The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-15
OBITUARY..
Francis A. ExIey .

Mr.. Francis A, Exley died yesterday
at 1 o'clock at his plantation, Oak
Grove, near Montieth Station. after an
illness of about week. He was strick-
en- with paralysis nearly three years
ago, and had been in i'll health ever
since. His death was not unexpected.
His funeral will take place at o'clock
this afternoon at Goshen Church. in
Eff1ngham county. of which he was
member. The burial will be in the
burying ground, near the church.
Mr.. Exley was the NTH son of the
late John w. and Eliza M. Etley, and
was born in Effingham county Jan. 20,
1888. The early part of his life was
spent on the farm, where he shared
with his elder brother. Mr.. William l..
Exley, the responsibilities of taking
care of widowed mother and orphan
brothers and sisters. This, together
with his early response to the call to
arms by the South fnterfered with his
obtaining a collegiate education, and
he was what might be called a
Self-made man.
When hostilities broke out between
the North and South he responded to
the call of Gov. Brown tor volunteers
to defend the soil of Georgia. He en-
listed as second lieutenant in the Pou-
tain, under Col. George p. Harrison,
Jr. Upon being mustered out of the
state service he re-enlisted as q pri-
vate in an independent company OF
Partisan Ranger Cavalry, being raised
by DR.. WiEiam H. Banks of Savan-
nah. Although being several times Of
fered commission in his company he
always refused, preferring to serve as
private. After serving several
months at Beaulieu Point the Rangers
were ordered to join Maj. Charles p.
White on Wacamaw Neck, S. c. In
the early spring of 1864 Maj. Whites
battalion was ordered back to Savan-
nah to help form the Seventh. Georgia
Cavalry.
Early in May, 1864. the Seventh
Georgia Cavalry left Savannah to join
Gen. Wade Hampton, at Richmond,
Va, arriving there on June 2, 1864.
A few days after arriving at Rich
mond the regiment. with the other
cavalry, under Gen. Wade Hampton,
went in pursuit of Gen, Phil Sheridan
on that memorable raid up through
Virginia.
Mr.. Exley's horse having been dis
abled he was not called on to go, but
he borrowed horse and went with
his regiment. Gen. Hampton over
hauled Gen. Sheridan at Travilion
Station, at which place a decisive
battle was fought, Hampton defeat
ing Sheridan and turning him back,
not however, until the Seventh Geor-
gia Cavalry had stood the brunt of
the battle and been badly cut to
pieces, Mr.. Exley, with a number of
other survivors of the regiment, was
captured and carried to Elmira, N.
Y. and there incarcerated until hos
tilities ceased. He arrived home in
August, 1866.
In 1875 Mr.. Exley commenced the
business of truck farming west of Sa-
Vannah, under the firm name of w.
l.. Exley & Bro, and later on as Elk
ley & Beebe. Exley 4 Butler aid
Frank A. Exley He made a success
of farming, and accumulated COM
potency, investing mostly in land
along the Savannah river, including
Oak Grove and Richmond plantations,
a part of the country seat of Gen.
Nathaniel Greene. He was a con-
sistent member Of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church, and a liberal contribu-
tor to church work. He was a de-
voted husband, a kind and indulgent
father, and friend of the poor. He
was noted for his many deeds of char
ity and Kindness and especially for
the interest he took in young men.
He was stricken with paralysis in
he never fully recovered He leaves
a wife, Mrs. Berta Exley and six chill
dren, Mrs. Walter farrell, Mr.. w.
Mallette Exley, Miss Addie Exley, and
Robert, Howard and Althia Exley;
and four brothers, John J. Exley of
Exley, and VIM L., Fletcher A., and
Marquis l.. Exley of Savannah, and
three sisters, Mrs. M. J. Gasque of
Savannah and Mrs. ID. e. Rieser and
Miss Carrie EXley of Clio