The Sidney herald., 1958-01-30

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south of Sidney, at an open house
on his Tooth birthday Saturday,
January 10. More than 80 per-
sons gathered to congratulate
him, talk over old times, and
listen to many of his interesting
"reminiscences.
Smith, who is nearly 6 feet
tall, although somewhat stopped
by the weight of his 100 years, is
quite active and in excellent
health. Silver-white hair still
crowns his head, his mind is ac-
tive, and his memory of early
events is clear. During the past
few years he has begun to use
glasses for reading, and to walk
with a cane.
His main amuSementS are play
ing solitaire, listening to radio
broadcasts, and coming to town
to swap stories with old friends.
prescription for living to be
100 is Giving an active life"
Among his most treasured pos
sessions is a rocking chair, well
over 100 years old, which was
made in Kentucky. by his grand
fathers brother, and brought to
Missouri by steamboat before rail-
roads were built into that area.
Smith was born in Scotland
County, Mo-, January Is, 1853, a
son of Mr.. and Mrs. James Smith.
is of Irish ancestry. His
grandmother came from Ireland
when she was a little girl of 6
There were five Smith children
two girls and three boys.
The family crossed the plains
in 1864, travelling by OK train to
Nevada. Mr.. Smith recalls many
incidents of the trip, which took
about four months. Indians were
active, and the emigrants made
a stockade of their wagons each
On reaching the Platte
river in Nebraska, they spent two
crossing the river, caulking
he wagons, which were then used
Is boats to ferry them and their
goods across.
When hard times struck Nevada
md they were forced to pay $50
gold for a barrel of flour, the
Smith family returned to Missouri
n 1865, this time travelling with
horses.
He married Ella Paris, January
1882, in Milton, Iowa. Mr..
Smith recalls that snowdrifts IL
'eet deep banked the house on
lis wedding day. Mrs. Smith was
4 cousin of the author, Rupert
Hughes, and also of the father of
Howard Hughes, movie and air.
plane magnate. For a number of
years the family lived in various
including Iowa, Kansas,
and Oklahoma, before
to this area in 1914.
MT. Smith worked as a plaS-
.erer and was employed on nu-
nervous public buildings in Sid
ney, including the Richland coun-
~ courthouse, the reclamation
building, Community Memorial
hospital, and the Holly Sugar fac
tory. He laid his last chimney at
the Moran ranch when he was
35.
In 1916, Mr.. and Mrs. Smith
went to live with their daughter,
Mrs. Moran, three miles south of
Crane. Mrs. Smith died in Oc-
tober of that year, and he has
continued to live in his daughters
nome. His only other close living
relatives are his grandson, Harold
R. Moran, also of Crane, and a
Mrs. Frank Williams, 80, in
a Billings rest home.
One of the highlights of the
birthday celebration was the re-
of a card from President
Eisenhower bearing birthday
greetings. Friends also presented
with many cards, money and
other gifts. The time was spent
visiting and reminiscing.
Noel Carrico of Glendive pre-
him with a set consisting
Of a plasterer's hook and trowel,
a bricklaying trowel and a min
Iature jug of 100-year-old "Old
whisky.
Other out-of-town guests in
his deceased wife's sister,
Mrs. Maude A. Dunkelman, and
ner son, Earl E. Daniel, both Of
Phoenix, Ariz.
He is now resting from the
celebration, but still
plans to make good his boast that
he will come town, stand at the
main intersection of Central Ave.
and Main St. and lick any man
my age in the country"