The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1908-05-27
OBITUARY.
carr. WILLIAM r. QUINN.

8 O'Clock, May 10, 1908. at his resi-
denoe in Point Pleasant, w. Va,
as we announced last week, the
death of Capt. William r. Gum
occurred. He was one of the most
esteemed, oldest and best known
members of the Mason County
Bar, his death causing universal
sorrow throughout the community,
county and state.
Capt. Gums death was sudden
and unexpected, his illness coming
upon him about 2 O'Clock on the
morning of his death. The day
before his deoease he was engaged
in his professional duties with bis
usual vigor aud care, there being
nothing to denote tho sudden and
sad dissolution that occurred but Q
few hours later. 1t may be said of
him that he died while at his work.
Capt. Gum would have been II
years old on the 9th day of July.
1908 He was, therefore, in the
10th year of his age, with a life
filled with many and varied expe-
rienoes. Born on Bogg's Run in
Ohio county. Virginia. (now West
Virginia,) when but few years of
age he was brought by his father
with the rest of his family to q
farm purchased in the lower end
of this county. whore he grew to
manhood and virtually lived his
life of usefulness, gathering friends
as his acquaintance extended.
He began the study of the law
| in Point Pleasant. under the guild
anoe and tutorship of that Nestor
of the Virginia bar, Hon. Henry j
Fisher, and was admitted to the
bar in 1859, and of which he be
came a wise and successful prao.
titioner and an ornament to the
profession. For a brief period of
time after his admission to the bar
he located and praotioed at Rip
ley, jackson county, but the war
between the States coming on, al
though he favored the Union and
opposed war, yet, like 80 many
other young men of that day of
courage. character and education,
when Virginia decided to oast her
lot with the young Confederaoy,
he felt that duty called him to
stand by the State that sheltered
and protected him, and he accord.
ingly enlisted in Capt. j B. Bum.
gardeners company of Jenkins
cavalry, and was made it's Orderly
Sergeant. In 1862 he was oommie.
sioned Captain and as suoh raised
and commanded company of his
Town. With the exception of few
weeks while prisoner, from which
captivity he escaped at Seymour
Indiana, while being conveyed to
Johnson's Island Prison in Lake
Erie, he remained with his troops
until the surrender at Appomattox,
participating in numerous engage
ments and performing much hard
and arduous service in Virginia,
West Virginia and East Tennessee.
After the surrender and return
ing home, he was debarred from
praotioing his profession by the
Test Oath laws, go from that time
until 1878, he was engaged in
farming, timbering. NUMBERING
carpentering, trading, etc, not
negleoting in the meantime to
keep in touch with the law by
reading and study, and no doubt
his SUCCESS in his profession in
after years was largely attributable
to this reading and study. In
1878 he resumed the practice of
the law and sinoe then has devoted
his entire time to it.
He was never seeker after office
for himself, but was steadfast and
loyal to others whose oause he es-
poused. Onoe, unsolicited on his
part, he came within few votes of
being the Democratic nominee for
Congress of his district. and again
he was nominated sgainst his will
to represent his county in the
House of Delegates of the Legis-
lature of 1879, was elected and
served with credit to himself and
honor to his constituents; he be.
ing honored with the Chairman
chip of the Committee on Judi,
DIARY, on which committee there
were several of the ablest and most
prominent juriste of the State. with
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