USA > Virginia > City of Lynchburg > City of Lynchburg > Historic and heroic Lynchburg > Part 11
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It was at a time when Norwood Institute was at the height of its career that Mrs. Cabell, with seventeen other women of patriotic character undertook the organization of the Daughters of the American Revolution, that great society which has now become nation wide in its scope and which has acquired a prestige and influence in national affairs, especially in the promotion of true American patriotism and the perpetuation of true American tra- ditions and ideals, which are nothing less than remarkable. As related in the D. A. R. Magazine of August, 1930, “Mrs. Cabell was one of the eighteen organizers, who, at the meeting of October 11, 1890, approved and ratified all of the proceedings and appointments of the meeting of August 9, 1890, as presented by Miss Washington, Miss Desha and Mrs. Walworth; and, when the business was found to over-run the time limit, gave her house for the adjourned meeting at which organization was com- pleted, October 18, 1890. This was an extraordinary meeting and was peculiarly vital to the well-being and growth of the society, for not only were the final details of organization perfected, including the adoption of the colors, but it was the beginning of the brilliant social setting she and her husband, Mr. William D. Cabell, gave the society until its status and prestige were estab- lished, and those who misinterpreted its meaning and misrepresented its objects were silenced and discredited."
In the history of the society, the eleventh day of October, 1890, is recognized as Organization Day, for it was then that the first
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roll of membership, consisting of eighteen names, among them that of Mrs. Cabell, was signed at the residence of Mrs. Mary S. Lockwood, but, as above stated, it was at an adjournment of this meeting held at the residence of Mrs. Cabell on October 18, 1890, that the organization was completed, and the colors, blue and white, adopted.
From the time of its foundation to the day of her death, Mrs. Cabell was closely identified with the D. A. R. and the recipient of its highest honors. It was through her that the society was enabled to secure "the first lady of the land," Mrs. Benjamin Harrison, as its first president, but the state of Mrs. Harrison's health made it impossible for her to preside at its meetings, and Mrs. Cabell, who was chosen as the first vice-president, graciously accepted the onerous executive duties of the society, and later, in 1893, was made the holder of the special honorary office of "President Presiding," which she held until she died, when the office also expired.
Again, we are informed through the August, 1930, issue of the D. A. R. Magazine that, "At the death of Mrs. Harrison, Mrs. Grover Cleveland was asked to succeed her, but declined. Mrs. Cabell's name was placed before the Continental Congress for election, but withdrawn at her request. Mrs. Cabell then nominated Mrs. Adlai E. Stevenson, wife of the vice-president of the United States, for the office. It was her conviction that the D. A. R. still struggling for recognition, should have as its active head a woman of the highest official station at the Capital available." It was this spirit of self-abnegation on the part of Mrs. Cabell which prevented her from ever holding the office of president general of the D. A. R., but at the same time won for her the unique and lifelong position of its "Honorary President Presiding," which under the circumstances may be considered an even higher honor. Truly, "He that humbleth himself shall be exalted."*
* Though strictly speaking, Mrs. Cabell may not be called a "founder" of the D. A. R., that distinction belonging to the three women, Miss Washington, Miss Desha and Mrs. Wadsworth, who conceived the idea of its formation and called its first meeting, yet to her undoubtedly belongs the honor of being not only one of its organizers and, perhaps, the most active factor in its early success, but also of being the real mother and chief promoter of Continental Hall, that beautiful building in Washington which is the home of the society. And some day the Daughters will erect a tablet commemorative of that fact.
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The father of Mrs. Cabell's mother, Judge William Daniel, is said to have remarked of his daughter, who, though frail and lovely in physique, possessed a mind of unusual clearness and strength, that, but for her feminine temperament, he could have wished her a man. The same remark might have been made of Mrs. Cabell. Though exquisitely feminine in all feminine gifts and graces, her vigorous mind and executive abilities enabled her to cope successfully with business affairs in a manner that would have done credit to the sex whose usual prerogative it is to attend to such matters, but without sacrifice of any of the refinements that adorn the highest type of noble womanhood. As wife and mother she exemplified all that was best in those sacred relation- ships, and was worshipped by her husband, and adored by her children, who today rise up to call her blessed.
