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 Obituary of Major Geo. Wythe Gleaves

  • » Date: 1909-04 about
  • » Subject: Obituary of Major Geo. Wythe Gleaves
  • » Written By: unknown
  • » Addressed To: unknown
  • » Transcriber: Fran Nichols
  • » File # 2769

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Obituary.

 Major Geo. Wythe Gleaves.

 The subject of this brief memoir was born and reared inWytheCounty, and spent the many years of his life within a short distance of the place of his birth.

But few men were better known in Wythe and the surrounding counties than he, and none had more friends.  Of splendid physique, his commanding presence, his genial disposition, his hearty laugh, his warm nature, all attracted people to him.

Major Gleaves was born the 17th day of April, 1827, and died on the 17th day of April 1909, the eighty-second anniversary of his birth.

He was the son of Maj. Jas. Gleaves and Malvina Gleaves nee Crockett and was the oldest representative of a family long prominent in the history of thevalleyofVirginia, andSouthwestern Virginia.  The Gleaves family were pioneers in the early settlement of the country, and several of them, Michael Gleaves of this county being one, sustained prominent characters in the Revolutionary war, especially at the battle of King’s Mountain.  

One of Maj. Gleaves brothers, Jas. T. Gleaves Jr., a lawyer by profession, died at Winchester, Va., during the Civil war, his death being due to sickness contracted while a member of the Stonewall Brigade.  Another brother, Dr. Saml. C. Gleaves was the Surgeon of the 45thVa., Regiment from 1861, until he was appointed Medical Director; while a younger brother, Capt.  Robert H. Gleaves, whose family now own the old homestead, served with distinction as a Captain of Cavalry.   

In early life Maj. Gleaves married Isabella C. Sanders, a daughter of Col. John A. Sanders ofWytheCountywho survives him.  The Sanders family was equally prominent in the early annals of the country and furnished its full quoto of soldiers both in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.  Mrs. Gleaves and her brother Maj. William C. Sanders being the immediate survivors of the family.

No children were born to Maj. And Mrs Gleaves but their home was seldom without the presence of the children of their relatives or their friends.  Maj. Gleaves was devoted to children, and in him they instinctively recognized a sympathizer and a friend.  His home was known far and wide for its openhanded hospitality, and there was not a more gracious host inVirginia.  It was rarely the case that there were not visitors in the house.  Maj. Gleaves was charitable and generous to a fault.  Many have felt his helping hand, and the poor and destitute never appealed to him in vain.

He was a christian gentleman; without ostentation  without hypocrisy, without deceit, broad and liberal minded.  He endeavored to follow in the footsteps of his Master, to do good, to speak a kind word, to forgive, to love his neighbor, and serve his God.

No one ever knelt with him at his family altar, and heard his humble prayer who did not feel strengthen and benefitted.

After a long and active life, like a sheaf ready for the harvest, he has been gathered into the garner of God.  No cloud bedimmed his faith.  With the calm courage and fortitude of a christian soldier, standing on the promises of his God, he met the grim monster, robbed death of its sting and the grave of its victory?

Surrounded by grief stricken relatives, and sorrowing friends and neighbors, we laid his body to rest there, to await a glorious resurrection.  This sketch could not be better closed than by a favorite quotation of Maj. Gleaves, which the writer has often heard him quote, and comment upon.

 

“So live, that when thy summons comes to join,

The innumerable caravan which moves

To that mysterious realm, where each shall take,

His chamber in the silent halls of death,

Thou go not, like the quarry slave at night,

Scourged to his dungeon, but sustained and soothed

By an infaltering trust, approach thy grave,

Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch

About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.”

Transcriber Notes

The writer of this obituary states that the deceased “was the oldest representative of a family”.  At the time of his death, Wythe, as he was called by family and friends, was the oldest living representative of his family.  However, his brother, Samuel, was the oldest child of James and Malvina Gleaves.

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