The Burke County news. [volume] (Morganton, N.C.) 1899-1901, 1900-01-19
IN MEMORY OF W. NJ. W1NTpp,

In buI NC SOuAlNy ON ll1C 1SCn d3C - -
February, 1928, and died on the 3,,s
day of December, 1899. His faths-
Zachariah Winters, died when he W.,
a boy, and the responsibility of helm
ing his widowed mother to support am
rear large family devolved upon him
His early experience was fruitful j, u
forcing the formation of habits of svs
tematic industry and studied ECONOMY
He appreciated in boyhood the imno,.
ance of education and improved diI;. 81
gently the limited opportunities afford. q
ed him at a country school nearly sixt,
years ago..
About the year 1845 he was employes
by Thomas Lenoir Avery to manage
gold mine in Randolph County. and II 8
| 1851 he went with him and others u Is
California, where he accumulated
enough money 70 give him a start ii
| life. Soon after his return he married
Mary Owens, of Macon county, and
established himself at the hospitabls
home where they lived happily together |
for more than forty years.
Take him all in all, no man whohas 1
ever gone in and out before the people h
of Burke county has led a more blame. 4
less life. Hisdai1y walkhas Furnished I
a beautiful illustration of the softening /
and restraining influences of chris. ]
tianity. His example has been
benediction to the community in which
he lived. He was generous without
being unjust. He prospered without
oppression or wrong to others.
Capt. Winters became a Mason about
the beginning of the late Civil War.
He was captivated by the beauty Of
Masonic work, and was an enthusiast
tic admirer of it's fraternal features.
Up to the time when his defective hear
ing began to mar the pleasure of meet
ing with his brethren, he was probably
the most jealous Mason in the county.
No man has been more fully exempli-
fed the virtues, that are typifed by
the embems of our ancient order.
Capt. Winters was endowed with a
clear head and an unusually r%etentive
memory. Few men, if any, in Burke
county recol1ected more accurately
facts and statistics bearing upon polit'
ical questions which had been issues
between the political parties for thirty
years, and no man was more deliberate
Conscientious OF independent in work
ing out his conclusions or firmer il
standing by his convictions.
nc Was ICpcdtCuly uIRcu ny tHc III
f1uential men to become a%candidate fol
the Legislature, but persistently de
clined to accept any Office except tina
of Justice of the Peace, which enabled
him to render valuable service to tn
public and to benefit his neighbour
without calling him away from hi
home or business.
Resolved, That, in the death of on
worth brother, William Marcus Win
ters, Burke county has lost one of it
most useful and patriotic citizens, hi
church an humble and exemplar,
christian, and the Ancient Order
member who lived up to the highes
conception Of the precepts of Masonry
Resolved, That a copy of the fore
going memorial and these resolution
be recorded in our minutes and a prop
erly certified copy be furnished to tn
family of u deceased brother, an
that copies be furnished by the Secre
tary to both Of the newspapers of Nor
canton for publication.
A. G. AVERY,
c. NJ. MCDOWELL,
S. J. Erwin,
Committee