Nansemond-Prince Edward-Charlotte County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Booker, John E., 1900 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ JOHN EDWARD BOOKER Death of Hon. John E. Booker, of the Herald A Sketch of His Useful Career (Special to Virginian Pilot) Suffolk, Va., Nov. 20 - Hon. John Edward Booker, owner and editor of the Suffolk Herald, former president of the Virginia Press Association, and for six years, beginning in 1893, Nansemond's representative in the lower house of Virginia's General Assembly, is dead, aged 52 years. The end came at 5:25 o'clock this afternoon as the result of a sudden stroke of paralysis, brought on by a cerebral hemorrhage, or rupture of an artery bearing on the brain. The paralysis affected the right side of the body. THE COMMUNITY SHOCKED. The news of the death came as a shock to relatives and friends, for Mr. Booker was most lovable man and well liked. This morning he was in excellent spirits and joked with a bank clerk a few minutes before the stroke. Last night Mr. Booker felt musical and seemingly enjoyed playing the violin to an accompaniment of a daughter, Mrs. Bennett, on the piano. THE LAST FINANCIAL TRANSACTION. About noontime to-day Mr. Booker attnded to some business in a bank and afterward walked into Dr. E.D. Phillips' office, wher he complained of feeling bad. Dr. Phillips thought that Mr. Booker had a premonition of his fate, for there were tears in the eyes which usually bore a greeting smile. Dr. Phillips administered a dose of medicine. Mr. Booker was attacked with vomiting and soon sank into a comatose state, from which he never rallied. He was taken to his home, at No. 18 Saratoga street, where Dr. J.E. Phillips did all that was possible without avail. AROUND THE DEATH BED Those around the bedside at the last were Mrs. Booker, Mrs. Bennett, Miss Booker, Captain and Mrs. Gomer, Mr. and Mrs. Elam, Mr. and Mrs. W.G. Elam. The funeral will take place at 11 o’clock Thursday morning from the Baptist Church, of which the deceased was a member. Rev. H.A. Bagby, of Richmond, a former pastor, has been asked by wire to conduct the services. The deceased is survived by a widow, who was Miss Fannie M. Barnes, of Charlotte county, Va.; two daughters, Mrs. F.A. Bennett and Miss Ellizabeth S. Booker, and one son Clarence. There are five brothers and one married sister in Texas. The deceased was the second son, the daughter being the eldest. HIS EARLY LIFE. Mr. Booker was born May 4, 1848, in Prince Edward county, Va. He moved to Charlotte county when quite young, and was elected a commissioner of revenue soon after he was 21 years old. The deceased served with credit in the Legislature for six years. He was formerly president of the Virginia Press Association, and also a member of the Grand Lodge A.O.U.W. He belonged to the Blue Lodge and Royal Arch Masons, Knights of Pythias and Royal Arcanum. His life was insured for $7,600 - $3,000 in Royal Arcanum, $2,000 in Ancient Order of United Workmen, $2,000 in the Northwestern and $600 paid-up insurance in Mutual Life. Mr. Booker has for several years been chairman od the Nansemond County Democratic Executive Committee. The deceased was a true friend, a pleasant companion, a loyal progressive citizen, a loving husband and father - an honorable man. Suffolk people are grieved to lose him. ****************************************************************************** JOHN EDWARD BOOKER FUNERAL OF HON. J.E. BOOKER THE FINAL RITES. A large concourse of people went to the Baptist Church at 11 o’clock today to attend the final obsequies over the remains of the late John Edward Booker. The services were conducted by Rev. H.A. Bagby, of Richmond, a former pastor of the deceased. Solos were sung by Mrs. Brinkley and Mr. Little. The floral designs were profuse, among the most notable being those from Herald employees, labeled "Our Chief" from the Baptist Sunday school, of which Mr. Booker was superintendent, and from the Ancient Order United Workmen. Ministers who assisted with the services were Revs. W.W. Staley, D.D., Joseph B. Dunn, H.H. Butler, John Stanly Thomas and L.R. Christie. The burial was conducted with Masonic honors at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Representatives from the Royal Arcanum assisted, too. These were pallbearers: Active: Dr. H.W. Campbell, C.A. Shoop; W.L. McLeod, R.L. Woodward, L.T. Dobie, T.W. Artman, J.U. Burges, W.W. Ballard. Honorary - Colonel T.W. Smith, H.E. Smith, J.M. Shepherd, R.R. Prentis, W.J. Kilby, A.H. Baker, B.L. Saunders, A.W. Eley, E.E. Holland, W.H. Jones, Jr., D.P. Daughtrey and W.A. Allmond. There were present quite a number of Mr. Booker’s friends from a distance and from nearby points in Nansemond County. ****************************************************************************** Local Historical Glimpses Suffolk Herald, December, 1920. 28 Years Ago. [...] Mr. W. J. Allmond, keeper of the cemetery, petitioned the Council to increase the price for digging graves which are to be bricked from $2.50 to $4.00. Allowed. In Memoriam Hon. John Edward Booker, Past Master Workmen, died at his home in Suffolk, Nov. 20, 1900. [...] Hon. John Edward BOOKER, owner & editor of Suffolk "Herald," former Delegate, b. 4 May 1848, Prince Edward Co., d. 20 Nov 1900, Suffolk, interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery*, Suffolk, 23 Nov 1900, "Virginian-Pilot" (Norfolk, VA), Vol. 7, No. 43, Wed., Nov. 21, 1900, p. 8; "Virginian-Pilot" (Norfolk, VA), Vol. 7, No. 45, Fri., Nov. 23, 1900, p. 8; "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 6, No. 235, Sun., Dec. 9, 1928, p. 10 *Cedar Hill list, an extension of the Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/cedar_a.txt Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), and re-formatted by File Manager. file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/obits/b260j1ob.txt