Smith Family Obituaries
Deantha Work - Martin W. Smith - Elizabeth Wrede - Cloid Smith
The Odebolt Chronicle
Thursday, February 27, 1936
MRS. M. SMITH, AN ESTEEMED PIONEER, GONE
Was Oldest Member of Local Methodist Church
Funeral Friday
Mrs. M.W. Smith, an esteemed pioneer resident of Odebolt, whose illness of the last several months has been noted from time to time, and whose death has been expected almost hourly for several days, passed to her rest about nine o'clock Tuesday evening, February 25. Mrs. Smith has suffered much, but has been patient in her suffering and has been at peace.
Deantha Work was the oldest of seven children, five boys and two girls, and was born May 20, 1851, in Plaine, Perry County, Pa. At her passing she had reached the age of 84 years, nine months, and five days. Her mother died when she was 16, and from that time the young girl took charge of the family and mothered the sister and brothers.
The family moved to Eschcall [Eschol], Pa. when she was a girl, and there she met Martin W. Smith, to whom she was united in marriage Jan. 10, 1870. They passed more than 66 years together.
COME TO IOWA
They came to Powesheik County, Iowa in 1872, and in 1873 moved to Tama County, living there until 1876 when they came to Sac County. They first lived on the J.P. Goreham place in Wheeler [township], then moved to a place in Clinton township which Mr. Smith bought. They left the farm and came to town in 1882, and this has since been their home.
Mrs. Smith joined the Methodist Church in her girlhood, and all through the years has lived a life loyal to her church and to her Christ. She joined the local Church in 1882, and at her death was the oldest living member of the church. She was the last charter member of the W.H.M.S., and was a life member of that society and of the W.F.M.S., always attending when possible, and always faithful to all the services of the church, being an unusually devoted christian.
She worked in the social organizations of the church, the Circle, and circlets and had been for many years a member of the Woman's Bible Class of the Sunday School, and a great lover of the Bible.
SIX CHILDREN
She was the mother of six children, two sons passing away in young childhood. She leaves besides her aged husband to mourn, one son and three daughters, Cloid H. Smith of Sioux City, Clara (Mrs. William Topf of Rockford, Nebr.), Dora (Mrs. F.L. Shoemaker) of Sioux City, and Merna (Mrs. C. P. Therkelsen) of Denver. There are also eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. She also reared a niece, who was left motherless.
Mrs. Smith lived a life that was as near blameless as it seems possible for one to live, and her life has touched many other lives for good.
Memorial services will be held at the Methodist Church at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon, with the pastor, Rev. J.A. Farnham in charge. Minnie and Eleanor Kessler, J.B. Hatch and A.B. Traeder will sing, "The Old Rugged Cross," and "Beautiful Isle", with Mrs. J.L. Bruce as accompanist, and the bearers will be J.A. Davenport, L.T. Quirk, F.A. Frevert, J.L. Bruce, Henry Hix, and A.W. Lewis. She will be laid to rest in the Odebolt cemetery.
The body will be at the Leo Perkins Funeral Home until time for the funeral Friday.
The bereaved family have the sympathy of many friends in this sorrow.
Mrs. Shoemaker is here, and the son, C.H. Smith, and Mr. Shoemaker will be here for the service. Mr. Smith was unable to get here yesterday afternoon on account of the drifts.
The Odebolt Chronicle, Odebolt, Iowa
Thursday March 2, 1939
M.W. SMITH, LOCAL PIONEER, DIES MONDAY
Lived in Odebolt Since 1882; Retired from Business in 1919
Another of Odebolt's esteemed pioneers was summoned Monday morning, when M.W. Smith died at St. Anthony's hospital at Carroll. He entered the hospital January 20 for treatment for senile complications and never rallied.
Martin W. Smith was born of German-Scotch parentage at Mansville, Pa., Nov. 17, 1849, and died February 27, 1939, attaining the age of 89 years, three months and 10 days. He received most of his education from his brothers and sisters, as he was the youngest in a family of 12 children. He was baptized a Lutheran.
He was married to Deantha Work Jan. 10, 1870 at Eschall [Eschol], Perry County, Pa. They resided in Pennsylvania two years after their marriage and in 1872 they moved to a farm near Tama City. In 1876 they came to Sac County and that fall they rented the west part of the late J.P. Goreham farm.
