SMITH, Edith (Adams) 1869-1946

SMITH, ADAMS, MCLAIN, JEWETT

Posted By: Diane M Scott (email)
Date: 6/6/2012 at 13:16:40

Edith (Adams) Smith – January 1869 – June 23, 1946

#1

RICEVILLE WOMAN FINDS MANY HOBBIES DEVELOP MIND, DESTROY LONELINESS

Riceville – “He who has a hobby is never alone,” is a favorite remark of Mrs. Edith Smith, 78, one of Riceville’s oldest residents. Now, in failing health, Mrs. Smith spends her time visiting with the steady stream of friends who call to see her and happily shows them her many collections, ranging from buttons to scientific books.

Mrs. Smith was born at Freeport, Illinois, but came to Riceville as a young girl. She was married to the late Glendon Smith and taught for 11 years in the local schools. This week she resigned her position as collector for the Interstate Power & Light Co, completing 18 and one-half years in the company’s employ.

Mrs. Smith says she has always had a hobby. She started as a child collecting bugs and moss and pebbles, and thinks she is a natural hoarder. Outside of the butterflies, she has something of everything she has collected over the years.

At present the walls of two spacious rooms of her home are lined with cases and shelves containing collections of rock specimens, books and many subjects, a collection of 600 large and small bottles, antique glass and crockery and 150 pitchers. To top to it all, in huge boxes are cards containing a collection of 8,000 buttons most of them sorted and mounted on cards. She has several hundred curios from all over the world and each has an interesting history. For instance, she has an authentic “toby jug”, also called a “fillpot”. Both names were taken from Toby Fillpot, inebriate character in the 18th century song, “Little Brown Jug,” popular in England and America and the inspiration in the manufacture of the “toby jug”.

She has at least 50 huge scrapbooks with events of the day poetry ad articles of every kind. Her most elaborate collection however, is her buttons, but, attractive as they are, it isn’t the collection that most intrigues those viewing them. It is the unusual mind and character of their owner that centers their interest.

Each collection or hobby, have a distinct place I the life of Mrs. Smith. She has used her hobbies for amusement, for artistry, to improve her mind, and, yes even the buttons have a deep meaning for her. She says, “I had to have something to do to divert my mind from my grief with my husband Glendon, died four years ago.”

This collection not only is a record of the button industry in the united States over a kong period of years, but also the record of a brave woman trying to adjust her life to one of tranquility after a severe blow.

A lifelong friend of the family says years ago she, her parents, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith were preparing to start on a driving trip. The friend held up the start of the excursion, trying on one hat after another and wishing she had a new one. She says Mrs. Smith finally pulled her sever-seasons old hat over her eyes and tartly remarked that she would “rather have something in her head than on it.”

Waterloo Courier, Sunday April 14, 1946

#2

Riceville – Mrs. Glendon Smith, 78, died Sunday evening at her home in Riceville. She had been ill many months.

Nee Edith Adams, she was born near Freeport, Illinois and came with her parents to Riceville when she was 13. She taught in rural and town schools. She was married to Glendon Smith 52 years ago. He preceded her in death five years ago.

She was a collector for Interstate Power Co., in Riceville for 19 years and gave up the position two months ago.

She leaves two sons, Donald, Anchorage, Alaska, now in Riceville and David, Nevada; one brother; Earl Adams, Riceville; and one granddaughter.

Funeral will be Tuesday at 8 p.m. with her home s the tentative location. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, Riceville.

Waterloo Courier, Monday June 24, 1946

#3

Edith Adams was born January 1869 in Illinois, the daughter of John Weber Adams and Margaret (McLain) Adams. She married Glenden Jewett Smith who was born October 1869 in New York, the son of David P Smith and Almira (Jewett) Smith. (their birth dates are from the 1900 Census)