DR. L. W. SMITH AND FAMILY, Smith County, TX ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Debbie Brown - cottagehill@altavista.com 16 May 2001 ***************************************************************** DR. L. W.SMITH AND FAMILY "Some Biographies of Old Settlers." Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas Chapter LXXIX. - Pages 323-327 - Picture Dr. L. W. Smith was born in Rockingham county, North Carolina, in 1822, and moved with his father's family to McNary county, Tennessee, where he was principally raised. His grandfather, Wm. Smith, was a Revolutionary soldier, enlisting from North Carolina. His father was a prominent school teacher in Tennessee, where the subject of this sketch was educated, and afterwards graduated in medicine, standing high in his profession during his life. He practiced medicine in Alabama for a number of years, during which he married Miss Nancy Ann Williams, one of the daughters of Col. Thomas Williams, a prominent planter of Tuscaloosa and Pickens county, Alabama. After his marriage, he returned to Tennessee and was a noted physician, merchant and farmer up to coming to Texas, in 1855, locating in the Bascom neighborhood in Smith county, where he was killed by being thrown from a mule, while returning from a visit to a patient in 1864. His loss was a serious one to his family and the community. Dr. Smith was a large planter of Smith county, owning a large number of slaves. He was a humane slave owner and took special pains to see that they were treated well and kindly. It was well known that he was a man of great intelligence, a devout member of the Methodist church and a Christian gentleman of that Southern type that was famous before the civil war. He was a surgeon in the Confederate army, but by a special petition of the citizens of his community he returned home the last year or two of the war and practiced medicine for that community up to his unfortunate and untimely death, just before the close of that great struggle between the states. Dr. Smith was a strong, Southern man and identified with the cause of the South. Only two of the William Smith family lived in Smith county--Rev. Caleb Smith and the subject of this sketch. Dr. Smith raised four children to be grown and gave them the advantages of the best schools of the country. Dr. and Mrs. Smith raised the following children, two boys and two girls--Thos. P., Samuel P., Mary Zelda and Martha Joan. Thos. P. Smith married Miss Mary Bell Long, one of the daughters of Capt. Richard B. Long of Tyler; mention is made elsewhere. Rev. Thos. P. Smith became prominent as a minister of the Methodist church. He was a great preacher and accomplished great good in life, and his loss was a serious one to his conference and people. He died at Marshall, Texas, February 14th, 1900. His wife resides in Tyler. Rev. Thomas P. Smith was a lovable character, a great preacher, and accomplished much good by his religious life. Samuel P. Smith was a bright young man. He was killed in a personal difficulty a few years after the war. He had a promising future before him. He married Miss Rebecca Hill, a pretty daughter of Col. Jas. C. Hill; both are dead. They had one child--Lela, who now lives in Ennis, Texas. She married J. W. Craig, a prominent young lawyer of that city, and they have three children. Zelda married Captain Sid S. Johnson, both residing in Tyler Texas. They had eight children, (losing the youngest); have seven living. The names of the children--Sidney S., Jozelle, Mary Bell, Idell Thomas, Annie, Carl, Willie and Paula (the latter dead). Sidney S. Johnson, Jr., is a young lawyer of Spokane, Washington. Jozelle married Justin C. Smith, who is in the postoffice department at Houston, Texas. They have three children--Zelda, Justin and Janie May. Mabel married Charles Grey Burks, who is an employee of the Texas and Pacific railroad, and they reside at Fort Worth, Texas. They have one little girl--Winnie. Idell Thomas is a teacher in the public schools of Tyler. She is single and lives with her parents. Annie married O. B. Taylor, who is in the undertaking business in Tyler. They have two children, Stannie Reaves and Margarett. Carl and Willie are living at home and both students in the schools of Tyler. Joan married Dr. J. W. Shuford, a native of North Carolina. He graduated in medicine and was a man of fine intelligence and very popular. He died some few years ago to the regret of all who knew him. The widow lives three miles south of Tyler. By this marriage they have raised six children--Claude, Clyde, Thomas P., Pearl, Samuel S. and Zelda. Claude Shuford is in the postal service at Austin, Texas. He is single. Clyde married Miss Nora Pittman; they have one child. Thomas P. married Miss May Fox; they have one child. The other children are living with their mother. Dr. L. W. Smith was a successful man in the business affairs of life. He was noted for his liberality in the interest of his people and community. His sad death was greatly lamented by the bereaved family, and deeply regretted by the people who knew him.