John Newton Smith 1864-1940

SMITH, CRANS, DORAN, NICHOLS, KEMPF, MCNEILLY

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 2/17/2021 at 07:14:14

2 January 1941 - The Anamosa Journal

CENTER JUNCTION--Funeral service for John Newton Smith, who died at his home Dec. 27, was held last Monday at 11 a.m. at the Presbyterian church with Rev. F. G. Tyrrell officiating. Burial took place in the Madison Pioneer cemetery.

Mr. Smith was born April 25, 1864, on a farm one and one-half miles south of Center Junction. His parents, John and Elizabeth Smith, were born in Scotland and were among the first settlers of this community. Of the 10 children in his family one brother, James and two sisters, Agnes and death.

He is survived by his sisters: Mrs. Ellen Crans, Davenport, and Mrs. Annie Doran, Cedar Rapids, and his four brothers; David, Des Moines; Benjamin, Miles City, Mont.; William, and another who lives at Center Junction.

Mr. Smith attended high school at Wyoming, Business college at Davenport and Cornell college academy, Mount Vernon.

On Dec. 17, 1885, he was married to Rachel Nichols, Center Junction. Couple were parents of four children; Mrs. Vera Kempf, Boone; Mrs. Gladys McNeilly, Center Junction; Paul, Anamosa, and Stuart, Ames.

Except for three years residence in Mount Vernon his entire married life was spent at the farm home.

Mr. Smith has served on the board of directors of many organizations including the school board, telephone company, Jones county Farm Bureau, shipping association, creamery and bank. He also acted as trustee of the Presbyterian church of which he was a member. As a pioneer in good agriculture, he was one of the oldest Master Farmers in the state, having received this award in 1928.