WV-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 00 : Issue 43 Today's Topics: #1 OBIT: Mr. Akin William SMITH, Gree [Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000225223612.00892760@trellis.net> Subject: OBIT: Mr. Akin William SMITH, Greenbrier- Monroe Co. WV Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Death's Harvest Feb. 1, 1936 Greenbrier Independent AKIN WILLIAM SMITH The many friends in Greenbrier and Monroe counties were saddened by the death of Mr. Akin William Smith, who peacefully entered into that eternal beyond early Wednesday evening, Jan. 15, 1936, at his home near Ronceverte. Mr. Smith fell on Sunday afternoon before his death, and broke his leg just below the hip. This dreadful shock was too much for his frail body to withstand, and he gradually grew weaker until the end came. He was the son of the late Andrew Jackson and Virginia Jones Smith, and was born near Alleghany Station, Va., on June 2, 1853. At an early age he moved with his parent to Sinks Grove, and has resided near this community ever since. On October 16, 1879 he was married to Miss Lillian Leota Fox, who preceded him to the grave 44 years ago. On October 11, 1899, he was unit- ed in marriage to Miss Maude Lee Haymond, who survives him, together with the following children: Clyde, Hubert and Luther Smith, all of Dil- lon, Montana; Mrs. Leila Weikle, of Missoula, Montana; Haymond Smith, of Logan; Eldridge Smith, of Ronce- verte, and Mrs. Lillian Utterback, at home. He is also survived by 24 grand children. Mr. Smith was a kindly, hospitable, neighborly man, respected and esteemed by all who knew him. He had a remarkable memory and was an interesting and entertaining com- panion and conversationalist. He was much interested in the government of his country and kept remarkably well- posted on the national affairs. He served three terms as member of the Board of Education of Irish Corner district. He was fair and honorable in all of his dealings in the school affairs, of his district, and did much to bring about consolidation and improvement in all the schools. Mr. Smith was a faithful, consistent Christian and a life- long member of the Mt. Pleasant Pres- byterian Church at Sinks Grove. The funeral services were held at his, church on last Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock, conducted by his pastor. Rev. W. A. Benfield, after which his mortal remains were laid to rest in the ceme- tery near by. ______________________________X-Message: #2 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2000 22:38:45 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000225223845.00895e30@trellis.net> Subject: NEWSPAPER: Greenbrier County Sports, 1936 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Feb. 1, 1936 Greenbrier Independent WILLIAMS WINS IN GOLDEN GLOVES HUNTINGTON EVENT (By J. R. Vaughan) James Walton Williams rolled into Alderson last Saturday night on train No. 6 from Huntington where he com- peted and won the championship of the light-heavyweight division in the annual Golden Gloves Tournament, sponsored by the Huntington Adver- tiser, and held at the famous Vanity Fair Arena. Besides wearing his vic- tory smile, he was wearing the white sweater awarded to the winner of each class. Before the tourney started Bill Bess, the sponsor, was notified that the Al- derson boy was going to be the dark horse of the meet. This turned out to be the truth, as Walton, as he is known in Alderson, waded through his op- ponents with apparent ease, winning three fights from. much more experi- enced fighters. In his first fight on Tuesday night, he won the decision by a wide margin over Paul Griegel, of Hemphill, where he fights for the Welch American Le- gion Post. His second fight was a technical K. 0. over Herbert Barker, of Russell Ky., who had won easily from his op- ponent in the first session on Tuesday night. Williams sprang from his corner like a lion. Was in much better condition than on Tuesday and before the first round was over, the referee stopped the fight, as Barker was taking an aw- ful beating at the hands of the Al- derson boy. In his third and final bout in the finals on Friday night, he won a clean cut decision over John Rowsey, a pop- ular Huntington fighter, and former light- heavyweight champion of the State. The judges were quick to award the decision to Williams. He was the aggressor and always carried the fight to his opponent. The officials, judges and several of the old boxing critics were loud in their praise for the Alderson boy, all predicting a future for him In the fight game. Taking all his opponents could offer, and giving more, he was really a sensation in the Golden Gloves af- fair for 1936. Williams and the seven other win- ners will go to Chicago, Feb. 24, to rep- resent West Virginia in the National Golden Gloves Tournament. That is where Joe Louis, the famous Brown Bomber of Detroit, got his start.