Deem, Henry Wise

Passed: 1915-04-16

Age: 58

Source: Jackson Herald

Death Notice:

Obituary Date: 1915-04-23

Information: IN MEMORY OF HENRY W. DEEM - Henry Wise Deem was born in Wirt county, Virginia, on the 27th day of November, 1855.  About the time of the birth of the new State, while his father was serving as a Union soldier in the War of the rebellion, Henry (the writer of this line prefers to speak of him in this way), came with his mother to Jackson county, West Virginia. He attended the common schools, where he made such progress as enabled him to obtain a certificate and become a successful school teacher before he attained his majority.  He used the time he could spare during his career as teacher in reading law and on the sixth day of September, 1880, he was admitted to practice law in the Circuit Court of Jackson county.  About that time he formed a law partnership with the undersigned, under the firm name of ""Deem & Riley"".  Few young men had brighter prospects for success and usefulness in his profession than he had, but in 1883 he practically abandoned the law and engaged in the newspaper and printing business, and for more than a third of a century he was the sole owner and editor of the Jackson Herald.  He was an able, forceful, fearless writer, and enjoyed an enviable place in the ranks of the editors in the state.  He was twice nominated, by large majorities for the office of clerk of the county court, but was assassinated in the house of his friends, missing an election each time by a narrow margin.  For about twenty years he served as postmaster at Ripley; was a member of the Board of Regents for the West Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind.  In these and many other positions of trust, he acquitted himself with honor and ability of a high order and to the entire satisfaction of the public he served.      On the 18th day of July, 1882, Henry was united in marriage with Miss Ella, a daughter of Captain A. C. Tidd, who was the first county superintendent of free schools of Jackson county.  He was indebted for much of his success to his loyal wife, who stood by him with unusual courage and devotion in adversity and prosperity, in sickness and in health.  On a sick bed in a Baltimore hospital, he wrote""with the appearance of a worthy wife, disappear the dreadful delusions of many an hallucination-haunted suffering soul, and his befuddled brain becomes possessed of a perfect peace"".  For more than two years, Henry was a patient sufferer from an insiduous and incurable disease.  Of this he wrote, ""Were I to say just how intense sufferings succeeded each other you might say I was exaggerating my capacity to undergo pain"".  He had been an active, strong man and at all times possessed the courage of his convictions.  He submitted to a difficult and painful surgical operation and after a long and valiant fight for life surrendered on the 16th day of April 1915, uncomplainingly, to the ""Grim Monster"", that is the great leveler of all distinctions.      ""Death levels all things in his March, Nought can resist his mighty strength, The palace proud-triumphal arch, Shall mete their Shadows length.  The rich, the poor, one common bed Shall find, in the unhonored grave, Where weeds shall crown alike the head Of tyrant and of slave""      Henry Wise Deem has gone to his reward, his work done, duty performed, his toil and suffering ended.  Death has entered a happy home and with dark shadows, veiled it in gloom; relentlessly it has entered the family circle and with remorseless fury struck down its chief.  No tribute nor eulogy can benefit the deceased, but many hundred hearts, and mine, are full of sympathy for his aged mother and entire family.  The esteem in which the deceased was held, was manifested by a very large number of neighbors and friends from many sections, who attended the funeral on the 18th of April, 1915, conducted by Rev. E. D. W. King of the Methodist Episcopal Church, assisted by Rev. G. H. Crook of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and Hon. J. A. Seaman paid a feeling and eloquent tribute to the life and labors of the deceased.      Henry loved his family, his friends and his work, and could not understand why he should be taken from them so soon; but he met the problem of death as he had met all of the problems of life, and with characteristic courage, declared many time that he was not afraid to die.  More than twenty seven years ago, Henry noted in his paper the passing of a well known citizen, and said that the writer of this tribute, would furnish a more extended notice.  On receiving the notice he wrote, explaining his action, and said. ""When I go Down, I want you to write me Up"".  For long years the letter was thought of as a compliment rather than a possibility that the request could ever be complied with.  But the unexpected has appeared and the duty has been attempted, with feelings mixed with sorrow and pleasure, sorrow for the untimely departure of one of my best friends, and pleasure that I have been permitted to say something.    John H. Riley     ****The Jackson Herald plant, having passed to me, I wish to inform the many friends and patrons of the paper that the publication thereof will be continued under the present management.   Mrs. H. W. Deem.