Obituary Article for James Wiley Reeves

Introduction

From The Lineville Headlight (Lineville, Alabama) of Thursday 03 January 1929

Transcript or Summary

James Wiley Reeves

Again the reaper Death has bore down upon our peaceful village with the swiftness of a morning gale and carried way the immortal spirit of James Wiley Reeves, one of Lineville best and most substatical (sic, substantial?) citizens. Like the mowing of the ripened harvest, the Death Angel is rapidly bearing away so many of those with whom we have lived and associated these many years leaving us to wonder and to ask, who will be-next?   So far as we know, without a moment’s warning, or even a domestic cares of the home, as was previous pain, while attending to the his custom these many years, 1 and with that devotion and regularity with which his useful life has been crowned, Mr. Reeves was stricken in his cow lot and spoke but a word or two after he was reached by members of his family.   Apparently as well and hearty as common, having eaten his usual breakfast he went to attend to his stock, he showed no signs of illness.   Whatever his suffering it was of short duration, while the shock to his wife, children and all loved ones was all the greater by its suddenness, they have the consolation to know he was spared a lingering sickness and a prolongation of pains.

James Wiley Reeves, son of Wiley Reeves Sr. was born in Walton County, Georgia, May 21, 1858.   He died in Lineville, Alabama, Sunday morning, December 30, 1928, giving him a mortal life of 70 years, 7 months and 9 days.   His parents moved to Clay County, Alabama, while he was yet a young fellow, living for many years where Mr. E.L. Cole lives at Barfield.

Mr. Reeves was the third son and the fifth child of ten children of his parents. His brothers and sisters being in order named below:-
Mrs. Green Night,
Mrs. Elisha Hendrix,
H.H. Reeves,
-he, (sic)2
J.W. Reeves,
Mrs. Aaron Bell,
Mrs. Wyatt J. Green,
W.H. Reeves,
Cornelius Reeves,
Miss Lizzie Reeves.  
Wiley Reeves, father of J.Y. (sic) Reeves was one of Clay Countys most substatical citizens and excellent famers (sic).   He was a most congenial neighbour and friend and was much beloved by all his friends. J.W. Reeves was united in matrimony to Miss Fannie Arnett, fifth child and fourth daughter of William P. Arnett, another well known and progressive citizen and good farmer of Clay County for many years.

This marriage was solemized February 28, 1878.   To that union four children were born and reared, one son and three daughters. Those children are;-
John T. Reeves, Lineville, Alabama,;
Mrs. Luther Barfield, Talladega, Ala.,
Mrs. T.R. Bell, Lineville, Ala. and
Mrs. Alby Smith, deceased.  
He left thirteen grand children and four great grand children. The three oldest of Mr. Reeve’s (sic) children are livisg(sic), as is the widow.   Mr. and Mrs. Reeves lived together in wedded happiness and devotion 50 years – 10 months and 2 days.   During that more than half a century of time he lived in only four homes, and they within only a few miles radius of each other.   Until all Mrs.(sic) Reeves remained on tht (sic) farm, he being recognized as among the best and most reliables (sic) famers in the county.   Mr. Reeves was one of those farmers who always had more to sell from the farm than he bought for the farm, thus showing a balance in his favour on his farm ledger.

.... The writer does not know the exact date when Mr. Reeves was converted and joined the Missionary Baptist church, but it was in his young manhood.   “Jimmie” Reeves, as he was known by his friends, most often calling him “Bud” was a pious boy and a gentle young man, and as he was he was (sic) a young man, so has so he has been throughout his entire life..   He cast his life and his labours, togthear (sic) with the influence his pious life radiated, on the moral and religious side of life, where he was ever found, battling for the right, as he was made to understand the right.   He believed in good government; he bleieved (sic) in education, and was always a substantial supporter of both with his means and his influence.   He was a devoted church member.   He loved his church and was faithful to its every institution until the last hour.   As all his pastors can attest, he was a faithful, earnest and agreeable communicant.   In his personal life and conduct, he was a gentleman, faithful to his domestic relations, pure and clean in his relations to society, a strong advocate of his good morals and a Christian in his daily life and conversation.

For a man to have thus lived more than a half century, who can count or measure the worth of his influence of 3 such a life upon others?

A brighter crown or greater fame could not be won by mortal man.

Mr. Reeves was a man with no serious flaws, or dark besetting sins, to mar his good name, or to cast a shadow upon ahe (sic) good influences of his example.   Men may attain, and often do attain, to great fame and notoriety; they may have many great qualities, but all too often there is a dark spot in the life by reason of a grievous sin in the life which sin cast a reflecting shadow upon the whole.   No such spot was found upon the life of J.W. Reeves.   He was what he professed to be – a modest, faithful Christian, a faithful and loving husband and father, We can not measure the full value of a life like his.

True greatness is not measured with the tape line, neither is it crowned with a dollar mar, nor is it labelled with an intellectural (sic) motto.   Without true goodness there can be no real greatness.

J. W. Reeves was a good man and he lived just what he preached.

In the Baptist church where he had so long worshipped, in the presence of a large congrtgation (sic), his pastor, Rev. H.B. Woodward, assisted by Rev. G.M. Bynum, at 2 o’clock Monday afternoon, December 31, 1928, just a vew (sic) hours befort (sic) the old year died conducted a very impressive funeral service.   His widow, ‘Aunt Fannie,” as her many friends call her, although grief stricken and heart broken, bore up with unusual Christian fortitude.

His body was laid to rest in the Lineville, Cemetary (sic).   All of his children, grand-children, great grand children, and most of his brothers and sisters and relatives were present.

Lineville has sustained the loss of another substatical citizen; another good man has gone to his reward; but faith his life was a demonstration of his faith and his religion.   He died in full faith and fellowship with his church and his God.   We mourn with his loved ones, but he did not leave us in doubt as to whert (sic) we may find him.

May the God whom he served sustain the linly (sic) and sad ones.
                John R. McCain

Commentary

The original article was printed over two columns, the first a full page deep and the second one approximately half page deep, in fairly narrow columns (approx 38 characters wide). The flow of the original article has been mostly been retained, with the notable exception of the explicit listing of the siblings and children on individual lines. Spelling errors in the original type setting have mostly been retained.

Source

The Lineville Headlight newspaper of Lineville, Clay County, Alabama published on Thursday 03 January 1929. Original image available at Ancestry and identified by TRP member Beverly_R