Fernando Wood Smith (1863 - 1954)

Fernando's Calling- "He was superintendent of the Aroma church's Sunday Schools. He did this for 20 summers at Aroma in the forenoon, and Coon Valley in the afternoon. Aroma preachers held Revival Meetings there in the Fall. Many people were converted in that school house. After a few years the the Coon Valley people wanted their Sunday School in the forenoon and Fernando told Aroma to get another Supt. We would drive to Aroma to church after Sunday School at Coon Valley. Many of the people converted and joined Aroma church. Some went to Frankton and some to Elwood. The last few years of Sunday School there would be a long line of carriages and buggies going to Aroma and the preacher would never start his sermon until Coon Valley got there. Most of Coon Valley people joined Aroma church."

"One day he was plowing corn (the plow horses were named Dick & Dan), when he heard his name called. He stopped the team and got off the plow, thinking someone was there. He saw no one and got back on the plow and started the team when he heard his name called again. He stopped again and looked all around the field. The corn was little and he could see all over the field. Cyrena said he was white as a sheet when he came in at noon. That P.M. he saw two young men coming across the field. It was Joel Cox and Ernest Allen. They said they thought the community needed a Sunday School and had asked the Trustee if they could use the school house. Fernando knew what the voice meant. It was a pretty rough crowd at first, but he stuck it out. There should be many stars in his crown." From a letter by Vivien Foust, July 17, 1979.