Biography of Elder Woody K. Smith of Spearsville, Union Parish Louisiana Submitted for the Union Parish Louisiana USGenWeb Archives by Lyle Smith, 10/2004 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ================================================================================= BIOGRAPHY OF ELDER WOODY K. SMITH, PASTOR OF NEW HOPE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH IN SPEARSVILLE, LOUISIANA BETWEEN 1896 AND 1933 Researched and written by his grandson, Lyle Smith, 2004 ================================================================================== ELDER WOODY K. SMITH 1857 - 1933 Woody King Millard Filmore Smith, as he was named, was born April 26, 1857, in Ouachita Township, Bradley County, Arkansas, just north of Moro Bay. He was the son of Hansford Willis Smith and Martha Ann Davis. He usually went by the name of W.K. Smith, but was called Woody. He was named after his maternal grandfather, Woody King Davis. Shortly after they were married Hansford and Martha Smith along with several members of their families moved from Alabama to Arkansas, coming up the Ouachita River, and stopping at Moro Bay, in South Arkansas, around 1848. Martha and Hansford Smith had 5 sons between 1850 and 1859: 1- George Francis Smith -1850 2- John Lee Smith -1851 3- William T. Smith -1854 4- Woody K. Smith -1857 5- Charles W. Smith -1859 In 1859, shortly after Charles W. was born, the family, along with others of their kin moved to Anderson County, Texas, with their Post Office being at Pruitt’s Tan Yard. They stayed there for one short year before moving back to Arkansas. It seems they settled back into Bradley County. Woody K. lost his father, Hansford W., in 1863 and in 1865 at the end of the Civil War, the family caught the measles. Martha got out of bed before she should have to wait on her children, and the relapse she suffered was the cause of her death. Woody K. was 8 years old at the time he lost his mother. Woody K and Charles W. had a rough time right after the war. They had no family except their brothers, and were taken in on the Edrington Cotton Plantation. There they had to chop cotton all day for their supper, and if they did not chop enough rows, they got no supper. In 1869, George Francis Smith, their oldest brother married, and they moved in with him on his farm. They were also expected to work for their room and board there too. Woody K. Smith joined Good Hope Primitive Baptist Church near Oakland, Union Parish, Louisiana when he was a young man. It was just across the Arkansas line. He preached his first sermon there in 1877, and that was the start of his lifetime of preaching. He preached continuously for 56 years. He was ordained by Good Hope Church September 2, 1882. Woody K. Smith married Martha Jane Poole, age 20, of Oakland, Louisiana on February 8, 1877, in Union County, Arkansas. She was born June 28, 1856 in Lapile, Union County, Arkansas, the daughter of Hardy Garrison Poole and Susan Rebecca Gathright. From this union 2 children were born: 1- James H. Smith -1878 2- Sarah E. Smith -1879 Martha Jane Poole Smith died May 22, 1880, and was buried in Good Hope Church Cemetery. Woody K. Smith married Mahalia Elizabeth Head three months later on September 2, 1880. She was born in Alabama on August 5. 1853. the daughter of Thomas Jackson Head and Frances Johnson. Woody K. and Mahalia Smith lived and farmed near LaPile, Union County, Arkansas. Between 1881 and 1890 they had 6 children: 1- Tom Smith -1881 2- Bill Smith -1883 3- Nannie Smith -1885 4- Armon Smith -1887 – twin to 5- Harmon Smith -1887 6- Woody Smith -1890 Mahalia Elizabeth Head Smith died March 20, 1895 at Lapile, Arkansas, and was buried in Good Hope Church Cemetery, near Oakland, Louisiana. Woody K. Smith married Mary Rebecca Barron 4 months later on July 18, 1895. Mary was born November 2, 1864, in Union Parish, Louisiana, the daughter of Henry Callaway Barron and Amanda Elizabeth Giles. Woody K. lived in Union County, and at Randolph, Louisiana before moving to just north of Spearsville, Union Parish, Louisiana in 1900. Three children were born from this union: 1- Henry Archer Smith -1896 2- John Lee Smith -1901 3- Mary Irene Smith -1904 Elder Woody K. Smith’s name was first noticed in the minutes of New Hope Primitive Baptist Church north of Spearsville on August 11, 1882. This was a month before he was ordained. He preached there off and on for the next 10 years, still living in Union County, Arkansas. He moved his letter to New Hope Church in 1896 and preached there the rest of his life, stopping due to ill health 3 months before his death. During these years he continued to serve other Churches in Louisiana and Arkansas, since New Hope only met once a month. Woody K. Smith was a very stern preacher., but a peace maker in the community, and well thought of in Union Parish. He had a large walrus mustache, and several people who knew him said he looked like Teddy Roosevelt. Elder Woody King Smith died in his home June 26, 1933 among family members. His funeral was held at New Hope Primitive Baptist Church, the one that he loved so well and served so faithfully. The service was conducted by Elder Reason W. Rhodes. Mary died June 10, 1950, still missing her Woody. Woody K. and Mary Rebecca Smith are buried in Spearsville Cemetery, along with her father, one of her brothers, 5 of Woody’s children and 2 of their children. My grandfather died before I was born. “How I wish I had known him.” Lyle M. Smith October 12, 2004 ########################################################### SOURCES: ++ Census records ++ Church records for Good Hope and New Hope Primitive Baptist Churches ++ Smith and Barron Bible records ++ Personal information from John Lee Smith, son of Woody K. Smith