Lewis County, West Virginia Biography of WILLIAM J. SMITH ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , July 1999 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 182 WILLIAM J. SMITH has long been a representative mem- ber of the bar of Lewis County and is serving as prosecut- ing attorney of the county, he having previously served four years in this office. Mr. Smith was born on a farm in Monongalia County, West Virginia, June 11, 1855, and is a son of George W. and Dorcas (Amos) Smith, both likewise natives of what is now the State of West Virginia. George W. Smith was born in Monongalia County, June 8, 1820, and died December 25, 1907. His wife was born in what is now Marion County, West Virginia, in 1830, and she likewise is deceased. After their marriage the parents settled on a farm in Monongalia County, and the father won success through his own ability and efforts, as he was with but meager financial resources at the time of his marriage. In Monongalia County he became the owner of a farm of 212 acres, and after selling this property he came with his family to Lewis County, where he improved a valuable farm of 292 acres, the ownership of which he retained until his death. He was a republican in politics and was a local preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was twice married, and of the seven children by the second marriage five are living. William J. Smith was reared to the discipline of the farm and was a sturdy youth of sixteen years at the time of the family removal to Lewis County. Here he finally diverted his attention from farm enterprise to take up the study of law, and since his admission to the bar he has been engaged in the practice of his profession at Weston, where he assumed, on the 1st of January, 1921, the office of prosecuting attorney of the county, an office in which he had made an excellent record in a previous term of four years, 1904-8. He has been a loyal and active worker in the local ranks of the republican party, and he is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the Knights of Pythias. Though not formally a member of any religious organiza- tion, he attends and supports the Presbyterian Church. The first marriage of Mr. Smith was with Lizzie Bart- lett, of Clarksburg, and her death occurred in 1909. She is survived by two children: Florida is the wife of Frank Cutright, a science teacher of considerable note; Miss Emily is a nurse by profession and now resides in the State of Texas. For his second wife Mr. Smith wedded Miss Cameo Pearl Romine, and her death occurred March 3, 1921. She is survived by three children—Catherine Pearl, William J., Jr., and Ruth.