CROSS CO, AR - T. B. SMITH - Bio ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas. Chicago:Goodspeed Publishers, 1890. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free Information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- T. B. Smith, of the firm of Smith, Cole & Davis, of Cross County, is a native of Northern Alabama, a son of W. H. and Minerva (Levesque) Smith, who also came originally from that State. The father moved to Arkansas in 1854 and located in Poinsett (now Cross) County, where he bought and entered a farm of 640 acres. He served in the Indian War of 1886 for a short time, and was married in 1842-43, being the father of ten children, five of whom are still living: W. A., T. B. (our subject), Ophelia (wife of J. W. Perkins, of Jonesboro), Ala (wife of R. P. Fulenwider, of Jackson, Mo.), and Laura (wife of J. M. Puryear, of Jonesboro). Mrs. Smith was a member of the Methodist Church, and died in 1879, her husband surviving until 1884. He was a very popular man and served in several local offices. T. B. Smith was reared on a farm and educated in the subscribtion schools of this county, also attending the school of Covington, Tenn. He afterward engaged in farming on his father's land and also on a rented farm until 1876, when he bought a place containing 240 acres. This original amount has been increased until he now owns some 2,000 acres, having about 400 acres under cultivation. Mr. Smith was married in 1874 to Miss Bettie Levesque, daughter of Capt. J. M. Levesque [whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work]. They are parents of three childred (two living): Nannie B., Rufus (deceased) and Morris. Mr. Smith is the largest farmer in the county, cultivating over 1,000 acres, and is also extremely engaged in the sawmill business, having an interest in two mills with Messrs. Cole and Davis. Their output will be some 2,000,000 feet yearly from each of the two mills. He is also interested in a steam-gin, in connection with one of his saw- mills. His brother-in-law, Mr. W. T. Levesque, is associsted with him in the gin. Mr. Smith has served as a member of the county court, and is at present county commissioner, and it was under his management that the present court house was built. For this attractive and useful public structure he deserves great praise. Mr. Smith is a member of the A. F. & A. M. His connection with the affairs of Cross County has caused him to become widely known, and the faithful manner in which he has deported himself in the discharge of public duties has redounded greatly to his own credit and the benefit of the community.