Funeral
Knell.
Obesquies of Capt. John B. Fay
An Imposing Affair-Floral Offerings-A Biographical
Sketch of the Deceased
In pursuance of call, the Odd Fellows met at their hall on
Wednesday evening to make arrangements to receive the remains of
Capt. John B. Fay, of Louisville, Ky. On Thursday a large number of
the brethren met at the hall and proceeded in a body to the depot to meet
the remains, which arrived on train 12. They were taken to the 1st M E
Church, where a short discourse was delivered by the Rev. T L Flood and
the remains were viewed by a number of his numerous friends. At the grave,
the beautiful ceremonies of the Order were observed. C
R Marsh, Esq. acting at N.G., and J W Hannen,
Esq., as chaplain. The pall bearers were Messrs. J F
Frazier, T J Doyle, E Woodring, Geo V Dreutlein, Robert Andrews and
John B Compton. The remains were in charge of
King and Long, undertakers, of this city.
The deceased was born in Centre county, Penn’a, June 17t, 1833.
He was left fatherless when about one year old, and his mother
subsequently married Philip Harpst, a
well-known citizen of this place. In the year 1839, Capt. Fay first became
a citizen of this place with his parents, that being the date of their
first settlement here. During the year 1845 or 6 the deceased began to
learn the printing trade in the office of the “Gazzette,” published by
L L Lord in this city, which paper afterwards merged into the “Crawford
Journal.” In this office he
worked until George Youngson started the “
Cussewago Chronicle,” when he went into the office of that paper, and
continued to work their until it suspended publication. In 1851 or 52 he,
in company with Harper Mitchell, started the “Spirit of the Age,”
which paper was the predecessor of the Meadville Republican. After this
time he was engaged in the office of the Crawford Democrat and the
Crawford Journal until the year 1858, when he learned the photograph
business, then in its infancy, and became one of the most skillful and
successful artists in the city. In August, 1862, he recruited company C,
150th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, of which he was elected captain.
Soon after entering service he was appointed Brigade Inspector, in which
capacity he served until after the battle of Chancellorville when, his
health failing him, he was transferred to the Invalid Corps, where he
served in the capacity of captain until the close of the war. Soon after
his discharge he moved to Dayton, Ohio, where he engaged in a business of
Steam Laundry and gentlemen’s furnishing goods. Owing to adverse
circumstances he failed in the business there, but magnanimously refused
to claim the benefit of any exemption or bankrupt laws. Surrendering up
everything he had in the way of worldly effects, he again entered the
printing office as a journeyman, and continued to work at his old trade
until he had secured enough to start in the photography business, when he
opened a gallery in Louisville, where he remained until he died. He has
been in poor health for a number of years. He leaves a wife and one son
about 19 years of age. His mother resides in this section, and he has also
three half-brothers and four half-sisters, in this neighborhood. He was a
member of Boone Lodge No. 1, I O of O F of Louisville, Ky., also a member
of the Masonic fraternity. The remains were enclosed in a very handsome
casket, and the top was placed with some beautiful floral offerings. One
in the design of and anchor was presented by the Lodge of Odd Fellows to
which he belonged. Another in the design of a compass and square, with a
card attached bearing the inscription,” Sympathy of Fall City Lodge, No
386.”
- A. Y. M.
Submitted
by Annette
and Dan Fay
