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Illustrious Men
Among the many who figured in the
annals of this city, when she was in her younger days, and up to within the
last eight or ten years, we must give place here to a short biography of Dr.
Milo Smith, deceased.
This gentleman, a citizen of this
place for many years, died in 1869.
He was a man of a great deal of information on almost every
subject pertaining to the matters Biblical and Historical, but especially
Physic.
He was the man to whom the masses
invariable applied for information in regard to affairs not within the ken or
reach of the commonality of men.
He was perfectly acquainted with
the city and surrounding country.
His practice was larger than that
of any of his brethren of the medical profession in this vicinity. But, alas! He was addicted to the habit of
drinking, and for a number of years previous to his demise was an habitual
drinker, saving a few months when, occasionally, his better self would
predominate over the cursed appetite.
Yet it may be safely said that
while doing a very large practice, he hardly every failed to visit his patients
from this cause, though, of course he occasionally failed to do so. This habit then, was his enemy! This was his felt destroyer! Otherwise he was a man in every sense of the
work.
He died in the full hope, let us
trust, of an eternity of rest beyond this “Vale of tears,” Peace to his ashes.
Contemporary with him of whom we
have just spoken, was F. A. Parham, the father of the writer.
In modesty, we speak but briefly
of him who, too, has passed from among us.
The subject of this sketch was
the editor of the old Gazette in this city, for some twenty or twenty two
years. He was a man of social, easy
manners, with few enemies and hosts of friends.
His acquaintanceship was large and varied. It has been said often that “none knew but to
love with him.”
With one very great weakness he
struggled for a number of years, that of drinking. He, too, like Dr. Smith, was one of the weak
ones.
Oh! That men would put a thin gin
their mouths to steal away their brains.
In 1862, the year of his death,
he was acting coroner, and having called out at the mid hour of night to hold
an inquest over the body of a man found dead near the city, he caught a cold,
from which he never recovered.
He was attacked with pneumonia
and after lingering in pain a few days his soul took its flight.
Just before his death, he called
for the pastor of the Presbyterian Church, who came, and administered spiritual
life to him. It is the hope and belief
of his friends that he sought and found “life everlasting:, just before his
death.
F. A. Parham was among the
earlier settlers. He was self educated,
having attended school but a few months altogether during his early life. It was in the printing office he gained a
vast knowledge of the world and of letters.
In 1859 the Gazette was
suspended.
In 1862 its founder died.
The Federal Army coming in
shortly after, every type was taken from the widowed wife and orphan children
and we chronicle the last of the dear old Gazette, and revered, respected and
honored F. A. Parham. Heaven rest his
soul.
We might speak here of many
others, but a want of the requisite information forbids us doing so.
We, therefore, ask pardon of the
reader for this innovation, and close our memoirs with a short sketch of
Archibald Faidley, deceased.
To say that “old man Faidley,” as
he was familiarly called, was universally beloved, would but be doing justice
to the subject, no more.
He was the oldest printer in the
place, and a good one.
He raised a large family, some of
whom are yet living, but most of whom are dead.
He died during the war, none the
less respected or loved by his friends, because of his weak points.
He was a man who drank, often to
excess, but otherwise he as a genial, clever, large hearted man. His family loved him, his friends loved him.
Oh! Who was it so hated him as to
tempt his appetite with the wine cup hell of vice!
Parham’s Chattanooga City
Directory 1871-1872
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