Obituary for Capt. Richard Wommack (1804-1880)
Believed to be from the Troy Free Press (Troy, Lincoln Co., MO).
Contributed by Tina Wells.

OBITUARY Death of Capt. Richard Wommack EDITORS FREE PRESS:

Capt. Richard Wommack, one of our most respected citizens, who had perhaps been more closely identified, and taken a more active interest in the public welfare of Lincoln county for the last fifty years, than any other man that ever lived in our county, died on the 25th inst., in the seventy seventh year of his age. No man has been better known to the people of Lincoln county for the last half century, and done more universally respected, than Richard Wommack. He was born in Halifax county Virginia, January 10th, 1804, in 1806 went with his parents to Tennessee where his father died. He then came with his mother and family to this county Oct. 22nd 1823. He was married three times; in 1825 to Miss Cynthia Smiley, in 1831 to Mrs. Elizabeth Gilmore, and in 1874 to Mrs. Mary Morris who survives him; has had thirteen children, eight of whom are still living, all are married and constitute a highly respectable portion of our community, to mourn the loss of a valued and much beloved husband, father and friend. Capt. Wommack was twice elected to the office of assessor, four times to the sheriff, and four times to the legislature, as well as appointed to many other minor public trusts, and in all of these important and varied positions in which the people place him, they had an abiding continence in his judgment, honesty, and ability, and were [sic] deceived, or disappointed in the faithful discharge of the important trusts committed to his management and care. Though knowing it was human to err, in his acute judgment of men and things, he was scarcely ever found in the wrong. It may, indeed, be truly said, that better of any of our honored citizens have gone before us, who have played so conspicuous a part among us, or whose memory deserves a more kindly and respectful consideration from the people of Lincoln county than that of Mr. Richard Wommack. Through life he was a firm and consistent member of the Baptist church, and died full of resignation and hope of a happy eternity, making it one of the last acts of his life, while his strength would admit of it, to read chapters from the bible. Particularly on the afflictions of Job; bearing his own afflictions with Christian resignation, and edification to his children and others around him. It was the melancholy, pleasure of the writer of this little sketch of the life of a good man, to see and converse with him only a few days before his death, witness his complete resignation and bid a final and last farewell to his valued friend. M.

ANOTHER TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF CAPT. WOMMACK

Richard Wommack was born in Halifax Co. Va. On the 10h of January 1804, and departed this life on the 25th of March 1880. His parents moved to Tennessee in 1806, and from thence he came to Missouri in 1823, with his mother having lost his father "several years previous". With scanty means, in a new and thinly settled country he was compelled to labor for his support and maintenance on a farm, obtaining as best he could the barest rudiments of reading, writing and arithmetic. Possessed of an active temperament, inquiring mind and retentive memory, he soon exhibited intellectual adornments, far above the great mass of those with whom he associated. At an early age he was elected assessor, and afterwards four times as sheriff, and four times as member of the legislature from this county. His violet [sic] opponent, so far as writer Hereof has ever heard never charged him with having failed to discharge his duties faithfully and well. Being a candidate for office at times when party spirit ran as high as at any time during the last forty years, it was observed that many of his neighbors who were violent opponents of the party to which he belonged, invariably voted for Mr. Wommack. The question was asked, "Why do you support a man who is so sturdy an opponent of your political principles, and whose energetic action does more injury to your party than that of any one else!" The reply was "He is our neighbor and nobody is more ready and prompt to assist us in any way than he. If we need pecuniary help, he does not refuse it – if we are sick, he is always at our bedside to aid us." Decided in his religious opinions, and a warm partisan in politics, he never intentionally said aught personally offensive to any one, neither in argument nor debate. In a personal acquaintance of more than fifty years, the writer of this tribute to his memory never heard him use a profane or obscene word. To him anything bordering on profanity or vulgarity was extremely offensive. He was a man of decided and positive character, and should he have committed acts of indiscretion – as who has not – they wink into utter insignificance in comparison to the good he has done, and the example, he has set to those coming after him, for his works live after, as well as follow him. The old landmarks of society are constantly being removed by death, but it will be many a day before one who stood so prominent, and pointed the way of an honest, upright and Christian life with more constancy will fall in our midst. As a husband and father his actions ere ever characterized by the most affectionate and tender regard. He left a wife and numerous progeny, and though he was too generous to have accumulated much of this world’s goods to leave them, they have an inheritance of which they may be much more proud, a good name and an untarnished honorable [sic] honor. His life was gentle, and the elements so mixed in him, that Nature might stand up and [sic] to all the world. This was a good man. H.

We print elsewhere tributes to the memory of Capt. Wommack written by two of the oldest and most highly respected citizens of this county – both of them, for many years, intimate friends and acquaintances of the deceased.

Obituary on the death of Capt. Wommack I wrote an article on the death of my old friend, Capt. Richard Wommack, which will be found posted on the opposite page signed, "M." Together with another article written by my old friend, Coln. Thomas G. Hutt signed "H." Together with a little note from the Editor of the Troy Free press in regard to the writers of the two articles. The Editor also wrote a good article, at the conclusion of which he made the note herewith referred to and posted. I had known Mr. Wommack intimately for forty years, and perhaps few men enjoyed a more intimate friendship, or whose opinions for many years back ran so nearly in the same groove upon general matters of county policy, politically and otherwise.

File submitted to HERITAGE PAGES of LINCOLN COUNTY, MISSOURI by Tina Wells, 5 April, 2006.

NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or their legal representative, and contact the listed county coordinator with proof of this consent.

Return to Lincoln County, Missouri
Obituary Index  |  Heritage Page  |  Home Page