Her fortitude in trial was shown when she bore bravely the loss during the war of a young brother, and of her father, whose gallantry and merit were recognized by the distinction of having his body lie in state in Independence Hall; and again shone forth with resplendent luster, when, in later years, she was called upon to mourn the death of her gifted and beloved son, Mayo, and, her idolized husband. When death came to herself she was ready to meet it with the same spirit of courage and resignation to God's will. This occurred last summer when she had gone with her daughters Elvira and Margaret to their summer home at Lakeside, Michigan. With these two of her daughters she visited "Point of Honor" the last time she was in Lynchburg. When her last illness developed she was taken to the hospital sixteen miles away, at Michigan City, Indiana, and, there, on July 4, passed to "where beyond these voices there is peace." Her remains were brought to Virginia and laid to rest beside those of her husband, on a hill facing the Blue Ridge, in Berryville, in the Valley. Besides the children already mentioned, she is survived by her daughter, Mrs. L. C. Hopkins, of Atlanta, and a step-daughter, Mrs. Annie Moore, widow of Mr. A. Moore, Jr., distinguished lawyer of Berryville. Mrs. Moore is also an honored guest of this occasion.
When John Adams lay dying on July 4, 1826, thoughts of the future of his country, of which he had been president, filled his mind with concern and apprehension, and, as if consoling himself,
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he murmured, "Jefferson still lives." On that very day the great sage of Monticello, likewise an ex-president of the United States, and the author of that immortal Declaration of Independence which both of them had signed just fifty years before, also passed away. Nevertheless the words of Adams were true. "Jefferson still lives," and will always live in the works he accomplished, in the principles he so clearly enunciated, and in the love and gratitude of his countrymen. So also may it be said of the great-souled woman who passed from this earthly scene of her labors on July 4 last year. Mary Virginia Ellet Cabell still lives,-I truly believe she lives in the life immortal,-but in still another way she also lives,- lives in the lives and the love of her children, lives in the grateful and affectionate remembrance of all her kith and kindred, lives in the memory of all who knew her faithful friendship, lives in the sweet and hallowed influence she shed abroad among all whose lives were touched by hers, the high and the lowly, the rich and the poor, for "none knew her but to love her, none named her but to praise"; but, in a very special sense, to all the many thousands who have been and will be members of this great band of patriotic American women which she helped to form and establish, her life goes on in ever widening waves of power and influence, broadening and enlightening the minds of her countrymen and countrywomen, warming their hearts with the fire of her own unselfish devotion, and inspiring them to stand firm for the principles upon which this nation was founded, and, if need be, to die in its defense. *
Most fittingly, therefore, Daughters of the American Revolu- tion, do you set today this memorial stone and dedicate this memorial tablet to one who wrought well and served faithfully in her day and generation.
*Since this address was made a very lifelike portrait of Mrs. Cabell has been unveiled in Continental Hall.
XIX.
DEDICATING THE TABLET QUAKER MEMORIAL CHURCH OCTOBER 7, 1934
Reverend Pastor, Ladies and Gentlemen:
The place whereon we stand today is holy ground. This little stone church and its surroundings constitute one of the most sacred shrines connected with the history of Lynchburg and Campbell County. It is meet and right and our bounden duty, therefore, that we should assemble here at this time to dedicate a memorial tablet to those who hallowed it with their lives; and we would remember now not only that little band of gentle and peace-loving men and women who established here a house wherein to worship God, but also those valiant heroes of a later time who here poured out their blood and struggled against overwhelming odds to save our fair city from destruction. For we should never allow any appropriate occasion to pass without paying some installment, however small, upon the debt of honor and gratitude we owe to those who withheld no sacrifice, even that of life itself, in order to maintain their cause of righteousness, and to defend their homes and firesides. May we not pause, therefore, for a moment, before we dedicate this memorial to the Quakers, to recall that on a June day in 1864, along this road and through the forests that then covered these hills, the men of McCausland and Peters held the invading hosts of Hunter in check until General Early could arrive and drive them away in the victorious Battle of Lynchburg? It was a struggle against overwhelming odds, but we may well thank God that it was successful, and that when Early and his veteran warriors did arrive they put the foe to utter rout, and flung him back in ignominious flight, and foiled him of his prey.
