Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1921-07-01
|HONORS PAID TO
'COL0RED SOLDIER
Marvin Thompson, Wounded
Overseas, Whose Death Oc-
Cured Friday, Buried With
Military HOnOrs.

The remains of Marvin Thompson
the colorcd eX-soldicr, who died at
! his home ut Midway last Friday
morning, were laid to rest in the
Maplewood cemetery Sunday after
noon. The burial service was in
charge of the Blueiicld Post of the
American Legion, and WAS the first
military burial to occur in this I'M
mediate vicinity. y squad OF ex-scrv-
ice men i'll regulation army Uniform,
in charge Of Sergeant McCue. Of
Bluelield Post, fred the burial salute
and the post buglcr sounded taps.
Lieut.. w. w. Arrowood, assisted by
Lieut.. Kirk, of Blueiicld, performed
the duties of chaplain thus carrying.
through in its entirety the solemn
and impressive burial rites prcscrib-
cd by army regulations.
One of the most impressive scenes
was witnessed ut the ex-soldict',
humble home, where several hundred
people had gathered to pny respcct
TO his valor and hcroism The crowd
stood ut attention, barphcadcd i'm the
hot sun, while the Rev. w. w. AFRO
wood, assisted by the Rev. w. G..
adams, pastor of the colored M. T..
Church conducted the funeral ser
vice from the front porch of Thomp-
sons former earthly abode, there not
being room in the house, or even in
the yard to accommodate any per-
ccntagc OF the crowd that had gath
'red. and The multitude Gontentcd it.
self by remaining in the road and o,,
he sire car track.
Rev. Mr.. Arrowood delivered a
brief funeral oration, in which he
said that the untimely death of the
cN-soldicr was forciblc reminder of
the uncertainty of life, and that
death, which is no rcspcctor of pcr-
sons, comes as guest Frequently
when least expected and that the
moral of this. of course, is that we
must be ready when he comes "for
yc know not the hour nor the day."
Al the conclusion of the speakers
address. the caskct was borne to the
hcarsc by six colored ex-soldiers in
uniform, comrades of the deceased
and the journey to the cemetery be-
gun. There were large number Of
automobiles to accommodate the fam
lly and friends of the deceased. tho
white people of the town and com
munity readily taking their cars and
rendering any service they were cali
ed upon to perform.
Marvin Thompson served hororabIv
in France, and was wounded i'm the
Mcuse-Argonnc offensive, where the
American soldiers showed thoy were
not afraid to fight. lie was Il cour-
Ter, carrying messages between tho
firing lines, and German machine
gun bullet shattered his knee, and
he lay in shell hole for twenty
four hours before rescued by his own
men. He was invalided home, and as
soon as he recovered his strength
was taken in charN, by the Federal
Board for Vocational Training and
placed with the Tazewcll Motor Com
pany at a handsome salary. The de-
ceased was a polite, kind-hcartcd and
Industrious colored man, and had
many friends among the white pco-
pie. The writer, who had charge OF
Home Service work for tho Red
Cross. came III contact frequently
with him, and in passing would drop
this flower upon his grave-thore
beat under his black skin kindly
heart, and there resided in his bosom
love of country and of mankind.
On account of the irregularity of
the death of Thompson, n coroner's
jury was empannelled last Saturday.
and an investigation of his death
was made. There has been more or
less talk of poisoning, but the jury
was unable to secure conclusive ev-
idencc as to this. The jury will hold
another session tomorrow and some
conclusion will be reached.