Obituary of William Maples
(C. Avis Catalog entry #920)
Athens Post, Athens, Tennessee
6-4-1858
p. 4
Obituary.
HE IS GONE.
DIED — At his residence in this county, on Tuesday morning, the 25th inst., Father and Grandfather MAPLES, who for many years had been a member of the excellent society from which he is now taken, and on which he ever exerted so salutary an influence. Mr. Maples was a man in his younger days of excellent mind, and one, too, of business habits, managing well all to which he ever attended, and so preceding in all his business as to keep the friendship and gain the esteem of those with whom he chanced to deal. He was honest, prudent and punctual — his word was his bond — no man who knew him feared to trust him — none suspected him being their enemy. He possessed the traits peculiar to the christian — he loved his neighbor as he loved himself — he wept with those who wept around him and rejoiced with such as rejoiced. In short, he was one in whose manly bosom burned the fires of christian love. He kept the commandants (or tried at least,) and lived not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God. He was liberal to the faults of misguided friends, and bore with patience the wrongs of the world. Around him he raised his excellent family and early taught each member to fear God. The father is gone. But God will bless the children, for the Psalmist said, “I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread.” But I will cease to make an effort to delineate the outlines of Mr. Maples’ worth, or to portray to an inquiring world the true character of so an inestimable a man.
McMinn co., May 29, 1858 Little Hope.