They continued to farm until 1882, when they moved to Odebolt and lived on the same lot ever since. He bought the lot with a small shack on it from Manuel Geist. Five years later he enlarged this home. He first worked for John F. Buehler's father and then for the Geist lumber and machinery company for three years. Next, he worked in a restaurant where E.P. Potteiger is now located, for five years. He then went on the road as a salesman until 1907, when he bought the feed store (north of the telephone office) of John Nelson. He continued as flour and feed dealer until 1919. He served as a member of the town council for the last 10 years he was in this store.
He became affiliated with the Methodist church in 1883 and has been a true, conscientious Christian worker and attended the services as long as his health permitted. He believed he was the oldest Methodist church member of the congregation. Mr.. and Mrs. Smith were privileged to live together for 66 years. His wife was called to her reward February 25, 1936. To this union were born six children, two of whom (Merrill Trimble and Roy William) died when small. Those who survive him are Cloid and Dora (Mrs. Frank Shoemaker) both of Sioux City; Clara (Mrs. Will Topf) and Myrna (Mrs. C.P. Therkelsen) of Denver, Colorado; also eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 1:30 at the Mattes Funeral Home and at 2 p.m. at the Methodist Church, with the Rev. O.W. Brand conducting the services. Mrs. Marvin Friday and Minnie Kessler accompanied by Mrs. Marion Hix, sang "The Old Rugged Cross" and "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere". Pallbearers were T.W. Down, Iro Selby, A.W. Lewis, F.A. Frevert, M.H. Paul and J.L. Bruce. Burial was made in the Odebolt Cemetery by the side of his faithful wife. The business houses closed from 1 until 3 in homage to the esteemed resident.
Among those attending the funeral from a distance were Cloid H. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Shoemaker, daughter and son-in-law, and Howard C. Smith, a grandson, all of Sioux City; Chesley Smith, a great grandson, Lincoln, Nebraska, and Mr. and Mrs. Ed Blaine, a nephew and wife, of Harlan. Owing to sickness, Mrs. Topf and Mrs. Therkelsen were unable to come.
MRS. SMITH AT REST
(Taken from photocopy - no date or source. Article estimated to be from April, 1925)
In last week's issue of The Chronicle word of the death of Mrs. C.H. Smith of Sioux City was carried to our readers with a brief account of the life of this woman of lovely character, she having been well known in Odebolt.
This week a more detailed account is available.
Mrs. Smith had been in failing health for some months and it was deemed advisable that she should go to Rochester for relief. It was found necessary for her to undergo a very serious operation, which she did and for a few days she was in a critical condition and both her husband and son was with her.
She rallied however, and the son returned to his home. The invalid apparently was making excellent progress toward recovery and the family had great hopes.
On the day of her death, Saturday, March 22, she had been feeling as well as could be expected and had eaten and enjoyed a good dinner. Mr. Smith, who was also taking treatment, had not yet visited her that day, but was on his way to the hospital when he met one of the physicians, who did not know him personally. The physician stopped and told him that Mrs. Smith had just passed away. her husband said, "What Mrs. Smith?" The answer was "Mrs. C. H. Smith." Mr. Smith said, "No that is not possible," but alas he found it but too true. She had suddenly gone before it was possible to even let the husband know that he might be at her bedside to receive her last word or the clasp of her hand.
It was a terrible shock to him and to all the family that she should be taken from them thus suddenly, when they had hoped that she would be restored to health.
Mr. Smith took the loved form to the home in Sioux City, and there the memorial service was held at 2 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, the Rev. Earl Hoon (? unreadable), her pastor and pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal church in Sioux City, conducting the service, both at the home and at Graceland Park cemetery. The final resting place is in the north wing of the beautiful mausoleum, which was the request of Mrs. Smith, should she not live to return home.
The pall bearers were Joseph Mattes of Odebolt, James Ray, M.F. Orr, P.C. Cockerell, T.B. Hutton and W.H. Denton of Sioux City. Mr. Hutton was formerly superintendent of school in Odebolt and an intimate friend of the family.
Elizabeth Wrede was born April 19, 1872, at Cedar Lake, Ind. Had she lived until the 19th of this month she would have been 53 years of age. While still a young girl she came with her father and brother to Odebolt, her mother having passed away in Indiana.
