex-
treasurer of Vance county, and two uI-
married children, a daughter and son,
who lived with him.
Mr.. Hicks was one Of the most scru-
pulously religious men we ever knew.
He was honorable and upright in all his
dealings, and in every relation of life he
was an exemplary citizen, a true man.
faithful friend and sincere Christian. /"
IS II
which was prepared and read by request
at the funeral Sunday covers some points
in the life of the deceased additional to
what we have written and is herewith
submitted:
Benjamin Willis Hicks, twelfth and
youngest child of Abner Hicks and
Elizabeth Harris Hicks his wife. and
last survivor of that family, was born at
Red Garden, four miles East of Oxford,
in Granville county, North Carolina, on
the 18th day of October in the year of
our Lord, 1923, and departed this life on
the Both day of December, 1899. He
spent his entire life, except four years in
Virginia in the Military Service of the
;o1
mortal body will today be buried, ut the
place where he was born, by the side
of the remains of his father and grand
father, who, with him, by the grace of
God have owned and dwelt upon this
purchased by his grand
father from the Earl of Granyille), more
than one hundred and fifty-seven years.
HE was married to Isabella Jane
Crews, daughter of near neighbor and
distant relation, i'll the month Of October
1854. For more than 40 years they were
q help meet for each other. She. with
seven children, issue of said marriage
survives.
He was a faithful Christian and loyal
supporter of the church (the Methodist
Protestant, throughout his entire life.
He prayed with his family twice daily
and at noon i'll his closet.
This sacred soil over which he and
his ancestors held dominion, was never
the subject of a mortgage; nor were de-
deceased or his tenants or servants ever
suitors or respondents in the courts of
the country.
''To owe no man anything and to do
his duty to his God, his country and his
family were the guiding stars of his
long career, as of his fathers before him.
He kept in mind and often repeated the
requirements of God as expressed by His
prophet: To do justly, to love mercy
and 10 walk humbly before thy God"
Those things he did. He dwelt in love
aud charity with his neighbors. served
his generation by the win of God; and
surrounded by his family and friends de-
parted this world in full confidence and
blessed hope of an everlasting home in a
world free from sorrow and sin and
Though from out our bourne of time
and place.
The flood has borne him far.
We hope to see again his blessed face,
When we have crossed the bar"