William Owsley Hansford

Died of strangulated hernia, at Manchester, Clay county, Ky., on the 20th inst. at 9 o'clock P.M. William Owsley Hansford, after an illness of only two days. The deceased, a descendant of an excellent Virginia family, which came to Kentucky in its early history, was born in Crab Orchard, this county, June 13, 1827, and had at his death just passed the Psalmist's limit of three-score and ten. His father was a man of prominence in his day and was for many years a member of the Lincoln county court, during the times when that court was justly famous for its character and ability. His mother was a member of the well known Owsley family. In his youth the subject of this sketch was educated at old Bacon College, the predecessor of the present Kentucky University, and subsequently prepared himself for the bar. He did not pursue the law, however, but engaged in the pursuits of a farmer, trader and merchant at the place of his birth, until a few years ago, when he resumed the practice of law, returning in old age to the choice of his youth. About two years since, attracted by the unusual promise held out to enterprise and talent by South-eastern Kentucky, he removed to Manchester with his family and had just succeeded by systematic diligence in laying the foundation for a prosperous career in his profession, when the last sudden summons came to him. Twice he was sent by the people of his native county to represent them in the General Assembly at Frankfort, once in the session of 1857-8 and again in the session of 1881-2 and on both occasions he acquitted himself of his trust with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents. He was happily married in 1859 to Miss Eliza Bruce, of Garrard county, who with three children, the fruits of the marriage, survive him. Saturday his remains, in presence of a long concourse of his friends and neighbors, among them many members of the Stanford bar, were laid to rest in the beautiful little cemetery at Crab Orchard, which overlooks the spot where he was born and the scenes of his long, useful and kindly life.