Benton-Washington County ArArchives Biographies.....Smiley, J. L. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/arfiles.html ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 August 7, 2009, 4:46 pm Source: Citation Appears Below Biography Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922) J. L. SMILEY, M. D. Dr. J. L. Smiley, a native son of Arkansas, is numbered among the leading physicians and surgeons of Siloam Springs, where he has made his home since 1911. He does everything to perfect himself in his chosen vocation and his ability is pronounced. He was born in Springdale, Arkansas, May 24, 1874, a son of William and Alpha (Holcomb) Smiley, the former a native of Tennessee, while the latter was born in North Carolina. They were married in Arkansas, coming to the state as young people, and for many years the father successfully followed the occupation of farming. He was a veteran of the Civil war, serving for four years in the Confederate army. He was captured at the battle of Vicksburg, Mississippi, and was confined in prisons at Alton, Illinois, and Baltimore, Maryland. He was a Baptist in religious faith and his political allegiance was given to the democratic party. Mr. and Mrs. Smiley became the parents of five children, of whom three survive, namely: Dorothy, who married T. Stearns of Fayetteville, Arkansas; Tabitha, who is the wife of George Harris, a well known farmer residing at Cave Springs; and J. L., of this review. After completing his high school course J. L. Smiley became a student in the medical department of the University of Nashville, Tennessee, from which he was graduated with the class of 1896. Going to Robinson, Arkansas, he opened an office and there remained for seven years, at the end of which period he removed to Bentonville, where he followed his profession for four and a half years; In 1911 he arrived in Siloam Springs, where he has since resided, and with the passing years his practice has steadily grown in volume and importance, having now reached extensive proportions. He has never lost the attitude of a student toward his profession and has taken postgraduate work in leading medical institutions in various parts of the country. He attended the Polyclinic at Philadelphia in 1902; took Polyclinic and hospital work at New Orleans in 1916, 1917 and 1921; spent four months at the Presbyterian Hospital of Chicago; and for two weeks studied at Mayo Brothers' Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. He devotes considerable attention to surgery, in which he has developed expert skill, and has been called upon to perform more surgical operations than any other medical practitioner in this locality. He has always made his professional duties his first consideration, being most thorough and conscientious in the performance of the work that devolves upon him in this connection, and his labors have been attended with a gratifying measure of success. Through his membership in the Benton County and Arkansas State Medical Societies and the American Medical Association he keeps in close touch with the advancement that is continually being made in the science of medicine and by constant reading and careful study of the cases that come under his care he is ever broadening his knowledge and ability. On the 2d of June, 1895, Dr. Smiley was united in marriage to Miss Ruth Webster, a native of Elm Springs, Arkansas, and a daughter of Thomas P. Webster, a prominent merchant and farmer of that place. They have become the parents of three children: Diva, at home; Opal, who is employed &s a stenographer in Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Barnette, who follows the trade of a mechanic and resides at Siloam Springs. Mrs. Smiley is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and in his political views the Doctor is a democrat. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, of which he is a past chancellor commander, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is a past Noble Grand. He is a veteran of the World war, entering the service on the 15th of June, 1918. He received his training in the Presbyterian Hospital at Chicago, afterward going to the Base Hospital at Camp Logan, and in November. 1918, he was sent overseas. He received his discharge from the service on the 24th of March, 1919, and at once returned to Siloam Springs, where he has continued in practice. Prompted in all that he does by laudable ambition and broad humanitarian principles, as a member of the medical fraternity he has attained high rank among those whose skill is uniformly acknowledged. Additional Comments: Citation: Centennial History of Arkansas Volume II Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company 1922 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ar/benton/bios/smiley405bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/arfiles/ File size: 5.1 Kb