The Bee (Danville, Virginia) 9 July 1928 (Pages 1 and 5)
B. Y. Fretwell Passes Away; 85 Years Old
Well-Known Danville Veteran Succumbs to Heart Attack
Captain Bart Y. Fretwell, one of the best known Confederate War survivors in Danville, passed to his reward on Sunday afternoon at half past two o'clock after an illness of four months, since which time he had been an invalid steadily falling and suffering recurring heart attacks. The excessive heat was perhaps a factor in his demise. He sank throughout Sunday and was claimed with members of his family at his bedside at the Fretwell home in the Crestland Apartment 115, Chestnut Street.
Little hope had been extended for his recovery because Mr. Fretwell was well advanced in years and his heart weakness after years of sturdy health could not be overcome at his age.
The funeral will be held from his late home on Tuesday afternoon at 4 o'clock and burial will take place in the family square in Green Hill Cemetery. Services will be conducted by Dr. Smoot and Dr. Shelburne.
Captain Harry Wooding commander of Cabell Graves Camp U. C. V. today issued a call to all members of the camp to attend the rites of a comrade who had shown unfailing service and devotion to the cause of the Confederacy. Captain Fretwell's death reduced the number of Civil War veterans living in Danville to 19.
Bartlett Yancey Fretwell, named for a distinguished Carolinian, was born at Yanceyville, N.C., in 1843, thus being 85 years of age at the time of his death. He was a son of William A. Fretwell and Mrs. Caroline Lockett Fretwell of Caswell.
He came to Danville as a young man or in 1876 and established a wholesale grocery business and brokerage concern. He was active in community affairs until comparatively recently. He served one term in the city council in the bi-cameral days and he was widely known for his interest in Confederate enterprises and in keeping alive that spirit of devotion shown by Southern men in the cause.
When the war began Mr. Fretwell joined Company "C" Third North Carolina Cavalry and he served throughout the war taking part in nearly all of the engagements in which the cavalry played a part. He was not wounded. One of the stories associated with his war service was his wild ride at Petersburg. His horse became panic stricken and carried him behind the [Union] lines. A large detachment of Northern troops laid down their arms thinking that the enemy horsemen had cut them off. Mr. Fretwell sought to carry the ruse to its completion but was detected, was himself cut off from making his way back to his lines and was captured after a struggle and held as a prisoner of war for some time.
After the war Mr. Fretwell was a factor in organizing the old soldiers. For twenty years he was lieutenant commander of Cabell Graves Camp and was also adjutant for that period. He never failed to attend a state or national reunion and on occasions when Danville honors the memory of the men who fought, Captain Fretwell in his well cut grey tunic and his well moulded features was always a conspicuous figure. He had a retentive mind and many of his earlier experiences were engraved on his memory and related on Memorial days.
He was married to Miss Alice Harnsberger a daughter of Rev. Layton J. Harnsberger of Virginia. She passed away on July 10, 1918.
The following children survive: Julian W. Fretwell, Danville; W. C. Fretwell, Danville; B. Y. Fretwell, Jr., Staunton; Mrs. C. O. Butler, Jacksonville, Fla; Miss Grace H. Fretwell, Danville; Miss Alice F. Fretwell, of Danville; and Miss Peggy Fretwell, Danville.
He also leaves a sister, Mrs. G. A. Reynolds of Winston-Salem, N. C. and a brother, William A. Fretwell of Atlanta, Ga.
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The Bee (Danville, Virginia) 11 July 1928 (Page 3)
Bart. Y Fretwell Is Laid To Rest In Green Hill
The funeral of Bart. Y Fretwell who died last Sunday afternoon from a heart attack was conducted yesterday afternoon at four o'clock from his late home on Chestnut Street by Dr. T. A. Smoot and Dr. James M. Shelburne. Interment was made in Green Hill Cemetery. There was an unusually large attendance and floral emblems when placed covered the square.
The pall bearers were: B. V. Booth, John Swanson, R. W. Jones, Grenhow Maury, Raymond Hall, John Lee, Dr. S. A. Shadrach, and W. R. Fitzgerald. The floral designs which were many and beautiful were borne by Jas. L. Pritchett, Capt. Harry Wooding, F. M. Hamlin, L. C. Robertson, W. H. Fuller, T. S. Price, P. A. Cummings, C. C. Dubose, W. B. Pinnix, R. E. Tobin, Newman Turner, W. F. Hughes, J. H. Tate, J. B. Guerrant, W. H. Cobb, H. McKee, Meade Flynn, J. C. B. Smith, S. J. Slaughter, George Price, W. E. Jefferson, Jake Tate, C. S. Wheatley, J. N. Wylie, Kenneth Puryear, Harry Graves, Harry Smith, A. A. Giles, Raymond Mitchell, E. B. Meade, H. B. Trundle, Townes Wimbish, and C. M. Flinn.
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The Bee (Danville, Virginia) 12 July 1928 (Page 5)
Mrs. Maude F. Butler and B. Y. Fretwell, Jr., qualified yesterday as administratrix and administrator respectively of the estate of the late B. Y. Fretwell given an estimated value of $1000. The estate was composed of personalty.
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