Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-02-11
L. IRVING HANDY
PASSES AWAY
Prominent Lawyer and Citizen And
Long And Enthusiastic Dem
cratic Worker.

Levin Irving Handy, former mem
ber of Congress from Delaware, one
of the best known members of the
New Castle county bar, and for many
years an influential figure in the
Democratic politics of Delaware, died
Friday night at his home, Washington
Street, Wilmington, from heart fail
ure. He had been i'll for long time
and his death was not unexpected,
but announcement that he had sue
cumbed came as a shock to the host
of friends and many acquaintanceS,
for he probably was one of the best
known men in Delaware.
Mr.. Handy has been seriously i'll
since December 90. For twelve weeks
prior to that time he had been a pa
tient in the John Hopkins Hospital
in Baltimore, suffering from COM
pication of diseases. When he re-
turned home he was able to be about
for few days, but he had to take to
his bed again.
Funeral services were conducted
Monday morning at the Presbyterian
Church in Smyrna upon the arrival
of the train leaving Wilmington at
1916 o'clock. lnterment was made at
the Glenwood cemetery in Smyrna.
At the time of Mr.. Handy's death
those at his bedside were his wife. his
daughter, DR. Margaret |. Handy. and
his son, Levin Irving Handy, Jr. In
addition to these he is survived by
three brothers, Robert b. Handy of
Washington, d. c.; Joseph b. Handy,
of Staten Island. " Y; William c.
Handy of Los Angeles, Cal, and a
sister. Mrs. J. I. Smith, of Princess
Anne. Md.
John Biggs, president, called a
meeting Of the New Castle County
Bar Association for Tuesday after
noon, at o'clock, to act on the death
of Mr. Handy.
Levin. Irving Handy was born at
Berlin, Worcester County. Maryland,
December q, 1861. He was one of
a family of eight children, and son
Of Rev. William Collins Handy, who
was in his generation prominent
Presbyterian minister. The mother
of Mr. Handy was a daughter of Rev.
Robert J. Breckenridge of Kentucky
and was a woman of brilliant gifts
and strong character,
The boyhood of t. Irving Handy
was spent partly on the Eastern
Shore of Maryland. partly with his
maternal relatives in Kentucky and
partly in rural New York, where his
father went as a minister in 1871.
His education was obtained at pri-
vate and public schools in Maryland
and New York. He did not attend
college, but began teaching school
shortly before he was Is years of age
at Danes Quarter. Somerset County,
Nd. In 1881 he was elected principal
of the High School at Smyrna. On
January %, 1881, he was married at
Smyrna TO Miss Mary c. Bell, n
daughter Of William NJ. Bell and En-
ily Hoffecker Bell, his wife. The
same year he was appointed by Gov
ernor Biggs superintendent of free
schools Of Kent County. While serv-
ing as superintendent he registered
as law student with John X. Nichol-
son, then a member of the Kent
County bar, and later Chancellor of
Delaware. In 1890 he resigned the
position of county superintendent to
accept the principalship Of the old
Newark Academy, and thereupon
moved to Newark.
About this time he began lectur-
ing before teachers Institutes in
Pennsylvania and other states. In
1892 he was made chairman of the
Democratic State Central Committee,
position which he held until 1896.
In 1892 he retired from teaching and
devoted himself to the lyceum lee
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