Progress Notes

As any reader of this website knows, Peggy Hake, a native of Iberia, has been our major contributor of historic articles about Miller County (photo 01).

01 Peggy Hake

I asked Peggy if she would do something different for us this week by submitting an article about herself and her family. So, after many years of authoring historical narratives about Miller County and its citizens, this week Peggy has taken the time to write an article about her Smith family and its ancestry. She introduces her family in this prologue which she sent me:

Joe,

Our Smith family were stonemasons and builders of some of the Iberia Academy buildings many years ago. I am happy to give you some history of the Smiths and the work they conducted over the years. I am sending you pictures of my father, Oliver Smith, my grandfather (Frank Smith) and his brother (Phelix/Pea Smith) (photos 02, 03 and 04).

02 G. Oliver Smith, son of Henry Franklin Smith

03 Henry Franklin Smith and wife Sarah Eliza (Boyd), son of William Harrison Smith and Lucy Ann (Gardner)

04 Phelix Wesley Smith and wife Fannie (Fike), son of William Harrison Smith and Lucy Ann (Gardner)

My great grandfather was William Harrison Smith an early stonemason of the area. I have a huge picture of him and his wife hanging on my living room wall.....my grandfather Frank/Cap gave it to me about 50 years ago because I was the first and oldest of all his grandchildren and he knew I would always take good care of it. I believe the photo was taken sometime about 1925-26 just before his death in 1927 (photo 05).

05 William Harrison Smith

William was a Union soldier in the Civil War and served in the Missouri State Militia Volunteers, 5th Regiment Cavalry. In later years he was a member of the Miles Carroll G.A.R. Post in Iberia.

NOTE: The lady standing behind him (but not visible) was one of his daughters and that is why I think this was taken just before his death in 1927. His wife had preceded him in death a year earlier.

William was a stonemason of both Pulaski and Miller Counties, MO (1841-1927); and was a son of John Wesley Smith Sr. and Nancy (Stinnett) of Kentucky and Tennessee. He was married in Pulaski Co., MO c/1840. William was the father of Phelix Wesley Smith (called Pea) and Henry Franklin (called Cap) Smith who built some of the old buildings of Iberia Academy, the Iberia Nazarene Church and many other stone structures in the area.

The following is a summary of my Smith family history:

The Smith family of Richwoods Township, Iberia vicinity, were my ancestors who practiced their trade in the age-old profession of stonemasonry. My great great grandfather was John Wesley Smith Sr., born in Kentucky in 1821, and married Nancy Stinnett in Pulaski County, Missouri in 1840 where his Smith family had moved. His father was Peter Smith and I found no record that he ever worked as a stonemason but was a ferryman on the Gasconade River in Pulaski County. Peter left central Missouri in the early 1840s and moved to Yamhill County, Oregon with his second wife (Orpha Dean) and children and lived there until he died. John Wesley was the only one of Peter's children who remained in Mid America and I would assume it was because he married Nancy Stinnett and wanted to rear his children in Missouri.

After they grew to manhood, William Harrison Smith and John Wesley Smith Jr. (sons of John Wesley Smith Sr. and Nancy (Stinnett), heard there was a demand for stonemasons over in Miller County near Lenox Trading Post (early trading post/mercantile/post office near Iberia). It was located on Rabbithead creek, southwest of Iberia. In 1861, the trading post was destroyed by the Home Guards (Confederate troops) during the Civil War. Wilson Lenox had the trading post and a blacksmith shop and it was there the two Smith brothers walked to try to obtain work. The store was located on the David Condra farm which passed on to Archie Condra and later was sold to Herman Golden. Today the farm is owned by Alfred Vineyard.

The Smith brothers found work plentiful in the Iberia area digging cellars with stonemason work needed in walling up the cellar foundations. Their skills were also used in building fireplaces.

It was during this time that William Harrison met and married Lucy Ann Gardner, daughter of Henry Paulding Gardner and Elizabeth Bailey of Barren County, Kentucky. William Harrison Smith and Lucy Ann Gardner were my great grandparents. They married in Miller County February 1, 1863. He was born in Pulaski County 15 Dec 1841 and Lucy was born in Miller County 24 January 1843....... His brother, John Wesley Smith Jr. married Sarah Haseline Bond in Miller County and reared several children near Iberia.

