CROSS CO, AR - R. M. SMITH - Bio

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SOURCE:  Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern 
Arkansas. Chicago:Goodspeed Publishers, 1890.
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     R. M. Smith, senior member of the firm of Smith, Graham & Jones,
merchants at Wynne, owes his nativity to Batesville, Independence County,
Ark., where his birth occurred in 1849.  His parents, William and Mary
(Miller) Smith, were also natives of Arkansas, and the father died when
his son, R. M., was quite young.  The paternal grandfather, Robert Smith,
was a native of Maryland and came to Arkansas in about 1835, settling at
Batesville where he followed farming for many years.  He owned a fine
tract of land on the opposite side of the river from the town.  He moved
to Springfield, Mo., in 1878, and there he died a few years later at the
age of seventy-eight years.  The maternal grandfather, John Miller, moved
to Independence County, Ark., in 1817, bought a large tract of land near
the site of the present city of Batesville and was a very successful
farmer, accumulating a very large fortune.  He died in 1886 at the
advanced age of ninety-seven years.  R. M. Smith passed his youth in 
Batesville and in 1866 went to Little Rock where he entered St. John's
College, and there remained for four years.  After this he engaged in the
retail grocery business in Little Rock, remaining there until 1871, when
he sold his business and went back to Batesville.  Going to Wittsburg in
1875 he started a drug store, which he carried on until 1881 when the firm
title was changed to Hamilton, Smith & Co., continuing thus until January,
1888.  That partnership was then dissolved and the firm of Smith, Graham
& Jones was formed, which in February 1888, opened business in the brick
block known as the Commercial Hotel, at Wynne.  Here they carry an average
stock of $20,000 and are going a good business.  Mr. Smith was married in
February, 1881 to Miss Mary Mebane (a native of Cross County and daughter
of W. T. Mebane).  To the union of Mr. & Mrs. Smith have been born two
children: Bertie and Willie.  Mrs. Smith is a member of the Presbyterian
Church.  Mr. Smith owns two farms comprising 475 acres, with fifty under
cultivation and another tract three miles southeast of Wynne with 125 acres
under cultivation.  He is at present building an elegant new cottage with
the hall and ceilings finished in natural wood and the rooms planned and
designed by Mrs. Smith.