It is not of war, but of peace, however, that we would prin- cipally think today. "Peace hath her victories no less renowned than war," and our gathering here today is mainly in honor of those who more than a century and three-quarters ago first began to
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assemble at this place to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences and the peculiar forms of their own devising.
You have already heard recounted the history of this building and of those who were accustomed, in days of yore, to worship within its walls. You know that they were a particularly devout and pious people, loyal to God and devoted to His service. You know, also, that they possessed fortitude and strength of character, qualities developed in high degree by the rugged lives they led, and which they transmitted to their descendants, many of whom are here today to honor them by dedicating this tablet, upon which is inscribed a fitting testimonial to those virtues they so well exem- plified. Gladly do we all, therefore, join in paying tribute to the memory of those peaceful Friends, at this place made sacred by their footsteps as they trudged hither to worship in their own way the one true and living God.
In the brief time allotted to me, it is, of course impossible that I should even attempt to recount the story of their struggles or call many of them by name. That has already been done to a large extent by others, and far better than I could do it if I tried. I do wish, however, to mention two of them, who, in the joint span of their lives, covered the entire history of this church from its begin- ning in that little log meeting house in the wilderness (1757), through its whole career, in the frame building which followed (1763), and in this stone structure completed in 1798, used by the Quakers for a number of years and subsequently, on account of the death and removal of its members, abandoned and falling into decay, and then restored (1904) and again devoted to the worship of God as it stands today.
The first whom I shall mention is well remembered by many of those present, and to all who do remember him as he rode about this community on horseback, ministering to the sick and comforting the afflicted, his benign and genial countenance comes back now with a gentle smile as a radiant and kindly memory. I refer, of course, to Doctor John J. Terrell, who died in 1923, at the age of ninety-three, and whose long life was a benediction and a bless- ing to all who knew him. I am proud to remember him as one of my friends. He was called "the last of the Quakers," and is said
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to have attended the last meeting of the Friends which was held in this building. He was always interested in its preservation, and also largely responsible for its restoration. Like that other Terrell, or Terrail, of the days of ancient chivalry, the famous Chevalier Bayard, he was ever "without fear and without reproach," and we remember him today with love and gratitude.
The other name that I shall mention is that of John Lynch, the founder of Lynchburg. He it was who conceived the idea that a town might be built on the land patented and owned by him on the hills above the ferry across James River, and along with others he obtained its charter from the General Assembly of Virginia in 1786. He was a sincere and exemplary member of the Society of Friends, and his character is a lasting testimonial to the kind of religion they professed and practiced. Conscientious and high minded, charitable and benevolent, his life was both gentle and useful, and as was said of him by his friend and relative, Chris- topher Anthony, "He possessed a mind of the first order-a mind unimpaired by disease or old age until a very short time before his death; and a fortitude and firmness of character seldom equalled."
He was identified with the rise and progress of Lynchburg from the period when its site was an uninhabited wilderness until his death in 1821, and as Mr. Anthony said, "such was the veneration which the inhabitants of the town entertained for him, that he might be regarded as standing amongst them very much in the light of one of the patriarchs of old."
He is buried over there in the northeast corner of the church yard. No monument marks his grave, and probably, as a Quaker, he would have desired none, but, in the words inscribed at the tomb of Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of the Cathedral of St. Paul's in London, and who is buried in its crypt:
Si monumentum requiris circumspice
("If you would see his monument, look about you.") Look back there to the east and see the mighty city which bears his name, throbbing with life and industry, and still going forward in progress and beauty to a future which we proudly believe will be even brighter than its past. As James Barron Hope sang in his Lynch- burg Centennial Ode, now nearly fifty years gone by :
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"One hundred years ago Yon lofty hills Sent a thousand rills To the brawling flood below, And here Lynch stood In the silent wood Watching yon river flow.
