BIO: James L. SMITH, Clearfield County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Sally Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm _____________________________________________________________ From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr., Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 597 & 598. _____________________________________________________________ JAMES L. SMITH, furniture dealer and undertaker, whose place of business is on Meadow Street, Curwensville, Pa., was born in Pike Township, Clearfield County, Pa., April 22, 1873. His parents were Adam and Elizabeth (Haag) Smith. Adam Smith was born in Germany and was eighteen years of age when he came to Jefferson County, Pa. He had learned the blacksmith trade in his native land and easily secured work at the same, at Whitesville, in Jefferson County. Later he moved to Clearfield County and worked at his trade in Pike Township, near Bloomington, and at Curwensville. He was an industrious and highly respected man. His death occurred at the age of sixty-nine years. His burial was in the cemetery belonging to the Methodist Episcopal church at Curwensville, of which religious body he was a member. He married Elizabeth Haag, who was also born in Germany and now resides in Pike township. Six of their children survive, three sons and three daughters. James L. Smith was given excellent school advantages, attending the public schools at Bloomington and Curwensville and the State Normal School at Lock Haven. He began his business career as a clerk, first at Olanta and then at DuBois, Pa., and then learned the undertaking business, securing a diploma from the Pittsburg School of Embalming. In 1891, Mr. Smith started into business for himself at Curwensville, first purchasing a half interest in a furniture store with Garlock Robinson and later buying the other half interest. Mr. Smith carries a large stock of furniture and also stoves and does a prosperous business in that line. He also is well equipped for funeral directing and undertaking, owning one black and one silver gray hearse and also an automobile truck. It is easily within his power to satisfactorily conduct funerals ten or twelve miles distant and his patronage often comes from such points, his reputation for promptness and efficiency having been established. He carries all necessary equipments and probably has as large and complete a stock of appropriate and necessary goods as any undertaker in Clearfield County. He has one assistant but, being a graduated embalmer, looks after the larger part of the work himself. Mr. Smith was married in August, 1906, to Miss Eva McCloskey, a daughter of Howard McCloskey, and they have two children: Cecelia J. and Katharine. Mr. Smith and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he is superintendent of the Sunday-school. In politics he is a Democrat and he served one term as auditor of Curwensville. He is identified fraternally with the Masons, the Odd Fellows, the Order of the Moose and the Red Men. He is one of the most reliable business men of Curwensville and commands the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens.