Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-03-01
PASSING OF DR.. T. SMITH.
End Comes Peacefully Saturday
Night After Short Illness.

DR.. Theophilus Smith died Saturday
evening, February 29th, 1901, at about
ten O'Clock at his home 308 Fourth
street. The end was not unexpect.
ed. His advanced years made il
impossible for him to recover, and in
deed death was due to general wearing
out of the physical forces, rather than g
any disease, consequently relatives and
friends of the family lost hope few
days after he was taken i'll, for he grad
ually failed He had enjoyed extraor-
binary good health all his life, and up
to few days previous to being taken
sick traversed the streets at as sprightly
gait as a man in the prime of life. In
fact his physical appearance, as regards
the usual results of age, was deceptive.
his face was one of the most familiar of
any upon our streets, and it is hard to
realize that he is gone.
TheOphilus Smith was born in Clarks-
burg, w. ", on the twenty-tirst day of
September, 1917, and was therefore
past eighty-six years of age. He was of
old down east stock. His father was
Rev. Jesse Smith, his mothers maiden
name Juliet Armstrong. When a boy
he was given a common school educa-
ton and after arriving at the age where
an ambitious young man looks forward
to the future, he chose medicine as
profession, and TO fit himself for its
practice he first associated himself with
a DR.. Reed and then entered the Jeffer-
son Medical college of Pennsylvania,
from which he later was graduated and
was given diploma.
After graduation he practieed medi-
cine in the East for number of years.
In lS4S he was united in marriage to
Miss Emily Postlewait, at Perrysville,
Pa, who died Jan. 2, 1862. OF this
union seven children were born, four of
whom survive him, David p, of Shelby,
Mont; Jennie r., now Mrs. e. s. Ash
mum, of Waupaca; James G., of Custer,
Idaho; Theophilus NJ, of Wausau
Some time after his wife's death-in
Sept. 1S63-Mr. Smith came West to the
Wisconsin river valley and located in
Wausau, at once taking up the practice
of medicine. In an early day when in
the full vigor of manhood he enjoyed
large practice, and up to few years
ago, when approaching old age mani
tested itself and he decided to divorce
himself from his practice, he continued
to be the family physician OF a great
many of the old Inhabitants. There
were but three doctors here at that
time, Drs. Thayer and Gordon being
the pioneers The physician of those
days in sparsely settled country, like
this section then was, did not enjoy the
advantages that does his brother of this
late day Some times he had to make
long journeys on foot, and roads were
anything but the best at any season of
the year Money was scarce in the
country and slow pay was the prevail
.l.x. a H.. .lr.yt
patient who never rewarded him.
August % 1867, MIR. Smith was mar
ried to Mrs. Harriet Willard, widow of
Burton C. Willard, who was one of the
first to enlist in the Union army, and
was killed while on picket duty in the
South by a bullet from a rebel gun.
The house on Fourth street where Mr..
Smith has lived all these years was at
one time one of the most pretentious in
Wausau and was built in 1854 On its
site there used to be an old well of cold,
pure water that enjoyed the distinction
OF being the second one TO be dug in
what is now the corporate limits of
Wausau, the first one being at the old
Forest House. To Mr.. Smith by his
second marriage were born three chill
dren. Laura, now Mrs L. E. Bump, of
Grand Rapids; Marion, now Mrs Jos
F. Smith, of Chicago, H., and Charles,
of Portland Oregon.
During President Grants administra-
tons, from 1868 to 1876, Mr.. Smith was
Wausau's postmaster, and at oae time
also served as a justice of the peace.
Living here as he did from the war
period, he was known to nearly every
family in Wausau, and when weather
would permit he was to be seen on the
streets almost daily. He was always a
very active man and even in late years,
in the evening of his life, when he ought
to have taken comfort and repose, he
was never content unless doing some
work. He was very early riser and
in summer would perform his chores
about the house and stable and have
the COWS driven out to pasture before
the average citizen had finished his last
morning sleep. 1t was this life of
activity which kept him free so long
from the decrements of old age, and
when the end came, it came peacefully,
and he was conscious up to the last, his
wife and several of his children being
at his bedside.
The funeral will be held Wednesday
afternoon from the home and will be
under the auspices of Wausau Lodge
No. 2l5, |, o. o. F., of which order de-
ceased was long member. Rev. 5. n.
Wilson, pastor of the Presbyterian
church, will also conduct services.
Among the children from out the city
who will be present at the funeral will
be Mrs. g. S. Ashmun. of Waupaca;
Mrs f. f. Bump, of Grand Rapids;
Mrs. Jos. Smith, of Chicago, and
Charles, of Portland, Ore.
Doctor Smith was ever an honest,
vigorous, patriotic thinker and talker
on everything which engaged or at
tracted his attention, oftentimeS
aroused to impulsiveness. One instance
will serve, in part, to illustrate: A
score or more Of years ago procession
was marching through the streets OF
the city to celebrate an event in the
Franco-Prussian war and, by inadvert-
ance probably, the stars nd stripes of
America occupied place lG the ranks
following the colOrs of another country;
the banners ana the music were stir
ring and grand All bystanders were
Invited TO fall ia anu march and Doctor
Smith was gently urged, when he most
vehemeutly refused, saying, "Tll see any
procession, that gives the stars and
stripes second place, go farther in
hades than pigeon can fly in q week,
before | will march in it," and, raising
his voice with emotion, then i won't,
for there's no power on earth that can
compel me to do it"