THE HONORED DEAD: HORACE MAYNARD SLEEPS

The Knoxville Daily Tribune published an article entitled "The Honored Dead: Horace Maynard Sleeps", detailing the memorial service honoring Horace Maynard held in Knoxville, Tennessee, on May 5, 1882.

Yesterday was a day of solemnity in Knoxville, and our people felt a sorrow more profound than when the President of the Republic, but a few months ago, was torn from the position of honor in which he had been placed by the American people. The loss is not only that of a great man, but of a neighbor, friend and highly respected and useful private citizen. And though the whole nation may not so forcibly feel the loss, yet we doubt not that history will accord to Hon. Horace Maynard a greatness not inferior to that of our lately martyred President.

In honor of the memory of the distinguished dead the University of Tennessee, the public schools and the courts were suspended yesterday and in the afternoon business houses were closed during the funeral services.

At two o'clock the bell at the Second Presbyterian Church began to toll and a deeper solemnity seemed to fall upon the city. The church had already filled with people and numbers blocked the doorways and windows of the church, while hundreds stood in the walkways, in the street and in the public square in front of the Custom House. For two squares Clinch Street was blocked with carriages.

At a few minutes after two o'clock the great organ began to send forth the solemn tones of the funeral music. In advance of the casket containing the mortal remains of the deceased, the venerable Rev. Dr. Humes, president of the University of Tennessee, slowly walked up the aisle, accompanied by Rev. Dr. Park and Rev. Mr. Sturgis, the latter Mr. Maynard's pastor.

Next followed the casket borne to the alter by the following pall-bearers: Hon. Perez Dickinson, Col. Hu L. McClung, George W. Ross, Hon. Davy Richards, Hon 0. P. Temple, Judge George Andrews, Col. E. J. Sanford, Col. J. B. Minnis, Capt. William Rule, Major A. S. Prosser, J. D. Cowan and Col. W. A. Henderson.

The wife, daughter, two sons and near relatives of the deceased followed, taking their seats immediately in front of the alter.

Hon. Frank Hatton, First Assistant Postmaster-General; Hon. R. A. Elmer, Second Assistant Postmaster-General; Hon. A. D. Hazen, third Assistant Postmaster-General; Hon. A. A. Freeman, Assistant Attorney-General of the Postoffice Department; Hon. W. B. Thompson, Superintendent Railway Mail Service, with other distinguished gentlemen and friends of the deceased, had arrived from Washington but a few hours before the funeral.

Following the family of the deceased, the Board of Trustees of the University of Tennessee entered in a body, nearly all the older members being present. Next followed the faculty of the university.

The members of the Bar of Knoxville came next, all the older lawyers and a large number of the younger ones being present.

The alter was deeply draped in mourning. In front and near the casket was a large vase of beautiful snow-white flowers, with weeping vines tailing around the bottom of the vase. On the right stood a well rounded column of white flowers, over the capital of which was thrown a wreath of roses. On the left stood a floral cross of equal height with the column, and in the centre of which was a pure white lily. On either side of the alter was a basket of beautiful flowers and on the stands above stood two vases. On a stand near the head of the casket stood the most beautiful tribute of all It was a crown surmounted by a cross, and the two suspended over a bed of roses. The whole was most artistically constructed of exquisitely beautiful flowers, and on the flower-bed strands of rosebuds bloomed out the word "Rest." The pew formerly occupied by Mr. Maynard was closed and draped in mourning, while a wreath of white flowers rested on the crape.

The funeral services began by the reading of a hymn by Rev. Mr. Sturgis. The hymn was sung by the choir at the special request of the friends of the deceased.

Rev. Dr. Park then read the first half of the 14th chapter of Job, 4th chapter of 1st Thessalonians beginning with the 15th verse and the 15th chapter of 1st Corinthians beginning with the 35th verse.

A most earnest and touching prayer was then offered by Rev. Dr. Humes, and the choir sang the beautiful hymn, "Abide With Me".

Rev. F. E. Sturgis then delivered the funeral oration with a summation of the life of the Honorable Horace Maynard. Ending his remarks he said, •The public shall endure so long as such men live and act among us, and the young men of our land, on whom rest our zeal and destiny, will be strong and firm and brave and true so long as they study the qualities--remember the virtues and emulate the example and fame of Horace Maynard of Tennessee."

Rev. Dr. Humes read in impressive style the hymn "I Would Not Live Always" and it rendered by the choir.

By permission of the friends and family of the deceased the face of the casket was uncovered and almost the entire audience passed in single file by the alter and looked upon the face of the dead.

The casket was then transferred to the hearse by the pall-bearers and a long procession took up the solemn march to Gray Cemetery. The procession was headed by the Cadet cornet band, playing a funeral march, followed by the battalion of Cadets from the University under command of Col. S. B, Crawford. Next came the carriage containing Rev. Dr. Humes, Rev. Dr. Park, Rev. Mr. Sturgis and Rev. Mr. Sparrow. The pall-bearers occupied the next five carriages. The hearse came next, followed by three carriages, containing the near relatives of the deceased. Following these were the carriages with the First, Second and Third Assistants Postmaster-General, Assistant Attorney General, Superintendent Railway Mail Service and several other distinguished gentlemen from Washington. Next in order came the carriages containing' the trustees and faculty of the University of Tennessee. Following these came a long procession of carriages containing many of the leading citizens of Knoxville and a number of distinguished people from different parts of the State. There were in all about sixty carriages, and the procession must have been about a mile long. A number of our old citizens remarked that it was the largest funeral train ever seen in Knoxville, the largest one in former years being the one which followed ex-Senator Brownlow to the grave. The procession was seen by thousands of people who thronged the streets or viewed the cortege from the windows. An immense throng had assembled at Gray Cemetery long before the procession had reached there. Various estimates were made as to the number of the people and it is not improbable that from first to last not less than ten thousand people witnessed such a part of the funeral.

At the cemetery the solemn funeral service was performed by Rev. Dr. Humes, Rev. Dr. Park, Rev. F. E. Sturgis and Rev. M. Sparrow. Then all that was mortal of Hon. Horace Maynard was laid to rest. WGT

State Highway Marker 1F 102 in Old Gray cemetery located on North Broadway in Knoxville, TN, near the tomb of Horace Maynard  Photograph courtesy Martha J. Carter 1990.

For more information on this article or any article or publication of the Union County Historical Society please write them at:

Union County Historical Society
P.O. Box 95
Maynardville, TN 37807

Or
E-mail the Union County Historical Society.

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