OBIT: Frank SMITH, 1929, McKee, Blair County, PA

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SON OF PIONEER EXPIRES, AGED 92
 
Frank Smith, one of Blair county's oldest citizens and a member of a Freedom 
township pioneer family, died at his home at McKee Tuesday evening at 8.30 
o'clock, death being attributed to the infirmities of age.
 
Due to a rather strenuous life in the open, Mr. Smith retained his vigor up 
until a few months ago when he began to fail. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. 
Samuel Smith and was born in Freedom township on Aug. 23, 1837, in the 
settlement west of East Freedom which became known as Smith Corner, and where 
he resided practically all his life.
 
Mr. Smith followed farming and lumbering practically all his life. In his early 
days, the community in which he lived was a forest and the pioneers carved out 
their farms with the axe, hewing their building materials from the giant oaks 
and fencing their fields with rails split from the great oaks and chestnut 
trees that covered the slopes of the Allegheny mountains.
 
When not engaged at his work, he devoted his time to hunting. He was an expert 
with the old muzzle loading rifle and, in the early days, the Smith larder was 
kept well supplied with the meat and wild fowl brought down through the 
unerring aim of the young woodsman.
 
In 1861, he was united in marriage with Christina Harker, a member of another 
pioneer Freedom township family, and they took up their residence in the Smith 
Corner where they spent their lives, farming and lumbering. The following 
children survive:  Mrs. Isaac Helsel of Roaring Spring, Mrs. Frank Stiner of 
Altoona, Howard Smith of Juniata and Charles Smith of McKee. He is also 
survived by one brother, William Smith, who is aged 81, and resides in Freedom 
township.
 
There are also surviving twenty-three grandchildren, forty-three great-
grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
 
He was a member of the Newry Lutheran church and attended services there 
whenever possible. The funeral services will be conducted in the Newry Lutheran 
church Thursday afternoon at 2.30 o'clock and interment will be made in the 
Newry Lutheran cemetery.

Altoona Mirror, Wednesday, 11 December 1929