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TROOP, William Henry (63)

Parents

Birth

  • Born on January 17, 1801 in Lower Granville, Annapolis Co., NS

Death

  • Died on November 21, 1875 in Paradise, Annapolis Co., NS
  • Buried in Community Centre Cemetery in Nictaux, Annapolis Co., NS

Marriages

Children

Notes

  • Occupation: Teacher/ Merchant/ Justice of Peace
  • Death: Erysipelas
  • Obituary: After a short illness, departed this life Nov. 21st, 1875 at the residence of his son-in-law Avard Longley, Esq., Paradise. Our departed brother was the second son of the late Willam H. Troop of Granville and was born January 17th, 1801. He enjoyed the best educational advantages afforded by the schools of the day in his boyhood; and for valuable assistance received in his more advanced studies from the Revd. Dr. Robertson of Wilmot, then residing in Bridgetown, he ever retained the most grateful recollection. On the 22nd of January, 1823, brother Troop, has united in marriage to Lucy A. Manning eldest daughter of the Rev. James Manning, and in 1832 he with his companion made a public profession of religion. The circumstances attending their conversion were somewhat remarkable. Mingling in a gay circle, and following the customs of society, then considered fashionable, they were surrounded by influences and associations calculated to allure them on in a course of worldly dissipation. But in the midst of this sort of life they were not happy, and being led to an interchange of thought and feeling upon the subject, found, to their mutual gratification, that their views and feelings were in harmony '96 each having come to the conclusion that something more than a mere round of worldly pleasure was needed to impart true happiness and peace of mind. By the help of God they resolved to "come out from the world" and acting upon this resolution, At the date before mentioned, were baptized by the late Revd. William Elder, and untied with the Baptist Church at Bridgetown. In 1834 our brother removed from Bridgetown to Nictaux where for several years he taught a most efficient school, and subsequently engaged in trade. With the church at Nictaux then under the pastoral care of the Rev. I.E. Bill, our brother walked in happy harmony. He was superintendent of the Sabbath School there during a period of fourteen years, and was ever an active supporter of evry interest and enterprise of the church. In the spring of 1840 his beloved companion was removed by death, leaving two daughters, and in June 1841 he was married the second time to Sophia, daughter of the late Colonel Eager of Nictaux. In 1850 he removed to Wolfville and opened a seminar for young ladies under the charge of his daughters. In the following year he was again called to suffer affliction by the death of his second wife, whose amiable disposition and christian deportment had greatly endeared her to her husband and family, and whose loss left a blank most painfully felt. In 1853 our brother went to Colchester County, and for a period of five years was engaged in trade at Five Islands and Londonderry, in both of which places he formed pleasant ties of christian fellowship and found work to do for the Master. In the spring of 1858 his home at Wolfville, having in the meantime been broken up by the marriage of his daughter, he returned to his native county and came to make his home with his only surviving daughter at Paradise. The seventeen years spent in the latter place were distinguished by great industry and usefulness, and unselfish devotion to the welfare of others. The life of our lamented brother was not exempt from the vicissitudes which attend the lives of most men; but by the blessing of God he became successful in his worldly affairs and rich in the "treasure" laid up for the life to come. From the time of his making a profession of religion until the date of his death his life was uniformly consistent. His piety and intelligent '96 its flame never flashed out brilliantly to burn brightly for a time and then died away in darkness; but its light never went out. Whatever related to the welfare of the church with which for the time being he was connected, or the prosperity of the cause of God generally elicited his hearty sympathy and cooperation. He regarded the Sabbath School and Bible Class as among the most efficient instrumentalities for imparting religion instruction, and was ever actively interested in this sphere of christian usefulness. Few laymen were more conversant with, or more delighted in the study of God's word than he. During the latter years of his life he spent many of his leisure hours in his own room in the careful study of the bible and communion with his God. An absent member of the family in writing home after his death touchingly alludes to her reminiscences of him in this connection. "Your departed father" she writes, "has now entered upon the possession of his inheritance in the Heavenly Land: - that land could not have seemed afar off to him for he lived in sight of it for many years. Poring over the Bible, that book he loved so well, he must often have caught brief bright glimpses of the Holy City, and the glories thereof." In all the relations of life our departed brother's example was worthy of imitation. As a son he was dutiful, as a husband and father, tender and kind, as a friend faithful, as a citizen intelligent and public-spirited and as a christian humble and devoted. He was naturally friendly and hospitable and delighted in the society of those who enjoyed religious conversation, or could impart religious instruction. A highly esteemed Christian minister who made a brief visit at the house a few months before our brother's death, in a letter of sympathy, subsequently written, refers kindly to the pleasure then afforded for the first time of holding intimate intercourse with the departed. "I was pleased," he remarks, "beyond anything I might have expected with my conversations with him on that occasion. His intelligence, his knowledge of men and things, his genial manners and refined christian spirit quite delighted me. Our dear brother's last illness was short, but for a day or two excited no particular apprehension, and when on the evening of the third day after he was taken, he was informed by his physician that he could not recover, he manifested no alarm or anxiety '96 all was peaceful resignation to the will of his Heavenly Father. There was no anguish on his brow, No terror in his eye The spoiler aimed a fatal dart But lost the victory. On the following morning the morning of the Sabbath on which he died, he requested a friend, who sat by his bedside, to read one of the Psalms, and after the reading he engaged in prayer with as much composure as though he had been leading in the family devotion, and with a coherency of ideas and appropriateness of language at once astonished and delightful to listen to. He then requested his grand children to be brought in that he might take leave of them '96 and shortly after became partially unconscious '96 and gradually sank into the arms of death s tranquilly as a child falls into slumber. The remains of our departed brother were, in accordance with his expressed wish conveyed to the Nictaux burying ground, there to await the resurrection morn. An impressive funeral sermon was preached at Paradise on the following Sabbath by pastor Rev. A. Cohoon from Proverbs xiv, 22nd, "The righteous hath hope in death." "Why weep we then for him, who having run, The bound of man's appointed years at last, Lifes' blessings all enjoyed life's labors done, Serenely to his final rest has passed, While the soft memory of his virtues yet, Linger like twilight-hues after the sun is set."

Sources

  • Nova Scotia Deaths: Book 1801 Pg. 98 #147
  • Annapolis Cemetery Records: Nictaux Community Centre Cemetery #640

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