The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-16
REMARKABLE LONGEVITY OF NORTH CARO- LIMA SMITH FAMILY. Henry Smith Recently Died-At ths Time of His Death Was 1o2
 Years Old and Had 66O Descendants.
Asheyille Special.

l Asheville Special.
 Almost since Pocahontas saved he | life of Captain John Smith, the name oi ] Smith has represented a prolific stock | The Smiths have been associated with l history making in every epoch of our existence as a republic. They have sal ] in the councils of the nation. and have also occupied cells and dungeons. The multiplicity of Smiths has caused no end | of confusion. and often the name has been the subject of poor attempts al wit.
 w. F. Smith of Asheville. N. C.. rep resents a very remarkable branch of this family. Their record for patriot ism and good citizenship Is unsurpassed and the history of the family. too. is | interesting on account of the extraordi. nary longevity of it's members and the | prolific characteristic of this particular | branch.
 Prior to January 10 there were five generations living, four of them in Ash vile, N. c.
 On that date Henry Smith. the great great-grandfather of the family, died at his home near Clyde, on the waters of the Pigeon river. not far from Ashe- vile. having attained to the most unus- ual age of one hundred and two years and four days.
 l Henry Smith was born in Wilkes coun- ty on the 9th 0ay of January. 1892, and resided in the Old North State continu- ously throughout his long life. When but twenty-two years old he married and moved to Raymond county. where he spent the most of his subsequent years.
 He reared a family of nine children. all of whom grew to maturity. There ' were six sons and three daughters. The l all EarVa1 tp tha with credit to themselves and to the State. One of the sons and two of the daughters are still living and e. have passed the seventieth mile-post. They are John Smith and Annie Wyall, of Chattatouche. and Mrs. Obeline Neeser, of Pigeon river.
 This remarkable old man was robust, weighing at the time of his death 24O pounds. He enjoyed excellent health al- most to the end. and. except falling eye sight. retained all his faculties. It is doubtful if any other North Carolinian can boast of 660 descendants, the number that he had it his death. Nearly all these are still living and reside in North Car olina.
 One of the sons mentioned was the progenitor of the Asheville family. Will liam was born in Haywood county, Oc- l tober 3, 1925.
 
 ried Miss Nancy -Adeline Ray, of the same county. and then removed to Bun- combe, settling at AleXanderS, a few miles from Asheville. This was fifty eight years ago. Two years since he came to Asheville to live with his son. He was in perfect health when this month he went to visit his dying father l from exposure on that trip he contract ed cold which developed into pneumonia and death four days later. His widow survives him at the age of seventy-nine. William F. Smith determined to keen good the family record. married Miss Marguerite Fuller. both natives, and un- til few years ago residents of Bun combe county. Two years ago Mir. and Mrs. Fuller moved to Texas, where they are still living in excellent health. and both past eighty-eight.
 W. F. Smith has seven living children, and although but little more than forty years of age, counts three grand-chii- dren. It is believed that Buncombe can safely challenge any other county in the Union to produce a record to equal the | Smiths of Buncombe.