The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1908-02-06
In Mem0rlam.

/
the evening OF the 22nd of January
sWeetly fell asleep in his home in
/ Halifax, n. C. after seven weeks of
WEAKNESS and pain. With his life
work we'll done he passed into the
rest of the more abundant life be-
yond." With hearts sorrowing over
our great loss, with a deeper sense
of longing and vain listening for the
loved voice we come to speak of our
dead.
/. Hesswas born in Greensyille county,
Virginia, August goth, 1885, son of
Fielding Brown and Elizabeth
Jarratt Brown. He was edu-
Gated at Richmond College, after
leaving which he came to Halifax
in a clerical capacity. Shortly after
wards he went to Petersburg to
pursue further his chosen work Of
pharmacy, but owing, however, to
i'll health he abandoned his profess
SiOi1 e<IlI WSllC W i've Oii Ills Ittl II III
Dinwiddie county, Virginia, where
be remained until the outbreak of
hostilities in 1861. Though exempt
from service on account Of physical
inhrmities he joined the 18th Vir-
ginia cavalry in 1861 and served the
Confederacy throughout that long
conflict, participating in many Of the
most sanguinary encounters.
! Shortly after the close Of hostili-
ties he came back to Halifax and
purchased the drug business then
conducted by Pearce & Co. He thus
began life anew, but with skies dim
med with the mists that fall from
the clouds Of a shattered dream and
with an affection due to cold con-
tracted during that heroic struggle,
the suffering5 from which he bore
through the remainder OF his life
with infinite patience and fortitude.
/ Meath the soft blue skies Of the Old
North State he wo0ed and married
in 1868, Elizabeth Simmons, daugh-
ter Of Col. Thos. Simmons, Of Sussex
county, Virginia, and in the historic
old town Of Halifax they dwelt for
forty years in a close conpanionship
that was inexpressioly sweet.
During the trying Reconstruction
period he was named by the Repub-
, lican party as their candidate for
, Register of Deeds Of Halifax county,
, but refused to allow his name to be
used save as a Democrat. His Dem
ocratic friends prevailed upon him
to accept the nomination for The
good Of his county. He served one
term refusing thereafter to allow
his name to be used. This early
mark Of confidence was the begin.
ming Of q lifelong trust reposed il
5 him by his fellow citizens. He was
honest in the highest sense Of thai
, lofty attribute. During the war, ii
trading horses, he obligated himself
TO pay boot" to q c0mrade. Very
soon afterwards they were separat
ed, and after the close of the war he
instituted diIigent search fer this
! conrade in arms and finally located
1 him and discharged his obligation
: His promise he considered as bind
ing as bond, and every obligation
S in his long life was as religiousiy ad
g hered to as the above incident, made
d in camp with his brother soldier
p. "rTake him for all in al te was ;
mara man Of courageous conyic
. tons and sternest fidelity to duty
r. and his life OF goodness and strength
! Of character will live on and leavt
o it's mark upon all the relations h
held with men. His life illustrate;
every manly virtue that made South
ern gentleman of the past genera
, ton synonymous with cfiyalry an
> honor.
: His was a generous soul-a frien
T. to the needy and a helper Of the dc
S pendent. Meath his roof many OF
! phans found shelter, one his wife
: brother. Bernard Simmons, he real
ed and educated as his own son.
j. In his home he was the soul Of hos
Us pitality. The latch-string Of h
7, door always lifted the latch whe
al pulled by relative, friend or way
le farer, and a hearty welcome extend
A. ed, but on this bleak winters Ga
a while the snow was silently faliin
le from the dull, gray leaden skies, h
~ whose smile and welcome had eve
to been the charm Of his home lay
the sweetness of g silence more tende
- thar, ever were welcoming smile {
p word. In the little church-yard /
p loved SO well we laid him meath tt
b loyal old cedars that stood like peac
3 ful sentinels over those he ha
. "loved long since and lost awhile.