Col. Horace RESLEY Obituaries (1902), Washington Co., MD
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Cumberland Evening Times, Monday, April 14, 1902
COL. HORACE RESLEY DEAD
HE PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY YESTERDAY MORNING
He Descended From Revolutionary Stock and Lived a Long Life of Usefulness and
Uprightness
After an illness of several weeks Colonel Horace Resley, known to nearly
every man, woman and child in the surrounding territory of three states, passed
peacefully away at the Western Maryland hospital, shortly after 3 o'clock
yesterday morning, aged 87 years. His illness dated from a fall he received on
an icy pavement near his home on Harrison street, which dislocated one of his
shoulders, producing paralysis. He had been unconscious most of the time since
and was unable to recognize his most intimate friends.
Col. Resley was clerk of the Circuit Court of this county for 22 years. He
was first elected in the year 1851, when Allegany and Garrett counties were both
one. His opponent at that time was A. S. McNamee. Col. Resley was an
independent Whig candidate, and his opponent the regular Democratic nominee.
The contest was a close one, Col. Resley having been elected by 13 majority. He
was again elected 6 years later. At the end of his second term, a
Constitutional amendment reduced the office to four years for a term. He was
then elected three successive terms longer but was finally defeated in 1873 by
the late Theodore Luman. Mr. Resley was also City Clerk of Cumberland for 15
years, retiring from that office in 1896. Since that time he lived in
retirement.
Col. Resley was born on a farm near Hancock, Washington county, Md., and
until he was 32 years of age he made his home in that county. In the autumn of
1847 he came to Cumberland, where he lived until his death. For a few years he
conducted a mercantile business on the corner of Baltimore and Centre streets in
connection with Chesapeake and Ohio Canal contractors, the firm being known as
Hunter, Harris & Resley. He was once a director of the Chesapeake & Ohio canal.
As a railroad contractor he constructed the famous Twenty-first cut on the
Baltimore and Ohio near Keyser, W. Va. He was once manager of the Grafton hotel
for eight years. Col. Resley [omitted word in original] in many enterprises.
He once had an option on what is now the famous Connellsville coal and coke
region at a comparative small figure, but failed to liquidate it. Col. Resley
was of stalwart build, standing "six feet, two," and in his prime was as
straight as an arrow and as strong as a Titan. He came from a stalwart race,
being of Swiss descent. His brother, Capt. James Resley, a Union soldier, who
died near Hancock, several years ago, was of unusual strength physically and was
strong minded.
At one time Col. Resley was a power in politics in this and Garrett county.
He was a Democrat but when the greenback movement was at its height Col. Resley
became the standard bearer of that party as its candidate for Congress in the
Sixth Congressional district, but was defeated.
Col. Resley was a man of great physical endurance, and until his recent
years his health was most vigorous. He was in every sense a man and one of the
most prominent of his day. Upright and honorable, and with those qualifications
he coupled generosity, and when in a position to do so no man ever appealed to
Col. Resley in vain for aid. Always ready to help the poor, he lavished a
fortune in that direction. He despised littleness and a mean act always met his
severest censure.
His mind was often occupied with mechanical problems and he was an inventor
of some note. In 1840 he suggested the idea for a pilot to be used on the
locomotive, which is the one still used by railroads, and later he took out
patents for a projectile for a cannon, a car coupler, whereby the necessity of
the brakeman to stand between the cars to couple them is avoided, a railroad
snowplow and a device for rounding curves, giving greater speed and avoiding the
wear and tear of machinery. Although these and other inventions by him have
proved to be of great value, the inventor did not reap the financial benefits
which should have accrued to him.
Col. Resley come of Revolutionary stock. His father, John Resley, was born
in Washington county, and owned extensive tracts of land and slaves to
cultivate same. He served during the war of 1812, being a lieutenant in a
company commanded by Capt. Stevens. After the war terminated he settled upon
the old homestead, where he lived in quiet and comfort the rest of his days, his
death taking place when in his 65th year.
His wife, Mary Snively, as she was before their marriage, was a native of
Pennsylvania and a descendant of Peter Markel, a former governor of that state.
She died at the age of 74 years. Of her ten children but two survive, George
and Cara Ann, who live near Mann, Fulton county, Pa.
His great grandfather was a native of Switzerland, and came to America
sometime before the Revolutionary war, in his young manhood, living thenceforth
in Lebanon county, Pa. Grandfather Jacob Resley was born in Lebanon county and
migrated to Maryland upon reaching maturity. He located in Washington county in
the vicinity of Hagerstown, and carried on a large farm there with the aid of
several slaves, which he owned.
He fought in the Continental army and was with Washington at Valley Forge.
In 1840 Colonel Resley married Sarah Mac Lanahan, daughter of John Lanahan,
of Franklin county. She died in 1872.
Mr. Jacob Brown, the venerable member of the Allegany county bar, was one of
the pallbearers.
He leaves two sons, John M. and William H. Resley. The latter is recovering
from a severe illness of some weeks duration. The only daughter, Miss Isabelle
Resley, died in February last. She was devoted to her aged father and to her
brothers, and was well known for her acts of self-sacrifice and benevolence.
Col. Resley was formerly an active member of the Masonic fraternity.