Smith, John W.
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MILITARY SERVICE Age: 41, credited to Middlesex, VT Unit(s): 1st VT CAV Service: enl 9/12/61, m/i 11/19/61, CPL, Co. C, 1st VT CAV, m/o 10/29/62 See Legend for expansion of abbreviations VITALSBirth: 03/27/1819, Unknown Death: 04/08/1900 Burial: Green Mount Cemetery, Montpelier, VT Marker/Plot: Lot 1705 Gravestone researcher/photographer: Kathy Valloch Findagrave Memorial #: 0 (There may be a Findagrave Memorial, but we have not recorded it) MORE INFORMATION Alias?: None noted Pension?: Yes, 5/3/1866 Portrait?: Unknown College?: Not Found Veterans Home?: Not Found (If there are state digraphs above, this soldier spent some time in a state or national soldiers' home in that state after the war) Remarks: None DESCENDANTS (Are you a descendant, but not listed? Register today) |
BURIAL: Copyright notice  Green Mount Cemetery, Montpelier, VT Check the cemetery for location/directions and other veterans who may be buried there. |
Obituary
HAD LIVED MANY YEARS
John W. Smith Has Been a Respected Citizen of MontpelierJohn W. Smith, an old and respected citizen of Montpelier, died at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon at his home, 31 Berlin street, aged 81 years. The direct cause of his death was pneumonia, with which he had been ill two weeks and one day. This affected pleurisy and heart troubles with which he suffered, bringing on a combination that it is hard to combat against, especially for a man of his years.
For a few days prior to his death Mr. Smith had been in a semi-conscious condition. He was rational at times and then again he failed to recognize anyone.
For days it could be seen that he was gradually falling away.
Mr. Smith has been a man of great rugged health, scarcely knowing what an ill day was until late years. He was a blacksmith by trade and for 25 years drove the team and set up monumental work for the marble concerns of Charles A. Smith and its previous owners.
The deceased was a native of Northfield, having been born in that town March 27, 1819. He was married twice, his first wife being Miss Royce and his second wife, who died about a year ago, Maria S. Kinson. One son, George M., was born to him by his first wife, but the mother died when he was very young, and he has known no other mother than Mr. Smith's second wife, to whom the other members of the family, two sons and two daughters, were born.
His sons are George M., livery stable owner, and former conductor on the Montpelier and Wells River railroad, Charles A., the well known marble dealer of this city, Eugene A., the barber, Mrs. Eliza Crossett and Mrs. Jennie Wilkinson, who had resided with her father since her mother's death.
Mr. Smith was known far and wide by the patronymic of "Uncle John." He was called "Uncle John" Smith by everyone and was universally liked. He was noted for genial good nature, his fondness for telling stories and cracking jokes, being able to take as well as to give a joke.
He bore his age with great ease. Nothing ever troubled him and in his honest way he got a great deal of enjoyment out of life. The children on the street knew him, as he had a smile for all, and in his death the town loses a most genial personality.
He had a celebration of his age a short time ago in which his neighbors and many friends in this city took occasion to show their friendship for him in many ways, and the good feeling shown toward him affected Mr. Smith like nothing else that could have occurred.
Mr. Smith has resided in the neighborhood of Montpelier for about 83 years. He was in the civil war, enlisting in the First Vermont cavalry of which he was train master. After 14 months of service he had one hip broken while riding a horse. He received his discharge and was ill a year before he was about to walk much. For years his leg troubled him, and the break has always caused a slight hitch in his walk.
Mr. Smith came from a very long-lived family. He has one brother. Alvin Smith, of Barre, 85 years of age, now living, also a sister, Mary L. Newton, of Adams., Mass., who is 68. A sister, Elvira Doten, aged 83, died last winter.
Mr. Smith always claimed with pride that he could remember seven generations. He remembered his great grandfather, his grandfather, mother, and then himself, his daughter, his granddaughter and his great granddaughter.
His great grand-daughter is Winona Corry, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Charles Corry, the latter being a daughter of Mrs. Elisa Crossett, a daughter of Mr. Smith. The little tot is just able to walk and the deceased was very fond of her. During his last illness when he would fail to recognize the other members of the family the little bone with her baby talk would make him open his eyes and smile, calling her by name.
Immediately after the war Mr. Smith ran for a year or two the farm that is now the Montpelier poor farm. He was the present commander of Brooks post, G. A. R., and also had membership in the Junior order of American Mechanics.
The funeral is to take place tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 from the house. Rev. W. A. Davison, of Worcester, Mass., the former pastor of the Baptist society, will come to officiate and will be assisted by Rev. Mr. Cloues, the pastor of the society. The interment will be made in Green Mount cemetery.
Source: Montpelier Evening Argus, April 9, 1900.
Courtesy of Tom Boudreau.