Pike County Georgia - Obituaries - W. P. Bussey 1892

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The Pike County Journal
Zebulon, Pike County, Georgia, February 19, 1892

Tribute to Bussey

Editor Journal: Will you please allow me a small space in your esteemed paper that I may extend a 
passing tribute to the private and public character of W.P. Bussey who was a former sherif of 
Pike County, but has now gone to that bourne from whence no traveler has ever returned. He sleeps 
the sleep that knows no wakening. Although he is dead, yet, through his public acts, speaketh to 
the people of Pike County.

W.P. Bussey entered the 44th Ga. Reg’t when a mere stripling of a boy, where he battled for the 
glorious lost cause of the Confederate states to the close of the war. His gallant bravery with 
promptness to duty soon won for him the respect, love and esteem of his comrades in arms, also the 
officers of his command. He received wounds on the battlefields of Virginia that left honorable scars 
which he wore on his person down into his grave as the only trophies of his gallant, brave heroic 
deeds in battling for the lost cause, which was so dear to the liberties of the people of the 
Confederate states. There are honored veteran heros of the glorious but lost cause of Confederacy 
passed away whose memory should ever be cherished, nourished, loved, respected, perpetuated, and 
transmitted down to generations who are unborn. The patriotic feelings of the people of our fair 
sunny South have a just right in extending their claims of honor, respect, and gratitude to the 
honored veteran heros of the late War who are dead as well as those who are living, who have gone 
through the fiery ordeal of brimstone and have faced the deadly missels [sic] of blood shed and 
arrange all for our redemption. All honors are due them that are in the gifts of people to bestow.

W.P. Bussey, while he remained among us, in the civil and social circles of life, he deported himself 
with the culture and refinement of a finished gentleman, for which he had the love and respect of the 
best citizens of Pike county. His official career as sheriff of our county gave him the renown of 
being the most efficient sheriff in the state. His sagacity, too, as a detective, with his superior 
forecast linked in with a fearless determined will to execute, having neither favor or affection 
for the rich or poor, gave him a superior qualification for sheriff, such as none others ever had 
since the organization of the county down to present time. When a criminal warrant was placed in 
his hand to be executed, he would scour the country from Maine to California for te criminal. He 
often brought them to justice from other states when they had taken refuge from justice for a lapse 
of five and ten years. He underwent many risky adventures in bringing criminals to justice which 
caused him to be a dread and a terror to the evil doers. On the hearing of any crime being 
committed, [some] would raise a hue and cry: "You better get away; you better take wings and fly, 
or Billy Bussey gets you." But alas, Billy Bussey is gone, yet his record as sheriff fills a volume 
which is pleasing to the recollection of the people of Pike county. I can say no more of him, only, 
peace to his ashes.

Mr. Editor, I have given a short sketch, only, of the private and public life of W.P. Bussey that 
his many friends of this county may see and know that he is not forgotten in Pike. - A Friend

Note:
W.P. Bussey served as sheriff of Pike County from 1879 to 1887.