Hopkins Co. Tx - Obit for W. A. Smith From: June W. Tuck ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** W. A. SMITH, one of the best known citizens of Hopkins County, died at his home on Gilmer Street, at the age of 64 years after an illness of several weeks with a complication of disease which affected his heart. For the past few days he had been suffering with pneumonia. W. A. Smith was born in Harrison County in 1860, the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Smith who moved to Hopkins County the year of his birth. He has continuously lived in Hopkins County since, spending the early part of his life on the farm. At the age of sixteen, he began as clerk in a small county store near Pickton, and for the first year worked for his board and clothing. The second year his salary was raised to $20.00 per month. He continued with this firm until a few years later when he moved to Como to accept a more responsible position with one of the largest business establishments of that place. In 1886 he was elected tax assessor of Hopkins County and held that office for two years. He was later appointed city tax collector and assessor of Sulphur Springs and also a member of the Board of Aldermen of the city. Since its organization, he has been one of the principal promoters of the Sulphur Springs Loan and Building Association, the largest establishment of its kind in Northeast Texas. He was married to Miss Nep Alexander, and to this union there are four living children as follows: Mrs. J. A. Dial, Minter Smith, Ben Smith, and Lester Smith, all of this city. Funeral services at the family residence on Gilmer Street, with services being conducted by Rev. J. Howard Williams, pastor of the First Baptist Church. Interment in the City Cemetery. (Daily News-Telegram, Jly. 15, 1924)