William Francis Smith (1858-1938)

SMITH, MOORES, LOUGH, NELSON, WILBER, HOUSER

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 7/29/2020 at 15:12:38

From Nevada Evening Journal June 13, 1938 (page 1)

W. F. Smith Died at Home Here on Saturday Evening

Funeral services for W. F. Smith, 79, father of Mrs. Bert Lough and Mayor Charles Smith, who died at the family apartments, 1023 1/2 Main street, Saturday evening at 8:30, were held from the Morfoot Funeral home today at 2:30. Burial was in the family lot in the Nevada cemetery. The service was in charge of Rev. Jos. M. Kennedy of Central Presbyterian church.

Mr. Smith who has been a resident of Nevada at various periods for the past thirty years or more, had been failing for some time with complications incident to old age.

The following life sketch of the deceased was read by the minister at the service this afternoon.

"William Francis Smith, a son of Nathaniel and Ruth Smith, was born at Edgerton, Ohio, on July 20, 1858. He was one of a family of three children, having one brother and one sister. Their father was killed in action during the Civil war then William was but four years of age and their mother took upon herself the task of rearing and caring for her three children.

"William secured a good education as a boy and when seventeen years of age began teaching school. He taught for two years, meanwhile studying telegraphy. At the age of nineteen he began his life work as a telegraph operator continuing in this service until 1931 and serving in many stations and positions with three great railroad companies, the Great Northern, the Milwaukee and the North Western railroad was for 23 years, after which he was retired from active service. He greatly enjoyed his work and found satisfaction in the part he played in carrying on the services of the railroads at a time of great importance in the history of railroad transportation.

"Mr. Smith was married to Miss Nellie Moores December 27, 1882, at Quarry, Iowa. To them were born six children. One daughter, Minnie, died a the age of three months. The other five children remain with their aged mother to comfort her in her sorrow. They are May, now Mrs. Bert Lough of Nevada, Bernard O. Smith of Bemidji, Minn., Frances, Mrs. Emil Nelson of Putney, South Dakota, Chas. W. Smith, Nevada; and Ruth, Mrs. Earl H. Wilber of Bemidji, Minn. Mr. Smith is survived by one sister, Mrs. James Houser of Los Angeles, California and by nine grandchildren. The death of his brother, David, occurred some 48 years ago.

"Mr. and Mrs. Smith completed 55 years of happily married life on December 27 of last year. He loved his home and his family and found his greatest satisfactions in his home and his work. He was a man of high standards of ethics and of moral conduct and he made many friends among those with whom he was associated. Since retiring from active service on the railroad, Mr. Smith, with his wife, have made their home in Nevada where they could be near their son and daughter, living here.

Death occurred on June 11, 1938 at 8:45 p.m. at the age of 79 years, 10 months and 23 days. His had been a long and useful life and he will be greatly missed by the members of his family and by his many friends."