Benton Co., AR - Biographies - Dr. John Smartt

***********************************************************
Submitted by:
        Date: 20 Jun 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/benton/bentonco.html
***********************************************************

----------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCE:  Goodspeed Publishers, 1890.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. John Smartt, president of the People's Bank at Bentonville, and also president of the
Bentonville Railroad, is a native of McMinnville, Warren Co., Tenn., born in 1820, and the son of
George R. and Ethelia (Randolph) Smartt. George R. Smartt was born in Mecklenburg County, N. C.,
was of Scotch descent and a farmer by occupation. At the age of eight years he removed with his
parents to Warren County. Tenn., and in later years married Miss Randolph. He was a member of the
Legislature one term, and died in Warren County, Tenn., in 1856. His wife was a native of
Tennessee, and died in 1860. She was the mother of nine children, Dr. John Smartt being the third
child. The Doctor was reared and grew to manhood on the farm, and received a good education in
the Warren County schools. He remained with his parents until twenty-two years of age, and at the
age of twenty-four began the study of medicine, his preceptor being Dr. Alfred Payne. In 1846 and
1847 he attended the Lexington Medical College at Lexington. Ky., and in March of the last named
year he commenced his practice at McMinnville. Tenn. One year later he went to Oxford, Calhoun
Co., Ala., and resuming his practice, remained there until after the late war. In the fall of
1865 he went to Dallas, Texas, and in 1871 he became a resident of Bentonville, Ark. Dr. Smartt
has practiced medicine continuously since he entered the profession, or for the past forty-one
years, and has met with unusual success in all his work. In November, 1848, he married Miss Essie
C. Pyles. a native of South Carolina, born in 1828, and to them were born nine children, five of
whom lived to be grown: Mrs. Susan Terry, Athelia. Louis P., Alfred P. and Essie C. In the fall
of 1882 the Bentonville Railroad was organized, and Dr. Smartt was elected president of the
organization, or company, and he has since held the position. In 1884 he was elected president of
the Benton County Medical Examining Board, and has since held the position. In June, 1888, the
Bentonville Commercial College was organized, and Dr. Smartt was elected president of the same.
He has been a life-long Democrat in politics, casting his first vote for James K. Polk. in 1844.
He is a stockholder in the Bentonville Evaporator and Canning Factory, and is vice-president of
the same. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which he has been elder for
twenty years.