OBITUARY
18 MARCH 1823: Georgia Journal, Milledgeville, GA:
Another Revolutionary Hero gone!
Departed this life at his residence, about seven miles from Greensboro, on the 23d February last, Archibald Gresham, Esq. in the 70th year of his age. For some days before his death he appeared to enjoy unusual good health. On the day of his death he was uncommonly cheerful; while sitting at dinner application was made to him for assistance by a distressed traveller, whose wagon and horses were stalled near the house; his servants being all out of the way except one, he called on him to go and observed he would go himself, and accordingly went and aided the man up one hill, but in attempting to help him up another, having taken hold of the wheel, he made an exertion to start the waggon, let go and immediately sunk to his knees, and expired in about one minute.
Mr. Gresham was born in the State of Virginia, Prince Edward county - While a child his father removed to North Carolina - as soon as Mr. Archibald Gresham was eligible he was elected a Justice of the Inferior Court, the dutues of which appointment he discharged faithfully to the public and honorably to himself. During "the days which tried mens souls," he was actively engaged in defending the rights of his fellow-citizens: he was an officer in the Revolutionary war, and was in many sore conflicts with the British and Tories. He was a republican in principle, and always manifested a zealous attachment to the principles of this government. Mr. Gresham has been a citizen of this State upwards of 35 years, and for the first seven years after he came here, was in frequent engagements witht the Indians, by who he sustained considerable losses. The citizens of Greene county thrice honored him with their suffrages in electing him a member of the Legislature. He acted as Judge of the Inferior Court of Greene county more than 15 years.
At the commencement of the late war, when the Silver Greys, or old men in the several counties were tendering their services, he was one of the first who volunteered in the defense of those rights for which he was ever ready to shed his heart's blood in the preservation, he was elected the commander of a large and respectable company. Mr. Gresham was an orderly of the Baptist Church for nearly fourteen years. he was an affectionate husband, a tender parent, an indulgent master; his philanthropy was unbounded, and in the discharge of one of its friendly offices he expired. An aged and pious wife and six children, with numerous friends, will ever mourn his loss.
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Page last updated 15 April 2008.