Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-07-20
Woodstock, Virginia. Friday. July 20, 1928.


Death of j. VI. Santmiers.
Our town lost one of its most popu-
lar and substantial citizens last Friday
evening in the death of Mr.. j. w.
Santmiers.
About forty-seven years ago MIR.
Santmiers moved from his native coun-
ty of Page to the river farm at the
mouth of Stony Creek, which he had
short time before purchased. His
sterling qualities were at once recog-
nized and almost from his locating here
he became prominent in neighorhood af-
fairs. He was man of unusually sound
business judgment, industrious, care
full and frugal and aided by those, he
was successful in life and died pos
sessed of considerable property. ForI
several terms he served the County as
Supervisor for Madison District ard
was one of the most reliable and influ-
entail members of the Board. Some
years ago, because of increasing age
aud failing strength, he moved to Ed
inburg where his declining years were
spent, leaving his youngest son, John
H., in charge of the home farm. He |
had lived here only a short time before
he was called upon to serve the tewnl
as one of its Councilmen, which office
ne filled as he did every other thing |
he undertook, with credit to himself |
and satisfactorily to those he served or
acted for. He protested religion about
forty-five years ago, under the minis
try OF Rev. Jacob S. Hopkins, and
united with the Methodist Church here.
He had been a member of the church,
only few months when his worth and
Christian character were recognized
and he was elected a member of the
Official Board. He served in that ca
pacity to the end of his life and his
name stands today at the head of the
list of Stewards, he having been the
first man elected at the last Fourth
Or. Conf. Many times was he made |
District Steward and more than oncet
was he sent as one of the lay delegates
from this district to the Annual Con-
ference. In all these places he faith
fully discharged his duty as he under
stood it. The writer has had excep-
tional opportunity to learn his mind and
feelings on all church matters and can
truthfully say, Mr.. Santmiers loved his |
church and his God and that his life |
and influence was always on the side |
OF right. The preacher himself was
hardly more regular in his attendance
upon the preaching service than was
the subject of this sketch. The older
members of the church, with pleasure,
recall how faithful he was at the prayer
meeting services and although he had
worked hard all day long and mnst
have been almost exhausted neither
storm or cold could keep him from the
Wednesday night service and this con-
tinued until his physician insisted that
he must not expose himself to the
night air.
MIR. Santmiers will be greatly missed
in the town, the community and the
church and during his long life of |
nearly 80 years, he accomplished much |
and at the end he was resigned, will
ing, ready and anxious to go to meetI
the God he loved and had so faithfully |
served for nearly half century.
In December, 1864, he married Miss
Sarah c. Burner, also of Page County,
who still lives and who joined the |
church before he did and who for all |
these years worked with him in the
cause of the Master they both loved. |
Besides his wife, he leaves five chill
dren, two sons, Geo. R., of Narrow
Passage, John H on the home farm,
near here, and three daughters, Mrs. |
M. c. Gearing, Mrs. w. g. Murdoch
and Mrs. Myron Bowman, all of Wood
stock, and six grandchildren, DR.. F
Wilson Gearing, Messrs Byron and
John Murdoch, and Myron Bowman,
Jr., Of Woodstock, and Miss Imogene
Santimiers and Elwood Santmiers, OF
Willow Grove, Virginia, and one
great grandchild, Frank Wilson Gear
ing, Jr., of Woodstock.
He was buried Sunday afternoon from
the church he loved, by his pastor,
Rev. M. D. Elmore, assisted by Rev
w. D. Keene, of Woodstock, and Rev.
H. S. Coe of this place. His two sons
and four members of the Official Board
of his church acting as pallbearers.