The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-07-28
9 WHEN PETER
RINGS THE BELL
DEATH OF PETER PAGAN RE.
CALLS DAYS OF PIONEERS
IN FAIRMoNT.
OLD CHURCH BELL WHICH HE
RANG YEARS AGO TOLlED
FOR HIM.
WAS ONCE MEMBER COUNCIL
WAS ONLY coLoREo MAN WHO
WAS EVER so HoNoRED
HERE.

The death OF Peter Pagan. one OF
he oldest pioneer colorcd citizens OF
Fairmoni. whose funeral was held
from Trinity NJ. f. church. on Cherry
avenue. this afternoon AT 2:30 o'clock.
recalls many "reminiscences OF the
earlier days in I'armont and one OF
these Is Peter Fagan's faithful service
as sexton of old Methodist Protestant
church which stood upon the hill IL
the second ward on the site of the
Colonel Smith residence.
In the latter part Of 1919 some an.
.onymous local bard. while in IA rcmin.
iscent and poetical mood. wrote
poem entitled when Peter Rings the
Bell" which was published at the time
in the West Virginian. While the all.
thor OF the poem is unknown it is be-.
lieved TO have been written by c. T..
Mayors. who at that time was a FIRE.
quent contributor to the local news.
papers. The sentiment of the verses
has a firm hold upon many of the old.
or citizens OF the city and the name
If Governor Plerpont and other older
citizens who were active In church
work In that early day are mentioned.
The Significance OF all this at this
time Is that Peter Pagan was the man
who rang the bell In those carly days.
The same old bell was preserved when
he church was RACED and the new
building erected on Monroe street and
This old bell which Peter rang way
back In the early seventies still hangs
n the spire of the NJ. =. Temple and
It's tone Is as clear as it was When
Peter Rang the Bell"
Peter Pagan, the faithful old sexton
hat he was. has hundreds OF times
oiled this very bell marking the num-.
Der Of years members of,the cOIgrcc:.-
ion had lived at the time OF passing
away, and today although the custom
II tollinS the bell Is no longer in
vogue. when the remains of Peter ia.
an were being transported in from; OF
the solemn funeral march from the
place Of his last residence upon earth
| 20 the cold and silent grave, that same
cid church bell pealcd forth its solemn
tones reminding the citizens of Fair
mont that death had claimed him. who
had tollCd ii so often at the death OF
others. The old bell seemed to have 4
more solemn tone today as the taps
sounded in melancholy pcals irou
one to eighty. Peter Pagan being eigh.
y years old at the time Of his death.
Peter Pagan came to Fairmont at
the close OF the war with Captain 7.
a. Fleming. OF the 18th West Virginia
regiment. and has resided here ever
since bringing up large family and
acquiring considerable valuable prop.
crty. He had the respect OF all the
citizens OF Falrmont who knew him
and II is said Of him that he III all his
| long life never at any time. showed
anything other than true. manly
character. upright and honorable In
his dealings. living circumspcct aud
straightforward life. So well did the
citizens OF Fairmont trust him thai he
was at one time honorcd with place
upon the city council. he being the
only colorcd man who ever attained
that honor in this city.
One OF his duties while he was sex.
ton at the old NJ. p. church was to
carry little organ from the Sunday
school room to the church every sun
Gay. In those days there was much
prejudice against having an organ In
the church and Il vas necessary 10 re
move 1t after service TO prevent those
who did not believe in It's church use
,from destroying 1t. That old organ
which Peter Pagan carried every Sun
day to church service is still kept IL
the NJ. p. Temple as relic, and while