Smith, Anna Mary Mrs. Ferdinand 1864-1934

SMITH, HODGETTS

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg- volunteer (email)
Date: 5/21/2012 at 16:23:24

Alton Democrat of Jan 26, 1934 page 1
WIFE OF FORMER ALTON DOCTOR IS SUMMONED
Mrs. Ferdinand J. Smith, a resident of Alton from 1889 to 1904, died at her home on Miller's bay. West Okoboji lake, near Milford. on Sunday, January 20, after an illness of three weeks. Dr. and Mrs. Smith's beautiful home on the south shore of Miller's bay was built in 1903 and they moved there from Little- Rock in 1913 because of Mrs. Smith's health, which was never rugged.

She was always active in promoting the welfare of her community and in furthering improvements for the lake region. Dr. Smith and their daughter, Olga attended her during her last illness. Her oldest son Dr. Millard F. Smith of Raton New Mexico, visited her bedside last week.

Anna Mary Hodgetts was born in Pittsburgh PA, on April 15, 1864 the daughter of Samuel Hodgett’s and Eliza Webb Hodgetts. She grew to woman hood in the Cathedral parish of Pittsburgh and on July 16, 1880 she was married to Dr. F. J. Smith of Alton in St. Bridgetts church. Pittsburgh, coming with her husband to make her home in Alton where the doctor had a very large practice in the prairie country where new settlers were arriving by the hundreds each spring.

In 1904 the family moved to Des Moines, to the regret of a host of Sioux county friends. Her husband became affiliated with the Drake University Medical College where he became junior dean and dean of the pharmacy college before the school was discontinued in 1913.
Mrs. Smith moved from Des Moines to Little rock with her husband after the closing of the drake Medical college. They resided in Little Rock six years until Mrs. Smith’s health failed and they made their summer home a permanent residence. They had started coming to West Okoboji in 1901.

Mrs. Smith was a mother of six children. One daughter Mary Zera Frances, died at the age of three years in Dec. of 1899. The five children who survive are Dr. Millard F. Smith, Raton, New Mexico; Dr. Arthur F. Smith, Manning IA; Miss Olga at home: Sister Mary Marguerite (Anna May) teaching in St. John’s academy, Jamestown, ND; and Sister Maris Stella (Alice) in the English department of St. Catherine’s college St. Paul MN. Both belonging to the St. Joseph’s order of Carondolet. She is also survived by one sister Elizabeth Hodgetts of Pittsburgh.

Funeral services were held in the home church at Spirit Lake at 8 a. m on Wednesday . Immediately after the mass at the church the funeral cortege went by automobile to Alton where Mrs. Smith was laid to rest beside her daughter in the family lot at St. Mary’s cemetery.

During the period when the Dr Smith family was a part of the Alton community life his professional duties left the young family much to the care of the mother, who devoted herself unreservedly to their care and training. A woman of deep religious convictions, Mrs. Smith’s devotion has left is impression upon her children, the two younger daughters having elected early in life to follow a religious career. In later life when Mrs. Smith became quite an invalid her devotion was repaid by the assiduous care of the elder daughter Miss Olga, ad her good husband, Dr. Smith. She was a woman of culture and natural charm and was always a welcome and outstanding personality in the social life of the community.