Rachel Smith 1864-1954

SMITH, NICHOLS, MCNEILLY, KEMPF, RICHARDSON

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 8/27/2022 at 09:11:17

April 1, 1954 - The Anamosa Journal

CENTER JUNCTION - Mrs. J. N. Smith, 89, pioneer resident of Jones county, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Gladys McNeilly, Center Junction, Friday, March 26. Mrs. Smith had suffered a stroke early Friday morning.

Funeral service was conducted at 2 p.m. Monday at the Center Junction Presbyterian church with Rev. Charles Hendricks officiating.

Burial was in North Madison Pioneer cemetery, near Center Junction. Serving as casket bearers were grandsons of Mrs. Smith. They were Paul Kempf, Milwaukee; Maurice McNeilly and John McNeilly, Shenandoah; John P. Smith, Center Junction; James D. Smith and Carlton Wallace Smith, Ames.

Mrs. Smith was born Rachel Nichols Oct. 10, 1864, on the family farm east of Center Junction. Last fall she helped celebrate the 100th anniversary of family ownership of the farm on which she was born.

She, with her father and sister, lived in Mount Vernon for three years while the daughters attended the Cornell college.

Mrs. Smith was a lifelong church worker. She began teaching Sunday school in the Methodist church when she was 16. She became a member of the Presbyterian church in 1910.

In the Presbyterian church she developed a class of young women called the Loyals, which she taught for over 20 years. She was past 80 years when she taught her last class of adult women.

Surviving are four children, Paul N. Smith, Anamosa; Mrs. Fred F. Kempf, Boone; Mrs. Gladys McNeilly, Center Junction, and Stuart N. Smith, Ames. One sister, Mrs. H. S. Richardson, Monticello, 12 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren also survive.