Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-11-04
DEATH OF AN OLD CITIZEN.
James Rector Smoot Passes away
After Long Period of Iii-heaith.

After Long Period OF ii-he"i
While the community in general were
surprised TO hear of the death OF Mr.
James Rrctor Smoot, his most intimate
acouaintances. fully aware of his serious
condition, had several weeks ago pre-
pared themselves for the announcement
which was made about four o'clock yes
teraay evening to the effect that he was
no more. He had been in feeble health
for some time and of late had been UNI
able to leave his home. The deceased
was in his 73d year, and throughout his
life he had been identified with the
business of his native city. Mr.. Smoot
was son of tie late James Smoot and
brother of Mr.. VIM. A. Smoot. He
was born in Alexandria in 1880 and
spent his youth here and in the county.
He was at the portals of early manhood
when the Orange and Alexandria Rail
road was being constructed and became
a member Of the engineer corps.
and shortly after entered the employ of
his uncle the late George IL. Smoot,
prominent lumber dealer here in by-gone
years. Some years before the beginning
of the civil war Mr.. Smo0t embarked In
the lumber business with the late John
Perry, which partnership was continued
up 20 a short time previous to Mr.. Perry's
death OF late years he had conducted
the business under the name OF Smoot
q Co. For some time past Mr. Smoot
Al. a. ON
river front of this city, both in point of
age and continuous career in business.
Mr.. Smoot was married three times.
His first wife was daughter OF the late
Anthony Frazier, of Alexandria county,
and of this union two children, Mrs.
Washington Danenhower of Washing
ton, and Mr.. Anthony f. Smoot, of this
city, survive. His second wife was
daughter of the late Charles l.. Powell,
of this city, and some time after her
death he married Miss Anna Whitehead,
of Nelson county, who survives him.
There we're no children by his second
and third wives. During Mr.. Shoots
long and useful career he accepted but
one position of public trust, that Of fire
warden. During the many years the
deceased conducted business in this city
he had employed numbers Of hands, es-
pecialiy IN late years in connection with
his mill. His kind and sympathetic
course with them one and all endeared
them to him and numbers have work
ed for him for years, beginning as APP
prentices and becoming middle-aged men
in his service. But it was not only
his relations with his employees which
brought out his good nature, but there
are numbers in this city who were at
different times the recipients of his
iavors, as no one ever sought his help III
vain. There were many such instances
i'm his life which none save he and the
benefciaries ever knew, but there was
one public act, known probably to but
few. which should be told, now that he
is no more. The morning after the
night of tae 29th of September, 1896.
when dreadful cyclone had unroofed
many houses in this city and Washing
ton it was found that the demand for
roofing paper could hardly be met. Mr.
Smoot had large stock on hand and
as was the case when people from other
cities wanted to buy up the coal banks
a month or two ago at large advances
dealers from Washington were in this
city bright and early the morning after
the cyclone and offered Mr. Smoot a
large profit on his roofing paper pro-
vided he would turn the entire stock over
to them. He refused to do so, and
quietly ordered those in his employ to
sell the paper only to Alexandrians and
at the old price; moreover to let any
persons whose houses had been damaged
and who were withoutmoney to purchase
the material to repaire them to have
the same to be paid for when the pur-
chasers found themselves in position
to do so. Such an act should shine as
level among the "Reminiscences in the
life of the James Rector SmoOt.