Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Westbrook, James E., 1927 

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JAMES EDWIN WESTBROOK 

AN APPRECIATION 

   The Drewryville community received a decided shock last Thursday when one 
of its oldest citizen suddenly passed away.  Naturally we would expect a man 
who had passed his four score years to take his departed, but Mr. Westbrook 
was so well preserved and seemed to be doing so well that morning at 
breakfast, that when the end came at 11 o’clock Thursday, February 17th, all 
were surprised and filled with sorrow. 

   Mr. Westbrook was the son of Joseph [sic; James*] D. and Nancy Turner 
Westbrook.  He was born in Southampton County, July 9th, 1846, and was 81 
years old.  He was converted and united with Persons M.E. Church.  He never 
severed this relation and was always honored and loved by his brethren.  He 
was recording steward for many years and superintendent of its Sunday school 
a long while.  He was active in church work as long as his health would permit 
and when incapacitated for work, he "waited on the Lord" for the call to come 
up higher. 

   On October 17, 1873, he was married to Miss Sarah Elizabeth McLemore.  God 
blessed the union with nine children: the first child died in infancy and 
later Martin L. and Edwin P. died.  Mother went to the Heavenly home thirteen 
years ago and father followed February 17th.  They are survived by Arthur B. 
Westbrook and Hugh L. Westbrook, Mrs. S.P. Johnson, Mrs. W.R.L. Cobb, Mrs. E.E. 
Duncan and Mrs. O.M. Joyner. 

   At one time he held office of Commissioner of the Revenue, District No. 2. 
He was faithful in office, but public office was not consonant with his 
retiring, home-loving disposition. 

   When his State was about to be invaded by an enemy he joined the army of 
defense and fought under our chivalrous cavalry general, J.E.B. Stuart, until 
the close of the war. 

   After the war he came home and taught school several years.  His students 
said he had a wonderful capacity for imparting knowledge.  In dealing with the 
children, he was as kind and gentle as a woman but as thorough as Arnold of 
Rugby. 

   Mr. Westbrook was a great comrade with a fine friendly spirit, loving his 
friends and brethren, believing in them and welcoming every opportunity to add 
to their happiness and usefulness.  The writer bears testimony to a friendship 
and fellowship of 48 years duration which deepened and refined with the 
passing years.  He loved his home; his wife was the queen of his heart and his 
children the joy and delight of his soul.  He lived to see all of them culture 
Christian citizens. 

   Mr. Westbrook leaves to his children the heritage of an untarnished name 
and the memory of a beautiful life spent in the service of the Lord Jesus 
Christ.  His life illustrated the truth that "the path of the just is as the 
shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."  A veteran of 
the Confederacy has "passed over the river and is resting under the trees; a 
veteran of the Cross has answered the last call, the Spirit soothed and 
sustained by an unfaltering trust in One who was the author of his faith and 
the Captain of his salvation." 

   Mr. Westbrook was by nature modest, unassuming, amiable and gentle and 
these traits were by God’s grace developed and beautified in his character. 
He was scrupulous and conscientious, but cheerful, hopeful and happy.  All of 
his friends and neighbors knew that he was a good man and that his character 
conformed to the ideal which Christ gives in the beatitudes. 

   The body bearers were his sons and near relatives: E.E. Duncan, S.P. 
Johnson, W.R.L. Cobb, Jr., O.M. Joyner, A.B. Westbrook, H.L. Westbrook, James 
C. Westbrook, and Thomas H. Birdsong, Jr.  The honorary pallbearers were: R.A. 
Pope, John P. Fox. E. Frank Story, F.E. Pope, Roger I. Beale, A.P. Pope, J.W. 
Claud, C.L. Newsom, R.W. Claud, J.G. Claud, E.J. Persons and John E. Fox. 

   Funeral services were conducted by Rev. A.K. Lambdin and Rev. W.H. Riddick 
and loving friends tenderly laid his body to rest by the side of his dear wife 
in Memorial Cemetery, Drewryville, to await the resurrection morn. 
Hugh C. Smith 


NEWS OF THE WEEK FROM DREWRYVILLE 

[...] 

  Those from a distance attending the burial of J.E. Westbrook last Friday 
were: Hugh Westbrook of Franklin, Blount Westbrook and Mrs. Grace Westbrook of 
Portsmouth, Mrs. Eunice Westbrook, Mr. and Mrs. Otis Joyner, Mr. and Mrs. 
W.R.L. Cobb, Dr. and Mrs. W.T. McLemore and Mr. and Mrs. H.B. McLemore of 
Courtland, Judge Jas. L. McLemore of Suffolk and Jamie Westbrook of 
Petersburg. 

[...] 


County Seat News and Advertisements 

NEWS AND SOCIAL ITEMS OF COURTLAND 

[...] 

  Among those from here who attended the funeral of James E. Westbrook in 
Drewryville Friday were: Mr. and Mrs. W.R.L. Cobb, Jr., and sons, Mr. and Mrs. 
Otis M. Joyner and children, Mrs. Eunice Westbrook, Mr. and Mrs. H.B. 
McLemore, Dr. and Mrs. W.T. McLemore, C.W. Parker, Sheriff T.B. Bell, T.H. 
Birdsong, Jr., H.A. Gillette, Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Ezra W. 
Davis. 

[...] 


James Edwin WESTBROOK, of Drewryville, former Dist. 2 Commissioner of Revenue, 
   Confederate veteran*, 
b. 9 Jul 1846, Southampton Co., d. 17 Feb 1927, 
interred in Thomas Memorial Baptist Church Cemetery*, Drewryville, 
"Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), Vol. 22, No. 20, Fri., Feb. 25, 1927, 
   pp. 3, 6 & 7, 
   text of obit posted with Find a Grave Memorial #44725573 

*Additional information: 

Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project, 
   Drewryville list (D-28): 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/drewryvl.txt 

A photo of his gravestone - added by Betty Smith - is also posted with 
   Find a Grave Memorial #44725573. 

D.Cert. 4626 (Drewryville #3) gives his mother as Nancy Lois; we show her as 
   "Nancy" Ann Lewis. 

He does not appear on the Confederate rosters in "Franklin and Southampton 
   County in the Civil War" or the regimental history of the 13th VA Cavalry. 
   His brother Joel served as a private in Co. G, 3rd VA Infantry. 

Their parents James David WESTBROOK & Ann L. TURNER m. in 1841. 
   (Southampton Co. M.Reg. pp. 511, 717) 


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/southampton/obits/w231j1ob.txt