Smyrna times., 1913-03-19
DEATH RECORD OF THE WEEK
Hon. William c. Spruance of Whining
ton, a Native SmYrnaian. Passes
Away-Or. j. S. Merritt. of Colts

of Smyrna, until four years ago JUS
tice of Supreme Court of Delaware,
died Wednesday afternoon, at his res
idence, 1911 Delaware avenue,
Wilmington, of general debility.
He had been i'll and confined to
the house for a long time and his
death was not unexpected. Judge
Spruance was well known and pOpu-
lar all over the State. He was
born in Smyrna, April ?. 1881. His
father, Presley Spruance, was for 21
years member of the Delaware Leg
islature and for six years a United
States Senator. William c. Spruance
was prepared for college under the I
tuition of Rev. George Foote at Port .
Penn and afterwards at Newark Aead- /
envy. He entered Princeton College in /
January. 1S49, and graduated there
in 1852. His legal studies were prose-
cuted under the late Chief Justice
Comegys, Hon. George B. Rodney and
at the Harvard Law School. Cam
bridge. Mass. He was admitted TO
the bar at New Castle in November,
1855, settled there and remained un-
til 1871, when he moved 10 Whining
ton. and he had since resided in that
city. For about three years he was
deputy attorney general, for y years
attorney for New Castle county and
for two years city solicitor for Will
mington. In 1876 he was appointed
United States district attorney for
the district of Delaware and resigned
that Office in 1880. He was delegate
TO the Constitutional Convention of
1897, and an important factor. Under
the new Constitution the terms of the
then judiciary was appointed for II
years, Judge Spruance being named as
the senior associate justice of the Su-
preme Court Of Delaware. He held
that Office until the expiration of his
term, in 1909. since which time he
had lived retired. In June, 1858, .r.
Spruance married Maria Louisa SpOtts-
wood. eldest daughter of Rev. John
I
who died January l. 1901. There
were eight children, of whom five sur
vive, Presley, John. Arthur w.
. William c., Jr and Edith. The fun.
, eral took place on Saturday afternoon
from his late residence, 1911 Della.
a., ware Avenue, with services at
. O'Clock. The interment, was private
! and was made in the Wilmington anC
\ Brandywine cemetery.
o Death of Joseph c. Parker
Joseph c. Parker, formerly of Mid
dletOwn, who had resided at 13O;
West Ninth street since January 1st
1911, died at $50 O'Clock Monda,
morning at the Delaware Hospital
after undergoing a serious operation
for cancer Of the stomach. Mr.. Par
, ker, who was well known, had bee
i'll for about two years, and his eondi
tiOn became so critical that he wa
removed to the hospital last Thurs
day, and underwent the operation o
Friday. Mr.. Parker, who, had h
lived until June. would have been 6
year Of age, was engaged in the han
ness business in MiddetOwn for man
years under the name of J. c. Parke
& Son, and afterward in the fibre bus
ness. He had resided at Middleton
: for about 80 years. His ailmer
was Of such a nature that recover
was almost impossible, and the ope
alton was a last resort. He is su
No vived by his widow and four childr'
William Reese Parker, Joseph {
Parker, Jr., Mrs. John c. Sites al
Mrs. Levi G. Sterner. He made
home in Wilmington with Mr.. al
". Mrs. Sterner.
Death Of Or. James S. Merritt
ms DR.. James S. Merritt. a promine
Dr. veterinarian Of Kent county, Md. ,di
for Monday at his home at Golt. after
lso few weeks illness Of tuberculosi
he aged sixty five years. His fatal i
md ness was contracted from affiict
ose animals that he had called upon
for treat. DR.. Merritt was a native
End Cecil county, being a brother
red Hon. r. B. Merritt, Judge of I
ce, Orphans Court, of Warwick. He
est survived by his wife and four chi
nds William Merritt, Of Kent count
nto Md. Mrs. Florence Williams of P'
mt. Penn; James S. Merritt Jr., Of WI
wick, and Mrs. Bessie Reynolds
Colt. He is also survived by o
Ed brother Judge Merritt, and two s
ter, Mrs. John P. Wilson of Ce
ES- county, and Mrs. Joseph Delaney,
Baltimore. Funeral was held Thu
cen day.
Ex- Andrew whitenack. Win. .ngton.
am Mr.. Andrew Whitenack, aged /