Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-05-23
Negro With g k Children States Big Families Pay

Wichita, Kan., May 15.-The aver X age citizen, toiling under the burden Ief the high cost of living and com blaming of the hardship in provid- ing for family of two or three, 2 should see "Sonny" Smith, 1850 Sher- wood avenue. Sonny has rem cdy;
 < And he has practiced what he 7 breaches. Twenty three of his 2S children are living.
 Smith is 68 years old and has
 been married three times. He is one
 quarter Spanish and has just etinge
 of Cherokee Indian blood in his
 veins. Most of the remaining three
 quarters of his makeup is negro.
 His family is scattered over four sssxtates. His first wife is dead, his |sSecond wife is divorced and his third
 Wife lives with him in this city. He
 has 15 children by his third wife.
 Has Five Sets of Twins.
 The large size is not the only
 family. There have been five sets of
 twins. Two children by his first
 wife, both of Jefferson City, Mo-,
 are twins. Two of the 12 children
 by his second wife are twins.
 His third wife, with whom he is
 now living presented him with three sets of twins, besides nine regular children.
 "I have tried it all out" says Smith, land l still believe that a large family is the best. It is no more expensive than small one if as much so, for several of my ol4 ahr Ira,, nrlyI no q r send me money regularly for the support of the others" H Smith works every day at local mills, as Chauffeur for wheelbar- row." he says. No one dumps more 6 gravel than he, he boasts, despite his age.
 Awaits Title to Farm. $ But the man of many children does not toll hopclessly, altho he is nearing 70 years of age and has IT months at home to feed and as many bodies to clothe. A rich, 720- acre farm, his wife's dowry, is wait ! ing for him in Oklahoma oil coun
 try, and he will receive it just a! A soon as it's title can be cleared. The 4l lands title is clouded. It was solt fI by his Indian wifc's false guardian
 he says.
 ssWhen that affair is settled,
 Smith ayers, "I'll let someone els
 worry about dumping gravel"
 Smith was freighter between
 Denver and Pueblo in the earl '70s. He acquired 10 teams, whicl H brought him weekly return 0 $S6O This income continued flo |sg four years when Smith estimates his fortune at several hundred thou
 sand dollars.
 q lost it all because I got home \ sick" Smith relates. "Out in Cole
 rado, a man was man, regardles
 of color, but when 1 sold out an
 went South, I soon found that
 snigger' hadn't the right to tha
 much money. After enduring le [ of persecution, I became involved i
 shooting scrape, and had to fle' 3'k leaving my money behind" N Prices in those days in Colorad made even those of the present da ls look slim. Bacon sold for $l M pound, corn was $3 a bushel, flou was SIS a hundred, shoes were $l "a pair, while ovcralls sold for s EH Common labor was worth $S and |X "a day.
 Oldest Child, 50; Youngest, ?. Smith was married when he WE M IT His wife was IS. He now hs "a large number of grandchildren an RMNTA number Of great gfandcnlldre1 The eldest child is 50 and the youn, ks est 2. Smiths first children are we'll ed' st ' cated When his first wife died, ! M left their children with his mothe & settling plenty of money on them ft ' aE their care and schooling. They we 8 graduated from negro school N Missouri. Smith can neither res W Nnor write.
 Smith has borne his family care Ri well and Is spry and good-humore 8 M The family will live here, pendil IN fne settlement of the land case, b & t iMll live on the farm when title to
 is settled.