SMITH, "Daddy": Died 1924

SMITH

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri (email)
Date: 9/9/2013 at 15:08:08

Death and Burial of "Daddy" Smith.
**Handwritten: 1924

Some five years ago a man by the name of Smith came to this neighborhood from Fairfield, Jefferson county, and worked for his board at Earl Bales, and after two years he became dissatisfied, and came to J.C. Murdock's, of west Van Buren township, and worked for a few days. He here got 75 cents per day, and in a few days hired to Mrs. Jane Roush, worked there for two years, and again took a notion to go south. He went to southern Illinois and stayed for the winter, then came back to Mrs. Roush's and when Ray Roush went south he hired to Chas. Kunzman and worked for him that summer. This was the summer of 1923. Then that winter he went to Mr. Barns' and stayed there till some time in May, came again to Mrs. Roush, she took him in and Ray was going to give him an acre pickle patch, he to do chores and take care of the patch, but he had the patch all plowed and ready to do the work as he thought, but he was 83 years old and quite feeble and they knew he was not long for this world, so gave him a home, to live with Ray and wife and his mother Mrs. Jane Roush this summer. But it was decreed different, and he passed away Monday morning with nobody but Mrs. Roush and Ray Roush and wife to care for him. The Roush family phoned to relatives at Fairfield, but they did not come at once, and Ray phoned to Harry Burnett of Keosauqua and he took the old man to his undertaking parlor in Keosauqua, and he was buried some time last Tuesday, I was told. This is the passing of an old man without a home of his own, but had a good home with the Roushes and Barns took him for the winter just passed. So Daddy Smith, as we knew him, is no more of this world.

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book C, Page 230, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA