Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-04-27
JOHN l. HILLIARD.
(From Southside Sentinel.1

The subject of this sketch passed awav
peacefully at the Burton House in Ur-
hanna, just as the sun was disappear
ing behind the western hills on Tues
day, the 18th, after an illness of sew
eral weeks, and his death has thrown a
mantle of sadness and gloom over the
entire community.
r. ID. and Fannie Hillard and was born
August 20, 1869. The whole of his life
was spent in his native county, with
the exception of several sessions when
he attended and taught school in an
other State, hence he was widely known
among the people of Middlesex and
thoroughly identified with the interests
of the county.
A little more than two months ago
he was married to Miss Judith Carter,
of Lancaster, who survives him; besides
father and mother, one brother, DIR. r.
+. billiard, and three sisters, Mrs.
julius Heaiy, Mrs. B. S. Richardson
and Miss Lizzie Hilliafd.
Fitting expression of sorrow and
| fiattering tribute to the exalted char
acter OF this fine young man was heard
and seen In the vast concourse of
| friends who accompanied the remains
TO their last resting place in the ceme-
terry of Hermitage Baptist church
"Wednesday afternoon. The Masonic
and Odd Fellows lodges of Urbanna,
In both of which he held membership,
united in the last rites and had charge
of the body from the time it left Ur-
oanna until 1T was gently restored to
the arms of mother earth.
Solemn and deeply impressive SER
vices We're held in the church in which
Prof. billiard had always held his ac-
tive and useful membership, conducted
by the pastor, Rev. w. w. Sisk, and
participated in by Rev. ]. p. Essex,
both of whom spoke with elouuence
of his many excellencies and with
tender pathos of his sad and untimely
death.
1t was thought until Friday of last
week that he was in fair way to re-
covery, but sudden change for the
worse set in, and despite the faithful
attention of his physician, DR., Jones.
and nurse, Miss FRANKIE, aided by the
devoted young wife and sisters, he
continued to grow worse. Drs. Brown.
W.. 5. and c. c. Christian were ali
called In, but their combined efforts
even We're powerless to stay the hand
OF the great Destroyer and preserve
this useful and promising young life.
| Prof. billiard was particularly con-
| spicuous in educational work, having
Iaugnt IN several large and well known
schools in Georgia and Virginia. Last
session he opened private school in
Urbanna and began with large pat
ronage. AS superintendent of public
schools, he was very much interested
In the cause of education Throughout
the county and was planning for a
most active and intelligent administra-
ton of the Office. He was a man of
quiet, unpretentious manner, at the
same time progressive and public-spir-
TIED; ne was the very embodiment of
honor and integrity and proved true
to every stationi in life he ever occupied:
In boyhood, youth and manhood he pre-,
scented a worthy ideal; as son he was
devoted and tender, as brother consid-
crate and affectionate, as husband
faithful and loving, as an officer con-
sclentious and painstaking, as citizen
patriotic and useful, as a Christian
consistent and consecrated. Truly.
then, his death is not only a personal
loss but a public calamity such as our
county can i'll afford, for he was an ex-
traordinary man.
The writer and he were raised to-
gether, and it is a pleasure to saw of
MN that he was as pure, as unselfish.
as noble man as we ever knew. and
we grieve for him as a lifelong com
panion and friend whose good example
and influence we shall sadly miss.