William Harrison and Lucy Ann (Gardner) Smith reared their eleven children in the Iberia area. The children were:

William Daniel b. 20 Dec 1863 m. Sally Harrison;

Jemima H. b. 1865 died young;

James Paulin b. 25 Jun 1867 m. Emma Whalen;

Parthenia Minnie b. 13 Apr 1869 m. 1) Rector Thompson 2) Paul Rees;

Phelix Wesley b. 4 Nov 1870 m. Fannie Fike;

Jessie Rosa b. 8 Oct 1872 m. Charles Aust;

John T. b. 20 Mar 1875 m. Hester Smith;

Jacob C. b. 1 Apr 1878 m. 1) Lennie Sooter 2) Lizzie Sooter (sisters);

Charles E. b. 24 Oct 1881 m. Molly Mayfield;

Henry Franklin b. 20 Jun 1884 m. Sarah E. Boyd;

Gracey Mae b. 24 Sep 1886 m. 1) Henry Lollar 2) Louis May;

Myrtle Clara 1889-1890

When Wm. Harrison enlisted in the Union Army (1863), he gave his place of residence as Oakhurst. This was an early name for Iberia before and during the Civil War. The post office was located at Lenox Trading Post, southwest of Iberia. The post office existed 1862-1871. Harrison also mentioned the name Humboldt, MO in his military records. Humboldt was located a mile north of present-day Crocker in Pulaski County.

Wm. Harrison lived to the age of 86 years. He died 28 Dec 1927 at the home of his son, Frank, in Iberia. Lucy Ann (Gardner) Smith died a year earlier in Feb 1926 at age 83 years. Both are buried at Iberia Cemetery.

Henry Franklin Smith, youngest son of Harrison and Lucy, was born 20 Jun 1884 in Miller County. He married Sarah Eliza Boyd, daughter of James and Celia Adeline (Shelton) Boyd, on 16 Dec 1906. Their children included:

Conard Ivory 1908-1970 m. Tressie Gale;

Carl Everett 1912-1912;

Gene Oliver 1914-1980 m. Verlie Wyrick;

Priscilla Idolia 1919-2007 m. 1) Clark Davis 2) James Karr 3) ___Cameron;

James William 1923-2007 m. Faye Jones;

Glen Raymond 1925-1970 m. Dorothy Robinson;

Sharlene Jeanette 1928-1929.

(NOTE: Henry Franklin (Frank) Smith and Sarah Eliza Boyd were my grandparents. My parents were Oliver Gene Smith and Verlie Alberta Wyrick.)

The Smiths were stonemasons by trade for many generations. My father, Oliver G. Smith, the grandson of William Harrison Smith, was the 3rd generation to practice stonemasonry. William Harrison taught his sons this age-old profession. My grandfather, Frank, and his older brother, Uncle Phoelix (called Pea), were the best-known stonemasons in the Iberia area for many years. There are many structures of stone still standing which bear the touch of their skilled hands. The Iberia Academy is perhaps the oldest building standing that was helped to be built by their talent (photo 06).

06 Iberia Academy

The old stone fence encircling the campus still stands as their handiwork (photo 07).

07 East Entrance Gate, Monument and Administration Building

Frank and Pea also built the native stone fence encircling the Iberia cemetery (photo 08) and the beautiful stonework of the Nazarene Church in Iberia which stands so majestically against the horizon, is a lasting monument of their stonemason talents (photo 09).

08 Iberia Cemetery

09 Nazarene Church and Old Iberia Jail

Note: Read more about the Nazarene Church as written by Peggy in this attachment (photo 10):

10 Iberia Church of the Nazarene
Click image to read entire document in PDF format

Many foundations and fireplaces were constructed by the Smith family members. Mrs. Linda Roberts, a descendant of Phelix/Pea Smith, believes the stone fence encircling their property in east Iberia was built many years ago by the Smiths. I know that the stone steps that are still standing at the entrance way to Brays Advent Christian Church, northeast of Iberia, was built many years ago by Linda's and my great grandfather, William Harrison Smith (photo 11).

11 Brays Advent Christian Church

As long as these artifacts of stone stand one upon the other, the descendants of this Smith family will always have these remembrances of their ancestors and will be able to touch the past which belonged to their forefathers... I am proud to be one of those Smith descendants...

NOTE: Unfortunately some of the stonework of the fence, encircling the Iberia Academy campus, has been torn down during the past year. I imagine most of it will be destroyed in the future. Time marches on and progress takes over to replace many of our historical sites and artifacts!

The last stonemason work I can remember my father, grandfather Frank and Uncle Pea conducting was the boy's auditorium that was begun to be built in the late 1930s and early 40s. It was never finished probably because of World War II coming about at that time and some of the young men left home to serve their country. I have a photo of my Dad, grandfather, my brother and myself standing on the cut stone foundation that was being built at that time. The Nazarene Church was built a little later, but I do not recall its construction as vividly as the Academy's boys dormitory. I may have already left Iberia when the church was begun to be constructed.

Thanks Peggy for the very interesting biography of you and your family. Your Smith ancestors left many evidences of their stone and brick mason skills in Iberia and you have left for us hundreds of historical articles about our entire county. The Smith family of Miller County always will be remembered by its lasting works of architecture and literature.

Now one more thing about Peggy’s Smith family needs to be made public. Did you know that the Smith family of Iberia was very well known as being made up of natural born baseball players?

