Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1907-09-05
DEATHS ABUNDANT HARVEST.


4
Captain Milton j. Billmyer. one o
the best.known residents OF thii
neighborhood, died very suddenly al
his home a couple of miles west o.
Shepherdstown early last Saturday
morning. He had been in failing
health for the past couple of months
but had apparently gotten somewhat
better. and was able to walk about
the farm. About FIVE o'clock Satur'
day morning he arose and called nus
SON Herman, saying that it was time
to be up. A few moments atterward
Herman heard him breathe heavily
and. going to him. found that he wa,
diving. In a moment more he had
passed away. Captain Billmyer, who
was a lifelong resident of this vicinity,
was in his 7Sd year. At the begin.
ming of the Civil War he enlisted in
Company F, First Virginia Cavalry,
of which the late VIM. A. Morgan was
captain, and was elected lieutenant.
Wnen Captain Morgan was promoted
to be colonel of HE regiment, Lieu
tenant BIImyer was promoted to the
captaincy, position which he filled
with credit to himself and his COM
mand until the close of the war. He
was in many hard,tought battles and
innumerable skirmishes, and always
gave a good account of himself. His
command was in the last fighting at
Appomattox. Captain BillmYer was
wounded at Hawes's Mill, but was
back in the saddle again before the
wound was fairly healed. After the
war he returned to his home here and
went to farming, following this avocs-
ton until his death. He was fond OF
recalling the exploits in which his
company had part, and occasionally
wrote interesting sketches of wartime
incidents for the REGISTER and other
papers. To the last he was as straight
as an arrow and of soldierly appear
ance. He was for many years a
member of the Lutheran Church, and
was an upright man, a good citizen
and a fond father. The funeral ser
vice was held in the Lutheran Church
Sunday afternoon, Rev. DIR. d. G.
Haithcox officiating, and a large con-
course of relatives and friends was in
attendance. The Veterans, Sons OF
Veterans and the Daughters OF the
Confederacy attended the funeral in a
body. The honorary pallbearers,
chosen from the Veterans, were ). T.
Kearfott, W. N. Lemen, 81. NJ. Loyns,
John 81. Schoppert, Geo. W. Osbourn
and A. S. cambridge. The active
pallbearers, from the Sous of Veterans,
were VIM. 7. McQlilkin, DR.. G. W
Banks, Robert Banks, John O5bourn,
II. G. Marshall, H. L. Wintermoyer,
David Lemen and Walter Mcdonald.
The body was laid to rest in Elmwood
Cemetery, and when the last words
had been said, Bugler Harris Held
wohl sounded taps over the SOL
dier's grave. The deceased is sur
vived by one son and two daughters {:
Herman Billmyer, at home Mrs. Sea-
ton R. Miller, of Berkeley county /;
and Mrs. Edward @. Drawbaugh, of
Nd. Two brothers also
survive, D. Frank Billmyer and Rob-
ert L. Billmyer.
JAMES NJ. vANMETRB.
Mr.. James M. VanMetre, promi.
nent and wealthy stock-raiser Of
Berkeley county, died last Wednesday
night at his home mile or two west
of Kearneysville in the Slst year of
his age. His death was due to the
gradual decline Of physical powers
because OF his years. Mr.. VanMetre
was in many respects remarkable
man. He was a direct d 'scendent of
John VanMetre, one of the earliest
settlers in this section, who located
in Berkeley county in
1874 and whose family ever since that
time has been prominent in the coun.
ties of Berkeley and Jefferson. The
fret VanMetre took up large body
of land, having bought several thou
sands of acres from Lord Fairfax, and
the substantial stone house in which
the deceased lived was built, We be-
lieve, in 1745, though stone in the
gable ends bears the date 1877. 1t
was Mr.. VanMetrs's ambition to own
as much as possible of the land origi-
nally held by his ancestors, and he
succeeded in buying abouI 300 acres,
including the original home tract. AS
increasing years curtailed his business
activity he divided some l,400 acres
among his children. retaining the
home place and about 400 acres of
land. Mr.. VanMetre devoted much
of his time to sheep-raising, and his
focks numbered thousands. The
writer on one occasion visited him
and was shown $4,000 worth of wool
stored away, waiting for an increase
in price. BE was a man of powerful
physique and decided and original
characteristics. One of his ideas was
that no one of those dependent upon
him nor any stranger should lack a
burial place, and so he set apart for
ever burying.ground upon high
hill near his clearinghouse, with a
provision that it should be free and
open as cemetery for all future time.