The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-07-30
GOV. LANHAM DIES
At WEATHERFORD
A Former Chief Executive Of
Texas Passed Away We'd
nesday Night.
FUNERAL FRIDAY At Il A. N.
Services of Distinguished Dead Cover
Wide Field Of Endeavor for the
State and Nation-Death
Was Peaceful.

Weatherford, Texas, July 30
Following a remarkable rally, which
so impressed the members of his
family that they expressed hopes for
his recovery, former Gov S. w. T.
Lanham weakened last night and
peacefully passed to the other
world at 11:25 O'Clock. The Rev. DR..
M. X. Little, pastor of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South, will hold
the services, which will take place
at the Lanham family home here
Friday morning at l. O'Clock
Present when Gov Lanham died
were his children, with the excep-
ton of Frank Lanham, who was en-
route to this city from Fort Worth.
A lifelong friend to the late COVER
nor, Alex Rawlins, was also present.
Yesterday morning Gov Lanham
rallied Evidences of what was hop
ed would be recovery SO that his
life would be spared at least for sew
eral years to come, were noticed in
his requests for nourishment. A little
later in the morning the governor
asked for his spectacles, put them
on and directed that the morning
newspaper be brought to him. Dur
ing the day he talked pleasantly
with various members of his family
1t was not until some time after
sunset that he showed any symptoms
of sinking. Growing weaker about 10
o'clock, Gov. Lanham seemed to re-
aliZe that his end was a matter of a
few hours. Calmly he gave directions
that his sons. DR.. H. M. Lanham of
Waco, Edwin Lanham of Weather
ford and Fritz Lanham, and his
daughter, Mrs. Ed Connor of Dallas,
who were at home, remain at his
bedside, saying that the end of his
earthly career was near
The governors mind was perfect
ly collected and he remained con-
scious to the last The END was
peaceful. He did not suffer great
pain and died with a smile on his
/ lips. During his last illness, which
followed the shock attendant upon
the death of Mrs. Lanham, Gov. Ian
ham lost greatly in weight. His face
was grown much thinner and his
frame rather emaciated,- but with
wonderful vitality for. man of his
years, his mind WAS clear and his
4 wits keen to the last hour Of bis
eventful life.
In the death of Gov. Lanham, the
trio of living ex-governors of the
state of Texas is broken. There are
now but two living men who were
formerly chief executives of the
state-Qharles A. Culberson, now
United States senator. and Hon. 10.
seph D. Sayers.
S. w. T. Lanham was born on his
fathers farm in Spartanburg Dis
trict, S. c., July 4, 1846. AS a boy
he was very fond of reading; often
when sent into the field to work he
would be found curled up under q
tree buried in some good book. Al
the age Of IA he knew by memory
Pollock's Course of Time When
he was Is he had his first and only
great teacher. He never tired of pay
ing tribute to the influence and In
spiration Of this man, under whose
tutelage he learned as much Latin
Greek and English in one year as
| most boys learn in four. While still
a boy he entered the Confederate
army and did gallant service till the
end of the war. Returning home he
married, and in 1856 started over
land with his pretty young bride to
Texas. His property consisted OF
two mules. wagon and 5000. The
| trip took three months, but the
young couple were never once dis
couraged. After looking over the
country, Mr. Lanham chose Wealth
erford as permanent home. He
taught school for time, assisted by
his wife. Indeed, Gov. Lanham has
often said that his wife contributed
greatly to his education.