Rev. E.P. Cheatham Obituary, Butler, AL submitted by: Sandra Brown ****************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ****************************************************************** REV. E.P. CHEATHAM CLAIMED BY DEATH Greenville Newspaper- This was found in some old papers of my grandmother, Fannie Jim Cheatham Bush. Paragraph 5 is incomplete due to age and wear. Greenville lost one of its outstanding citizens when death called Rev. E.P. Cheatham, who passed away at 8:35 a.m., Thursday, February 27th, after an illness of several months. All of his eight children were at the bedside when life ebbed from the venerable minister, widely known in Butler County and throughout Alabama for this years of Christian service in the Methodist church. Funeral services were held at Liberty church with Rev. O.M. Sell, assisted by Rev. D.H. McNeal, officiating, followed later by Masonic services. He was laid to rest beside the grave of his wife, who had preceded him in death over three years previously. Edward Payton Cheatham, was born October 28, 1858, at the Cheatham plantation west of the city, the son of Mr and Mrs George Alex Cheatham, pioneer Butler County resident. His father, a Confederate soldier, died in Camp Douglas, a northern prison, the day before the surrender of Lee at Appamattox. Reared in the adverse days of Reconstruction, and ___ vocational advantages, ____school with his sons, ____ and M Gole and his daughters _____ , to accrue learning, ___ later put to excellent advantage when he embraced the ministry and served as a local preacher for nearly half a century. A true son of the soil in later life he purchased the family farm and homestead, where he erected a home and lived until fifteen years ago, when he moved to Greenville, retaining, however, an interest in farming to his final days. On October 21, 1880, he wed Mary H. Black, who until her death, was known fondly as "Miss Molly." During his career as a pastor he founded two churches, Glenn's chapel and Giddings Church, and in his active years was the officiating minister for many marriages and preached many funeral sermons. "Preacher" Cheatham or "Marse Ed" as he was lovingly known had fourfold interests: the rearing of his family, attention to his crops and a faithful fidelity to his church and the tenets of Masonry. At the time of his death he was the oldest member of Eureka Lodge; where he had served many years, and occupied all the chairs of the order. Rev. O.M. Sells lauded the deceased as a churchman always ardent in his ministrations to all and a regular attendant at quarterly conferences. Particularly he stressed that Rev. Cheatham was an asset to his community and church, one who ministered to the wants of all irrespective of color or creed, was a man who went to his maker fully prepared for the life beyond. He was a successful man and one who gained what he accrued by thorough honesty, the minister stated. The last of a generation of brothers, he was preceded in death by his brother, Ezra Cheatham, on February 17th. The deceased is survived by eight children, 22 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Four sons, E.L., M.G., and A.G Cheatham of Greenville; A.C. Cheatham of Montgomery; four daughters, Mrs W.A. Bush, Montgomery; Mrs Lewis Newton, Chapman; Mrs J.T. Langford, of Greenville, and Mrs W.G. Breitenstein, of Lake Helen, Fla. Others attending the funeral from out of the city were: Mr and Mrs Marvin Somergill, Mrs Lewis Simpson, Mrs J.O. Bryant, Henry Taylor, of Montgomery; Aubrey Cheatham, Auburn; Bill Breitenstein, Lake Helen, Fla.; Lewis Newton, Chapman, and Joseph Scop_ton, N.J. Interment in charge of ___ ____Funeral Home.