"Yes, here Lynch stood With a dream in his brain, The dream of a conquering race! From the mountain tops To the spreading plain He saw a vision of coming crops, And beheld the sturdy forests give place To the opulent fields of grain.
"And looking abroad With his eager eyes Fully many a homestead He saw arise, And many a busy mill, And hereabouts, standing and looking down
He saw the streets of a growing town Come clambering up the hill.
"Yes, here Lynch stood;
I can see him now, With his modest figure And thoughtful brow. After one hundred years I see A picture of him Who oftentime stood Hereabouts under the silent wood-
A picture of him who often time wrought
Out into action his careful thought Of the thing that he willed to be. And here is the dream of the man long dead In the prosperous city around us spread."
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May the spirits of these two typical Quakers, John Lynch and John J. Terrell, identified so long with this place where we gather this beautiful autumnal afternoon, long continue to animate and inspire the citizens of their well loved county and city; and may their descendants who still live and move among us, esteemed and honored like themselves, loving and worshipping the same God whom they worshipped and loved, and serving their fellowmen in the same spirit of unselfish devotion, long live and prosper in this community, and transmit to their children's children the sterling virtues of their Quaker ancestors.
APPENDIX
The following accounts of three important episodes in the life of Lynchburg are included in this book, not only for their historic interest and importance but because also of the opportunity thus accorded to preserve in permanent form three of the speeches of Lynchburg's great orator and beloved citizen, Major John W. Daniel, which are not to be found in the volume of his published addresses brought out several years ago by the J. P. Bell Company and compiled by his son, Mr. Edward M. Daniel, and which because of their peculiar local interest are appropriate to the purpose for which the book is intended.
THE VIRGINIAN BUILDING FIRE
ACCOUNT OF THE EXERCISES HELD ON MAY 31, 1883, INCLUDING MAJOR JOHN W. DANIEL'S FUNERAL ORATION, IN MEMORY OF THE FIVE BRAVE FIREMEN WHO PERISHED IN THE VIRGINIAN BUILDING FIRE
On May 30, 1883, there occurred one of the most tragic incidents in the history of Lynchburg. Fire broke out in the build- ing in which the Lynchburg Virginian was then published, at the corner of Tenth and Main, and in a short time brought great destruction. Five heroic firemen, Halsey Gouldman, James Vaughan, James Clemins, W. R. Moore, and Felix Delbelvre were killed by the falling of a wall between the Virginian Building and that occupied by Jones Watts Company, next door in which the fire originated, while in the performance of their duty in fighting the flames. Never has the city been more profoundly moved than it was by this great tragedy which is still remembered by many of our older citizens. The following account of the funeral exercises which were held in the old Opera House (now remodeled and called the Trenton Theater) is taken from the Lynchburg News of Friday, June 1, 1883:
Another sad and solemn scene in the great drama was enacted yesterday when the funeral services of the five brave men who perished in Wednesday's holocaust took place, and their mortal remains were consigned to mother earth in the presence of a count- less multitude, and amid the sobs of loved ones and the sympathetic tears of friends. If Wednesday was a memorable day in the history of the town, so were the occurrences of yesterday of such an imposing and impressive character as never to be eradicated from the minds of those who participated in the exercises or witnessed the inspiring incidents of the occasion. All Lynchburg was in distress; business was suspended, educational institutions closed, public buildings and private houses put on the habiliments of mourning, and the city wore an aspect of inexpressible solemnity and sorrow.
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THE LAST BODY EXHUMED
With the dawn of the day, men gathered at the scene of the great disaster, and resumed search among the shapeless and smouldering mass of ruins for the missing body of brave Felix Delbelvre. Long and patiently the search was continued, until some faint doubt began to be entertained of the hapless firemen's fate; but on toward noon his mangled and charred corpse was discovered deep down under the debris, his right hand firmly grasping the axe which he had wielded to so much effect in the early stages of the fire. As gently as could be, the remains were raised, and placed upon a litter, and then borne away to receive the proper attention of friends.