The following article was written by Peggy’s son, Kerry Warman (photo 11a):

11a Kerry Warman

The Baseball Thrill of a Lifetime!
By Kerry Warman - Sports Editor

It is going to take a long, long time for me to come down from the high I experienced last week at the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game!

Wanting to make sure I was able to experience as much atmosphere and flavor of the game as possible, I got there early—but I didn't go inside immediately.

Six Generations

Before the game, I spent a long time talking with my mom Peggy Smith-Hake, one of the biggest baseball fans you will ever meet. And we talked about just how far back baseball goes in my family.

My great-grandfather, Frank "Cap" Smith played professional baseball for three years in the early 1900s. Mom reminded me that in those days, players had to make their own way from their homes to the towns where they played.

For "Cap" that meant walking and hitching rides from Iberia, Mo., to small towns in Arkansas, especially Paragould. Then he would make maybe a dollar a game, and still had to pay his own expenses!

Sadly, for great-grandpa, after the 1916 season, he went home to Iberia and was working in the corn fields when a corn knife slipped in his hand and severely damaged his leg, ending his baseball career.

But the love of the game was passed to his sons, three of whom played baseball for most of their lives.

My grandfather, Oliver Smith, and great uncles Conard "Cap" and Glenn Smith, were outstanding players on the Iberia town teams throughout the years.

As a matter of fact, great uncle Glenn made it into the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system as a pitcher.

Mom, her brother Bill, and most of their cousins, continued the baseball tradition in the family. Mom, of course, is the big Cardinal fan—but also loves her Royals, too! Uncle Bill played ball in his youth, and then went on to coach his sons, Randy and Rusty, in baseball throughout their young lives.

Of course, in my family line, there is no bigger baseball fan than Kerry (sorry Kathy, Kelly and Kirk, but you can't beat my love of the game!). And while I never made it to the professional level as a player, I still am a professional when it comes to the sport.

My nephew Ray and great nephew Kolin are big baseball fans and I know they will continue this family tradition and hand it on down to their kids, too.

Once Mom and I said goodbye, I said hello to Kauffman Stadium. And it was almost like a ghost town inside as I walked around the main concourse and took in all of the sights of Kansas City prior to the big event for the Summer of 2012 in Missouri-----THE ALL STAR GAME AT KAUFFMAN STADIUM.........

We were honored a couple of weeks ago to receive a financial gift of five thousand dollars for the Miller County Historical Society Foundation from G.R. Keeth of Iberia (photo 12).

12 G.R. Keeth

G.R. and his extended family have been long time supporters of the society and the museum. G.R. requested that the gift be given in honor of his wife, Jean, who passed away two years ago August 28, 2010 (photo 13).

13 Jean Pemberton Keeth and Family

Here is a copy of the funeral obituary of Jean (photos 14 and 15):

14 Jean Pemberton Keeth Memorial 1
Click image for larger view

15 Jean Pemberton Keeth Memorial 2
Click image for larger view

Copied below is what I wrote about Jean at the time of her funeral in this previous Progress Notes:

We were saddened a couple of weeks ago to learn of the death of Jean Keeth of Iberia. She and her husband, G.R. Keeth, have been supporters of the Miller County Historical Society for many years. Jean was an avid quilt maker; she won the First Prize in our quilt contest a couple of years ago at the museum (photo 16).

16 Jean Keeth - Winner Best of Quilt Show

Jean also is an expert cook and recently before her illness completed a book of her recipes accompanied by beautiful photographs (photo 16a).

16a Grandma Jean's Recipes Cookbook

Her son, Greg Keeth, is one of our Miller County Historical Society board members. The Keeth family made a very generous donation to our Historical Society to help cover our expenses for the recent Bridge Opening ceremony and Celebration at Tuscumbia. We wish to extend our condolences to the family and friends of the Keeth family and let them know how much we will miss Jean’s presence at our meetings and events.

We are very thankful to G.R. and the entire Keeth family for their support during the last few years and especially appreciative now to receive this large financial gift G.R. has given us in memory of his wife, Jean.

We received for our museum recently a couple of original paintings by Kirk Payne, now a resident of Rain, Louisiana (photos 17, 18 and 19):

17 Kirk Payne

18 Barn Painting

19 Cow Painting

Bagnell area residents and School of the Osage Alumni will remember Kirk. Here is some more information about the photos and Kirk given me by Jody Newman of Osage Beach, a friend of the Paynes and one of our very helpful museum volunteers:

It looks like the current drought may turn out eventually to be as bad as the one of the fifties if it keeps on without any rain coming our way. Even so, my wife’s nephew Derrick Steen and his wife Courtney, who live across the road from his grandmother, Elva Steen (my mother in law), have grown some really good looking vegetables from their garden to which this photo attests (photo 20):

20 Garden Produce

Having sampled some of their garden produce, I can attest to how good it is to eat home grown vegetables right out of the garden.

That’s all for this week.

Joe Pryor

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