The James Thomas Smith Family - Part 8

Charles Thomas Smith

Born 26 July 1882 – Died Nov 25, 1970

and wife

Sarah Altha Leach

July 1879 – March 3, 1969

          Charles Thomas Smith was the oldest son of James Thomas and Sarah Sanders Smith, probably named for his two grandfathers, Charles Sanders and Thomas Smith (Jr.).  He was born in 1882 and died in 1970 at age 88.  When he was twenty, he married Sarah Altha Leach, the daughter of John Crittenden Leach and Clara Jane Beck. 

          This couple had two daughters, Marie Smith, who married Arthur Robert Crabb and Virginia Smith (no further information – may have died young).

Excerpt from Evelyn Elmore’s letter to me – July 25, 2010:

          “Grandma Fidella came and got mother when she (Della) was born and kept her almost 2-1/2 years til Uncle Charley was born.  (She was spoiled – by her two uncles and the Sanders).  So they told Grandma to get Della’s (mother) clothes ready – Grandpa was coming to get her (so she could watch her Baby Brother and rock the cradle, if or when he cried.  She said Della kicked and screamed for Grandma Sanders as she was handed up to Grandpa Jimmy on a horse. So…Mother said she cared for each child as they came along.  Next was Aunt Lizzie – Bettie - (Auntie to us and Retha and Darrell).  Then Uncle Ellis, then Aunt Eva, then Aunt Ella and then Uncle Harb, (Ollie Perry died at four years old).  Then Aunt Fannie Mae came along last.

Tape recording dated March 7, 1977:  Grandmother describing their smoke house:

          “It was pretty wide, you know, that you could walk around; that’s where my daddy smoked the meat, dig a hole right down in that dirt, and smoke the hams and shoulders and meat.  Then we had syrup, molasses, they called it – it was ribbon cane syrup, and then we would put that molasses, I’ll say, some called it syrup, in barrels.  And Charlie went out there…it was so cold…he went out there to get some in a bucket, and it was so cold, it wouldn’t run…you know was just running slow into the bucket, and he forgot about it, and when he thought of it, the ground was just covered.  He opened the spigot and forgot all about it, and boy, he had molasses everywhere.  Well, I think they carried dirt and covered it up, and cleaned it up.  I don’t remember exactly.”

          Retha:  “And wasn’t it Charlie that used to date his girl and come in with his horse, all lathered up?”  GM:  “Now you are remembering things I never heard of.  Yes, he had a horse that was named Old Min.  And I mean she could travel.  And he would go see his girl, and they got a story out that there was some kind of cat out.  And they made it up to get down there where those woods was and squall like a cat.  And I mean, he run that horse home.  He was scared to death.  I can remember that.  He was a knocking on the door to get in.  (Laughter.)  I forget now who did the squalling.  Two or three boys.  We had more fun out of Charlie over that.  He really believed that cat was up there in those woods, where the limbs come over the road.  And they got up there with something and squalled like a cat.” 

          “He always had a fast horse.  It was a traveling horse.  We always liked to get on that old horse and to go "Seelect" and get the mail.  And get the paper.  Well, there is not very much to tell.”

(Then came a discussion about why we were all interested in all the old tales she knows…because that way of life and a time gone by that is fast disappearing, and the stories are interesting because it lets us know how she grew up.)

          Obituary for Charles Thomas Smith - no date or newspaper on this clipping in Grandmother's Day Book.               

                                           ~~<>~~

Charley Smith

 

Beaver Dam - Charley T. Smith, 88, of Route 1, Cromwell, died at 11 a.m. Wednesday at his residence November 25, 1970.

 

Born July 26, 1882 in Ohio County, he was a member of the Mount Pleasant Methodist Church.  Survivors include his daughter, Mrs. Marie Crabb of Cromwell; a grand- daughter, three great-grandchildren; four sisters, Mrs. Lizzie Sandefur, of Texas, Mrs. Eva Cox of Troup, Texas.  Mrs. Della Taylor of Beaver Dam and Mrs. Ella Stewart of Cromwell; two brothers, Ellis Smith and Harb Smith, both of Cromwell.

 

Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. today at the William L. Danks Funeral Home by the Rev. Arnett Williams, pastor of the Concord Baptist Church.  Burial will be in the Green River Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home.

                                                                ~~<.>~~

           The following obituary is from the Ohio County News, 6 March 1969, page 11:   

                                          "Mrs. Altha Smith"  

 Mrs. Altha Leach Smith, 85, of Route 1, Cromwell, died at 4 p.m. Monday at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Marie Crabb, Route 1, Cromwell.

 

    Mrs. Smith was a member of Mount Pleasant Methodist church.

 

 She is survived by her husband, Charley T. Smith; her daughter, Mrs. Crabb; one granddaughter; three great-grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. John Walter Taylor of Cromwell, and two brothers, George Leach of Cromwell, and Charley Leach of Chesterton, Indiana.

    Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, at the William L. Danks Funeral Home.  Burial was in Green River Cemetery."   

                                                                    ~.~

World War I Draft Registration:

World War II Draft Registration:

Thanks to Janice Brown.