R.S. HAVILAND departed this life. at his residence on the 8th of August 1858, in the 62nd year of his age. No citizen of this county was ever more highly esteemed by all who knew him – death could have cut down no one more loved and revered by his family, or more deeply regretted by a large circle of devoted friends. Mr. Haviland was born in the city of New York, in 1796; he was a gallant soldier in the war of 1812, under Captain Swartwout; in 1818 he emigrated to Kentucky, and in 1820 intermarried with Miss Mary Stewart at the residence of her father in this county; he removed to Lexington in this State in 1829, where he resided about four years; he then returned to his farm at Havilandsville, which he continued to cultivate up to the time of his death. It was during Mr. Haviland’s residence at Lexington that the writer of this notice made his acquaintance; he was at that time superintendent of the Sabbath School in the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was an exemplary member. The Sabbath School under his management flourished in an unprecedented degree, and doubtless many children who then attended that school and who are now struggling with the cares and responsibilities of man and womanhood look back with grateful remembrance to his kindly teachings and Christian example. The writer recurs to chat period with especial pleasure as he had the good fortune to belong to his private class and has enjoyed his friendship ever since.
Mr. Haviland was an active, energetic, businessman – proverbially upright in his dealing; by his industry and enterprise, he was enabled to rear and educate a large family of children in such a manner as to reflect credit upon himself and fit them for usefulness. It is but simple justice to his memory to say that he discharged his whole duty in all the relations of life. His hospitality was warm and generous; the amenities of social life in him were so happily blended with the graces of the Christian, that the many who have felt their genial influences would say he died too soon: but they have the consolation to know that his “end was peace,” and that the darkness of death was illumined by the undimmed brightness of the “Christian hope.”
W.