Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Gary, T. Christian, 1906 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ SAD DEATH OF CHRISTIAN GARY. This community has seldom been more shocked and grieved than it was when on Sunday night last it heard that young Christian Gary, son of Mr. C.W Gary, of this place, was dead, and the shock was all the greater because there had been no warning that death was near his door. Some weeks before he had hurt himself by a fall but had apparently entirely recovered from that, and while on Saturday he was complaining a little of feeling badly and headache, he was up and attending to his usual duties. On Sunday morning he was not feeling well and did not get up, but his family had no idea he was sick to any extent and it was only after dinner that his condition became worse and a doctor was sent for; but all to no avail and he died that night about 11 o'clock. He was about 17 years old and one of the finest specimens of vigorous young physical manhood in the place. But more than that he had one of the brightest, sunniest dispositions of any young man in all the community, and had a bright cheery smile and kind word for everyone. He was unusually bright intellectually and faithful to every trust imposed upon him. He had been assisting his father in the office of Camp Manufacturing Company ever since he was quite a small boy in knee pants, and was always at his post of duty on time and did his work faithfully and well. These qualities endeared him to all who knew him and it is not an exageration in the least to say that he was probably the most universally liked of any young man in the place. Never pushing or obtrusive he yet won his way to the hearts of all who knew him. His sad death but illustrates the mysteriousness of the ways of Providence and the uncertainty of human life. A Tribute to Our Lost Comrade. When we consider the works of God's hand, His dealings towards men, His disposition of their lives, and His watchfulness over all things we know that He is good, that His mercies endure forever; to Him, therefore, the Author and Finisher of our being do we give praise and commit ourselves into His keeping. And whereas it has been pleasing to Him, in His wisdom, to take from us on the 22nd of April, 1906, our friend and fellow student, Thomas Christian Gary, we as a committee on behalf of the Franklin Military Academy do hereby- Resolve 1st. That, although we cannot understand why this life was cut off in the midst of its youth, we bow in humble submission to the will of Him who knows best. Resolve 2nd. That in the death of our associate the Academy has lost a zealous and valued friend and that we, his comrades, deeply deplore his going away. Resolve 3rd. That we extend our heart-felt sympathy to life bereaved family in this their hour of affliction, and pray that the God of all Comfort may administer to them of His boundless consolation in their time of bitter sorrow. Resolve 4th. That these resolutions be entered upon the records of the Franklin Military Academy, published in The Tidewater News and that a copy be sent to the family of the deceased. B.G. Betty, R.W. Cobb, W.C. Barker, Jr. Committee. ****************************************************************************** A TRIBUTE. WHEREAS, in the death of Thomas Christian Gary this Sunday School has lost one of its best beloved and most devoted members: and WHEREAS, we deem it fit and proper that we should express our sorrow at his death by proper resolution : THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED; 1ST. That while we bow in humble submission to this expression of Divine authority, still we can but mourn the death of our beloved fellow-member, whose bright and sunny disposition attracted all who knew him and whose unfailing courtesy and kindness endeared him to all with whom he was thrown in contact. While ever faithful to every duty, he never became so much absorbed in those duties or engrossed in self as to fail to have a bright smile and a kind word for everyone. 2ND. While young in years he had already shown a capacity for the prompt meeting of daily obligations that marked him as one who would in coming years fill well his place in whatever sphere he was called to duty, and his early and sudden death, cutting off so promising a life of usefulness, but serves to illustrate the mystery of human existence and the uncertainty of life. 3RD. That we extend to the family of our deceased fellow-member our earnest and profound sympathy in their bereavement, and invoke the presence of the Divine Comforter in their hearts, praying that they may take comfort in the thought that while he has gone from them to return no more, he is simply transplanted to some other and higher sphere of usefulness in God's universe, and is there doing His will even as he did it on the earth. 4TH. That these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of this Sunday School, that a copy be published in the local papers and that a copy be sent to the bereaved family. J.C. PARKER, } F.X. SCHULER, } Committee. G.T. STEPHENSON, } [...] A CARD. As we cannot personally thank the people of Franklin for their goodness to us in our recent great bereavement, we take this means of saying that each kind thought, word and deed; each flower, tear and prayer has been as balm poured on bleeding hearts and our prayers shall ascend to the good Father in their behalf. Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Gary. Thomas Christian GARY, son of Charles Walker & Lelia Brown (HADEN) GARY, b. Dec 1888, VA, d. 20 Apr 1906, Franklin, interred in Poplar Spring Cemetery (Section 1, Plot 49*), Franklin, "Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), Vol. 1, No. 27, Fri., Apr. 27, 1906, p. 1; "Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), Vol. 1, No. 28, Fri., May 4, 1906, p. 1 *Additional information: Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project, Poplar Spring list: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/poplar1.txt A photo of his gravestone - added by Cyndi Harrison - is posted with Find a Grave Memorial #256239493. His parents are also buried there. Birthdate from the 1900 Census - Gardner St., Franklin. His father was a Franklin town councilman. His obit ("Tidewater News," Nov. 22, 1940, p. 4) is posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/g600c1ob.txt His mother's obit ("Tidewater News," Sep. 20, 1912, p. 1) is posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/g600l1ob.txt Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by File Manager Matt Harris (zoobug64@aol.com). file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/g600c5ob.txt