Obituary: John Hyland

IN MEMORIAM.
We substitute for what we had written of the late John Hyland two tributes from longtime appreciative friends:

Died October 11th, 1895, at Providence Hospital, Washington, D. C., of paralysis, JOHN HYLAND, a well-known and very highly respected citizen of Harper’s Ferry, W. Va., aged about 65 years.

Mr. Hyland was a native of King’s county, Ireland, and to those who knew him it is unnecessary to say that he possessed all of the virtues and very few of the faults generally attributed to the race from which he sprang.– Imp[u]lsive and brave, almost to a fault, his proverbial generosity was not confined by any limit of sect or party, but embraced the needy and unhappy wherever he found them. He had to a marked degree the sprightliness of his countrymen, and his answer was ever ready for the banter of his friends, but there was nothing caustic in his wit, and his opponent always parted from him confessing his defeat, but never with a sense of wounded lelf-love, for poor Hyland’s shafts were never dipped in gall. In consequence he was extremely popular with old and young and every class in the community.

On the breaking out of our late war Mr. Hyland cast his fortune with the Southern Confederacy and he served in the army until the very last of the contest with great credit, as is generally understood. To the hour of his death he was an enthusiastic lover of the South, and a needy veteran of “the lost cause” never failed to receive a substantial token of poor Hyland’s love for his companions in arms.

He was buried Sunday, October 13th, from St. Peter’s Church, at Harper’s Ferry, after the solemn funeral service of the Catholic Church was performed– his nephew, Father O’Farrell, of Petersburg, Va., afficiating– and his remains were consigned to rest in the Catholic Cemetery in South Bolivar.

The funeral procession, in spite of unfavorable weather, was very imposing, for a great many of his admirers and fellow-veterans from the county surrounding attended to pay the last tribute of love to this singularly noble and amiable man. Requiescat in pace.
A FRIEND.

HARPER’S FERRY, W. VA.,
October 14th, 1895.
“When John Hyland, of Harper’s Ferry, died at Providence Hospital in this city the other day one of the noblest characters of earth passed away,” said Col. J. D. Butt, the well known West Virginian at the National. “John Hyland was one of the truest men, the biggest-hearted, the most loyal in his friendships, that ever lived, and hundreds will cherish his memory. He was born in Ireland a little over sixty years ago, and served throughout the civil war with conspicuous bravery on the Confederate side. For many years he had been one of the prominent citizens of Harper’s Ferry, and had been recognized as one of the Democratic leaders of Jefferson county. He gave to his party unsparingly of his time and means, but never wanted office for himself. Every good man was John Hyland’s friend, and the deeds of kindness he wrought were without number. If a poor man needed a few dollars in an emerency there was always one warm heart that would not refuse him; if an unfortunate languished in jail for want of bail one man could always be relied on to furnish bond. Take him all in all I never knew his counterpart for generosity, courage, and fidelity.– Peace to his ashes!”