THE FUNERAL EXERCISES
Long before the hour appointed for the funeral exercises at the Opera House, the street in front of that building was crowded with citizens of high and low degree, without regard to color or condition, gathered to join in paying the last tribute of esteem to the courageous men who had sacrificed their lives in the unselfish performance of public service. The sidewalks for several squares, both ways, were lined with people moving in the direction of the Opera House, the doors of which were opened to the public promptly at four o'clock; and in a very few minutes the spacious building was filled to overflowing, hundreds being unable to gain admittance.
On the stage, which was appropriately draped in mourning, and the front of which literally covered with floral tributes, wrought into various beautiful designs by loving hands-
"In emerald tufts, flowers purple, blue and white ;
Like sapphire, pearl and rich embroidery"-
-sat all the public officials, the City Council, the School Board, the pastors of the various churches, and a number of prominent citizens. Directly in front of the stage were the handsome caskets containing the remains of the deceased: Halsey Gouldman, Wm. R. Moore, James Vaughan, Felix Delbelvre, and James Clemins. The front seats in the parquet were occupied by the families of the dead, and in the rear of these on the right were
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seated the pall-bearers, and on the left the firemen, policemen, and the Red Men. The member's of St. Patrick's and other societies, together with citizens, occupied the seats in the dress circle and the boxes. In the left balcony sat the Lynchburg Home Guard and the Light Artillery Blues and in the right balcony the Virginia Guard and the Hill City Guard (both colored companies) ; the band also occupied seats in the balcony as did many citizens, and the galleries were filled with colored persons.
The exercises which were conducted by Rev. T. M. Carson, of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, opened with a funeral dirge by the band, Rev. Dr. Southerland, of the Methodist Protestant Church, then offered up to the throne of grace a beautiful and fervent prayer, which was followed by the familiar and touching hymn-
"Nearer, My God to Thee,"
read by Rev. G. C. Vanderslice, of Centenary M. E. Church. Rev. Mr. Carson then read the lesson from the first Corinthians, xv chapter, commencing with the twentieth verse, and was followed by-
Rev. Dr. Hall in an appropriate address, which profoundly impressed the vast audience, moving many to tears.
At the conclusion of Dr. Hall's remarks Rev. Wm. E. Ed- wards gave out the hymn-
"Jesus, Lover of My Soul,"
which was rendered with great feeling and expression, after which Rev. Mr. Carson presented Major Jno. W. Daniel, who had been requested to deliver
THE FUNERAL ORATION
Major Daniel's address was as follows:
Neighbors, and Friends: A common calamity, and a common grief have brought us here together. On yesterday the thickest populated portion of your city was in flames. Today its people are in tears.
Not for the loss of the buildings that came crashing down in fiery ruins, and not for the loss of the property that perished in them are we sad. The energy and enterprise of the able business
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men who suffered these losses will soon repair them. Their coffers will soon be replenished with whatever is missing today. The black, unseemly gap in the line of your principal street will soon be filled. Structures more stately than those that have gone down will rise in their stead, and ere long the ruffled currents of business will be smooth again, and in the channels of trade all will be well. But we mourn today a loss than can never be repaired. Bravely struggling to combat the devouring element, five brave men have fallen never to rise again. The wail of the widow, the mother, and the orphan, has succeeded the wild alarm of the bell, and the confused voices of the excited and contending crowd have died away in sobs and moans.
The fire which has thus disastrously resulted, broke out with great suddenness, and spread with fierce, swift rapidity. In a few moments from the time when the first flame darted forth its red serpent-like tongue, the great building where it began was envel- oped, and those adjoining were smoking with the dread contagion. The wind was strong, and almost before the city was fairly startled to its peril, the heavens were filled with flying firebrands, like falling stars, and it looked as if the chiefest portion of the town was about to the swept away. But quick and grasping as were the flames, scarce less quick were the feet of those who rushed to the rescue of their fellow-citizens. It is the bright side of a common peril that it instantly brings forth our common brotherhood, and shows our common dependence upon, and our common sym- pathy for each other. White and black, old and young, firemen, soldiers, and citizens, came speeding to help those whose property was endangered. And acts of kindness, and hospitality, and chivalry, and courage were done, not less noble than those which mark the conduct of the hero upon the battlefield.
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