OBIT: James M. SMITH, 1896, Blair County, PA

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Dr. James Madison Smith died at his home on West Tenth street, after a
short illness, although sick for a year, yesterday afternoon at 3.10
o'clock, aged 47 years, 10 months and 13 days.  Those of his indirect
family surviving are his mother, Mary, now in her 82d year, and
brothers, Samuel, of Cass township, Huntingdon county; Dr. George W.
Smith, of Hollidaysburg, Pa.; John Smith, of Huntingdon county; Isaac
Smith, of Kansas; Miles, of Huntingdon county; Leonard, of Huntingdon
county; Mrs. Pheasant, of Nebraska, and Mrs. John Bookhammer, of
Tyrone, aside from the immediate family hereinafter named.  The
funeral service will be held at his late home Thursday afternoon at 2
o'clock and will be conducted by Rev. H. G. Furbay, Ph. D., his
pastor.  Interment to follow in Tyrone cemetery.  He was a member of
the First Presbyterian church and also a member of lodge No. 494,
Accepted Masons; Mount Moriah chapter No. 166 and Mountain commandery
No. 10, all of which societies will participate in the funeral
exercises.

James M. Smith, M. D., a graduate of the Pennsylvania University and
one of the leading physicians of Tyrone who has been in successful
practice here for more than two decades, was born in Union township,
Huntingdon county, Pa.. February 18, 1848.  His great grandfather
Smith was a native of Germany, but leaving the Fatherland, he crossed
the ocean and settled in Baltimore county, Md., where he lived until
his death.  He married and reared three sons, two of whom moved to
Huntingdon county, Pa., and the third settled in West Virginia.  One
of the two who came to this state was George Smith, (grandfather) who
was a native of Baltimore county, Md., and died in Huntingdon county,
Pa., at an advanced age.  Levi Smith, (father) was born in Huntingdon
county and was a prosperous farmer.  He lived to be 56 years of age
and then met an accidental death.  He was an ardent republican and an
active member of the Methodist Episcopal church.  He married Mary
Pheasant and to their union was born a family of thirteen children.

James M. Smith received his education in Hollidaysburg, this county,
having been a student at the seminary there in its early days.  After
acquiring a good English education he began reading medicine with his
brother, Dr. George W. Smith, of Hollidaysburg, and later entered the
medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, from which he
graduated in 1870 with the degree of M. D.

He then entered the office of Dr. Dunwiddie, of Warriorsmark,
Huntingdon county, where he practiced for one year, and in 1871
removed to Tyrone, at which place he has been engaged in general
practice ever since.  Dr. Smith early gained an enviable reputation as
a physician and has long enjoyed a large and remunerative practice.

In 1874 Dr. Smith was united in marriage with Rosa Reynolds, a
daughter of George W. and Elizabeth (Peel) Reynolds, of Shippensburg,
Pa.  To this union has been born a family of two sons and a daughter:
Francis Guerney, who is now a cadet in the United States military
academy at West Point; Elizabeth and James R., now at home.  Dr. Smith
was a republican in his political faith, and has served on the town
council and school board of Tyrone.  He was a director in the First
National bank of Tyrone since its organization, and holds membership
in Tyrone lodge No. 494, Free and Accepted Masons, of which lodge he
was a past master. Dr. Smith was a pleasant, affable gentleman,
liberal in his views and popular among the people.  He was for years a
prominent member of the Blair County Medical society, and at one time
served as president of that organization.

Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Wednesday, January 1, 1896, page 3