Wilburn Patton Head,
b. January 27, 1879; d. July 14, 1922
from Scott County, VA Newspaper
WILBURN P. HEAD
Wilburn P. Head, who was a native of this county, but who has lived several years in Kentucky, was killed by his horse on his farm in Lee County, KY., where he had gone from his home in Richmond to see about some matters on his farm, on Friday afternoon, July 14. He was in a field among his cattle when his horse suddenly kicked him in the breast, from which he died the following morning.
This was a shock to his many friends in Scott County, as there has not been a more manly man, with stronger traits of character, went out from our people than Wilburn P. Head. Everybody who knew him admired and liked him. He was the son of the late H. P. Head and was reared below Speers Ferry, this county in Robinett Valley. He will be recalled by many here several years ago as a student at Shoemaker College, also by many of his school friends when at William and Mary College. Later he left college and went to Idaho and was engaged in the sheep business there for several years; returned from there and married Miss Mollie Stephenson, daughter of the late J. W. Stephenson, near Speers Ferry. He then engaged for a while in the mercantile business at Appalachia, and later in merchandising and farming in Kentucky. To this marriage four daughters were born. He has been successful in business and always made friends where he went. He has several relatives in Scott County, J. H. Peters, of the Peoples National Bank, being his cousin and boyhood friend. He leaves one brother, H. H. Head of Appalachia, and one sister, Mrs. Paralee Darter, of Church Hill.
It is very sad from the human side of life that such things occur. With our limited vision we cannot always understand them. But we do admit that “There is a Divinity that shapes our ends, rough hew them as we may.” There is a Providence working in all and through all the affairs of life. We do not understand it all now, but “Some day we’ll know and understand it all.”
“Never the spirit was born, the spirit shall cease to be never!
Never the time it was not, end and beginning are dreams.
Birthless, and deathless, and changeless abideth the spirit forever.
Death cannot touch it at all, dead though the house of it seems.”
A rose impaled upon a somber cross
We hold as sign of immortality,
And each of us from some Gethsemane
must pass alone to this dread Calvary.
Eternal life is only won through pain
And sorrow, like the Man of Galilee,
We needs must suffer if we wish to gain
The vision grand and set the spirit free.
—-J. H. P.
Wilburn was the son of Hezekiah Patton Head
Submitted by Debbie Hunt
Lucinda ( Collins ) Shatto says
My Great Greandpartents was Hiram Hall and Sarah F. Jones. On there marrage bond a Elbert Head was on it. Do you have any thing on the Hall side of the family? I think I know who Hiram father and mother are but not quit for suer. Sarah F. Jones mothe was Margery Wininger.So would this be the Head family and the Wininger were related? Will share what I have on Sarah F. Jones if you do not have it. Hope you can help. Lucinda
Lynne Head Geis says
This was my grandfather’s cousin. My grandpa herded sheep in Idaho with his brother and uncle Will Peters. My grandfather was Worley Head, the son on James Patton Head and Virginia Head. He was Hezekiah’s brothers. If anyone knows of any more of this Head tree information I would so appreciate any information or old photos as we know little since my grandfather came to Idaho at a very young age and his father was died in his 30’s. They lived 7 miles up Robinette valley off the Clinch river as many of the Heads did. Thanks so much for sharing.