James Merton Smith Jr (1888 - 1946)

Born 10 May 1888 in Lone Mountain, Claiborne, Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Elizabeth McDonald — married 15 Jun 1910 (to about 1917) in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

Husband of Barbara Olive Cabbage — married 1915 (to 1920) in Tennessee, United States

Husband of Verna (Lumpkins) McClain — married 1 Aug 1927 in Kenvir, Harlan, Kentucky

Husband of Annette (Pfeifer) Sullivan — married 17 Sep 1927 in Henderson, Henderson, Kentucky, United States

Died 15 Mar 1946 at age 57 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States

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Biography

The son of James Smith Sr and Manila (Walker) Smith, James Smith was born in Lone Mountain, Tennessee^{[citation needed]} in 1888. His father passed away the next year and his mother remarried, marrying John K. Gose (1858-1916). In 1900, James lived with his mother, stepfather, and siblings, residing in Claiborne County's Civil District 10; he is listed on the census enumerated as "James Gose."^[1] James enlisted in the United States Navy, serving in 1910 aboard the U.S.S. Vermont as a Yeoman 1st Class, and stationed that year at Boston, Massachusetts.^[2]

He married Mary Elizabeth McDonald (1890-1974), the daughter of John McDonald and Bridget Gardner, marrying in Boston on June 15, 1910.^[3] Their children included:

1. Mary Ethel Smith (1911-1986)
2. Catherine L. Smith (1913-)
3. Virginia D. Smith (1916-)

James left the Navy, residing in 1917 in Sioux City, Iowa. He registered for the World War II draft there, registering in Sioux City on June 5, 1917.^[4] He stated that he lived with his wife and children at 1805 Leech Street in Sioux City and that he worked as a clerk for Rische & Sanborn in Sioux City. James was described as a short, slender man with light-colored hair and grey eyes; he did not re-enlist.

He divorced later that year and remarried, marrying Eva Alma Rogers (1888-1942), the daughter of William Lewis Rogers and Alma Inez Wakefield, marrying in Woodbury, Iowa on November 10, 1917.^[5] That marriage also did not last and James is thought to have returned to Tennessee, marrying Barbara Cabbage. That marriage ended before 1920.^{[citation needed]}

James remarried in 1927, marrying Verna Lumpkin (1890-1966), the daughter of Joseph Henry Lumpkin and Johnnie Florence Cochran and the former wife of Lawrence McClain, marrying in Kenvir, Kentucky on August 1, 1927.^[6] That marriage also was short-lived and James moved to Detroit, residing in 1930 as husband and wife with Anna Pfeiffer, the daughter of Adam Pfeiffer and Katharina Adams, having one known son together, James Merton Smith III, born around 1928. In 1930, James, Anna, and their son lived in Detroit, where James worked at an automobile factory.^[7]

The couple separated and by 1940, James roomed in Detroit with Elder and Florence Nichol, sharing his quarters with Rella Colbourne, age 46, and working at the automobile factory as a tool inspector.^[8] He registered for the World War II draft when he was 54, registering in Detroit, Michigan on April 24, 1942.^[9] He stated that he lived at 70 Chandler Avenue in Detroit and that he worked for Hudson Motor Company. He was described as 5'6" tall and 175 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes and, having registered in the "old man's draft," did not enlist.

James Smith died at Grace Hospital in Detroit, Michigan^[10] at the age of 57 and is buried at White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery in Troy, Michigan.^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1900", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MS89-MSS : Thu Oct 05 13:21:31 UTC 2023), Entry for Johnnie Gose and Nilie Gose, 1900.
2. ↑ "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1925", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N4D9-FZF : 4 November 2022), James M Smith and Mary E McDonald, 1910.
3. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2ZT-VYGW : 6 May 2022), James M Smith and Mary E Mcdonald, 15 Jun 1910; citing Marriage, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007011069.
4. ↑ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ2V-LFM : 29 December 2021), James M Smith, 1917-1918.
5. ↑ "Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDS-ZZCC : 27 September 2017), James Morton Smith and Eva Alma Rogers, 10 Nov 1917, Woodbury, Iowa, United States; citing reference , county courthouses, Iowa; FHL microfilm 1,451,902.
6. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2D4-M2JM : 22 July 2021), James M Smith and Verna Mcclain, 1 Aug 1927; citing Marriage, Kenvir, Harlan, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 1,876,476.
7. ↑ United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls. Year: 1930; Census Place: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan; Page: 14B; Enumeration District: 0761; FHL microfilm: 2340797. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002. Ancestry Record 6224 #1268605 with attached Image
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1940", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KHMJ-R44 : Sun Jun 18 06:17:30 UTC 2023), Entry for M James Smith and Rella Colbourne, 1940.
9. ↑ "United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J4SV-CP4 : 10 March 2021), James Merton Smith, 1942; citing NARA microfilm publication M1936, M1937, M1939, M1951, M1962, M1964, M1986, M2090, and M2097 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
10. ↑ "Michigan Death Certificates, 1921-1952," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KFWF-Y8J : 13 March 2018), James M Smith, 15 Mar 1946; citing Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing; FHL microfilm 1,972,917.
11. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPSZ-87SS : 25 May 2022), James Merton Smith, Burial. Find A Grave: Memorial #186304407