Peter Washington Smith (1875 - 1974)

Born 2 Nov 1875 in Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Tennessee (James) Smith — married 23 Dec 1902 in Winn, Louisiana, United States

Husband of Alice Dorinda (Morse) Smith — married after 1940 in Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States

Descendants

Died 7 Apr 1974 at age 98 in Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States

Biography

Peter Washington Smith was known as Pete Smith or "Uncle Pete."

His obituary read:

P. W. Smith, 98 year old early Sikes teacher, farmer, merchant, died April 7 in a hospital here following a long illness.

He was the son of the late John F. Smith who helped build the second school in Sikes, the Crain School, located on the present site of the Sikes First Baptist Church.

Smith, known to most people as "Uncle Pete", was one of the early teachers in that school taking classes when he was 20 years old in 1896. He had 75 students and taught until about 1897-98 when the family moved to six miles southeast of Sikes on the place now occupied by one of his sons, Stanley Smith, merchant and member of the Winn Parish School Board.

"Uncle Pete" farmed, ran cattle and hogs, and in 1924 moved to Sikes and opened a general mercantile store which was finally closed in 1940 following the death of his first wife, Tennessee James Smith.

The family had a contract with Milam's Wholesale Grocery and Monroe Wholesale Grocery to can tomatoes, an operation which began in 1932 and continued through about 1938.

When "Uncle Pete" taught at the Crain school he was 8th teacher. The school was built in 1891 with Alfred Emmons its first teacher, followed by Dr. J. B. Parker, C. B. Gates, John O'Neal, Chester Adams, Mrs. May Waller, Mrs. Mattie Simmons, then "Uncle Pete", followed by Lizzie Adams, Merle Womack. Uncle Pete had 75 students and drew $20 a month.

He continued very active in the hog and cattle business and as late as 1955 when he was 80, he broke a new horse to ride. His activity continued through about 1960 when he retired from farming other than gardening. He had in the meantime married and his second wife, Mrs. Alice McCartney Smith, died in 1964 [sic 1966].

Since 1966, "Uncle Pete" had been keeping pretty busy inside, but got out to the James Family Reunions each year except the past two. He had been confined to bed for about the last year.

Funeral services were held Monday at 2 p.m. at Sikes Baptist Church with the Rev. Willie James, the Rev. C. T. Smith, and the Rev. Henry Stakes officiating.

Burial was in the Sikes Cemetery under the direction of Southern Funeral Home of Winnfield.

Survivors include two sons, J. Wayland Smith of Oak Grove and Stanley J. Smith of Sikes; one sister, Mrs. Beulah McCarty of Monroe; eight grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

Published in The Winn Parish Enterprise-News American, April 10, 1974

Sources

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDXG-DYH : 7 September 2017), Peter W Smith in household of John F Smith, 7th Ward, Winn, Louisiana, United States; citing enumeration district ED 54, sheet 600B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0474; FHL microfilm 1,254,474.
• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSPV-TZ6 : accessed 9 May 2018), Peter W Smith in household of Percifer F Smith, Ward 7, Winn, Louisiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 119, sheet 4A, family 62, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,586.
• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVWF-WC4 : accessed 9 May 2018), Peter Smith, Police Jury Ward 3, Winn, Louisiana, United States; citing ED 105, sheet 4B, line 95, family 72, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 636; FHL microfilm 1,820,636.
• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMTN-DWS : accessed 9 May 2018), Pete W Smith, Police Jury Ward 03, Winn, Louisiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 5, sheet 1B, line 85, family 17, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 826; FHL microfilm 2,340,561.
• "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J1KZ-3TY : 20 May 2014), Pete Smith, Apr 1974; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
• *Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 9 May 2018), memorial page for Peter Washington Smith (2 Nov 1875–7 Apr 1974), Find A Grave: Memorial #32337575, citing Sikes Cemetery, Sikes, Winn Parish, Louisiana, USA ; Maintained by Ron Manley (contributor 46788603) .