She grew to womanhood here and attended the local school. October 5, 1892, she was united in marriage with Cloid H. Smith and until October, 1905, the home was in Odebolt, where Mr. Smith was a prominent businessman.
As was noted last week, Mrs. Smith was a woman of lovely character, an active and devout member of the Methodist church. She was faithful and loyal in the service of the church she loved. She was one who gave willingly and gladly of herself for the family and her friends. Her thought was never for self but always for others. She will be sadly missed in the home and in church and social circles.
Besides the husband she leaves one son, Howard of Sioux City, and one daughter, Dorothy, an art student in the University of Chicago. One little son, the oldest, died at the age of 5 months.
She leaves also two grandsons, Chesley and Wrede, three sisters, Mrs. H.W. Petersmeyer of Los Angeles, Mrs. Charles Lagergren and Mrs. Emma Behnke of Chicago, and one brother, Henry Wrede of Riceton, Sask.., Canada. All were present at the funeral except the brother, who owing to weather conditions could not make connections.
The bereaved family have the deepest sympathy of their Odebolt friends in their great sorrow, in the loss of this sweet wife, mother and sister.
Other relatives and friends from a distance who were at the funeral were: Edgar Behnke of Sawyer, Mich., a nephew; Mrs. William Peters of Chicago, a cousin; Mr. and Mrs. M.W. Smith of Odebolt, Mr. and Mrs. C.P. Therkelson of Lake View, Mr. and Mrs. William Smith of Ida Grove, Mr. and Mrs. William Mellberg of Vermillion, S. Dak., Mrs. C.D. Ballard of Odebolt, Mr. and Mrs. George Chesley of Armour, S. Dak., and Wesley Wright of Vermillion. Mr. Smith's sister, Mrs. Will Topf of Stromsburg, Nebr., was not able to make the trip.
The Odebolt Chronicle, Odebolt, Iowa, October 19, 1939
CLOID SMITH DIES SUDDENLY
Former Odebolt Boy: First Telephone Manager Here
Cloid H. Smith, 68, of Sioux City, died Thursday morning, Oct. 12, 1939, of a heart attack while seated at this office desk. Friends said Mr. Smith arrived at the office at 7:30 a.m. apparently in good health. Ten minutes later he toppled over dead.
Cloid Smith, son of the late Martin W. and Deantha Work Smith, was born in Pennsylvania. The next year his family came to Iowa and farmed until Mr. Smith was 11 years old. They came to Sac county in 1876. He received most of his education in the Odebolt schools, graduating with the class of 1889.
In 1891 or 1892, he engaged in business as a druggist, locating in the building now occupied by J.A. Engstrom's Drug store, which was a new building at that time. In November, 1898, he manufactured and shipped Husker's lotion, the noted remedy for corn huskers' sore hands, by the gross to druggists in Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, Missouri, Indiana and Illinois.
In June, 1899, he organized and became manger of the new telephone exchange with the central office located in his drug store, starting out with 75 subscribers. Later, this exchange became the New State Telephone Co. On Sept. 2, 1892, he sold his drug store to the firm of Engstrom and Huglin, but he still managed the New State Telephone Co. here and also in Sioux City after moving there in the spring of 1903.
Founded Pop Corn Co.
In 1914, Mr. Smith founded the American Pop Corn company at Sioux City and since that time it has been known as the largest concern of its kind in the world. He was president of this company at the time of his death.
He was a member of the Masonic lodge and Ab-Bekr Shrine temple.
He is survived by his second wife, Alvina, a son, Howard C. Smith, vice president and secretary of the pop corn company and a daughter, Mrs. Dorothy Seyforth, of Lanark, Ill., several grandchildren and three sisters, Mrs. Will Topf and Mrs. C.P. Therkelsen, both of Denver, Colo., and Mrs. Frank Shoemaker of Sioux City.
Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at Sioux City, with the Rev. H. E. Hutchinson of the Methodist hospital officiating. Officers of Wheeler lodge, A.F. and A.M., of Odebolt held the committal rites with Ralph Griffin, worshipful master, giving the charge. The body was interred in the mausoleum at Graceland park cemetery. James L. Bruce was one of the pall bearers.
Also see Cloid H. Smith and American Pop Corn Company