Judge John Luther "J. L." Smith

Notes:

The Sabine County Reporter
May 27, 2009, Page 16

Judge J. L. Smith

Judge J. L. Smith, 86, of San Augustine, passed away Thursday, May 21, 2009, in San Augustine.

Judge Smith was born Nov. 19, 1922, in Hemphill as a son of the late Lucille (Hoell) and Russell Allen Smith. He had lived in San Augustine several years.

Judge Smith had a long life of service. he was a graduate of Baylor University's law school and practiced law in the East Texas area for several years. He served a number of years as District Judge for the 273rd District Court, serving San Augustine, Sabine and Shelby Counties, and had also served as district attorney and prosecutor, alogn with service on the board of regents for Lamar University and as president of the San Augustine School Board of Trustees. He was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church and was a U. S. Navy veteran of World War II.

He and Joy Babcock were married in 1943. She preceded him in death on Aug. 22, 2007. Judge Smith was also preceded in death by a granddaughter, Stephanie Dawn Stanley, in 2005.

Survivors; daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Dr. Richard Stanley of Abilene; grandson, Russell Stanley and wife Lauren of Rule, and Richie Stanley and wife Gabby of Abilene; and great-grandchildren, Alexis Stanley and Katie Stanley.

Funeral services were set for 11 a.m. Saturday, May 30, at Calvary Baptist Church on East Columbus Street in San Augustine with Bro. Russell Stanley officiating. Interment will follow at Liberty Hill Cemetery in San Augustine.

Visitation will be held Friday, May 29, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Wyman Roberts Funeral Home at 316 W. Columbia Street in San Augustine.

Services are under the direction of Wyman Roberts Funeral Home in San Augustine. Online condolences may be posted at their website.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, May 2009)

A similiar obituary, and front page story about Judge Smith, appeared in the May 28, 2009 issue of the San Augustine Tribune.

John married Joy Edith Babcock about 1943. Joy was born on 8 Sep 1921; died on 22 Aug 2007 in San Augustine, San Augustine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living

Notes:

Funeral Services Held Tuesday For Rev. R. A. Smith

Funeral services for Rev. Russell A. Smith, 67, of San Augustine were held at the First Baptist Church in San Augustine at 4 P.m. Tuesday. Burial was in Liberty Hill Cemetery under direction of Wyman Roberts Funeral Home of San Augustine. The Rev. Carl Greer, pastor of the First Baptist Church in San Augustine officiated, assisted by the Rev. W. D. Sherman of Beaumont and the Rev. Clarence Howell of Hemphill.

Rev. Smith died at home at 8:30 a.m. Monday after an illness of four years.
He was a native of Fairmount in Sabine County. He was the youngest of 13 children and had lived in San Augustine since 1933.

Rev. Smith was a member of the Baptist Church and was a school teacher in Sabine County until he entered the Navy during World War I. He served aboard the battleship Oregon in the Pacific. After the war, he was associated with Knox Lumber Co. in Hemphill. In 1932 this company merged with Temple Lumber Co. for one year.

He became vice president of First National Bank in Hemphill in 1933. When the Hemphill bank closed in 1933, he moved to San Augustine to be in charge of the bank's service. He remained in San Augustine as vice president of First National Bank of San Augustine until 1938.
In 1938, he joined Deep East Texas Electric Co-operative as office manager. In 1940, he returned to Temple Lumber Co. in Pineland where he was purchasing agent and logging superintendent in charge of all woods operations until 1956.

In 1956, he became an independent pulpwood contractor in San Augustine.
Smith had been a Baptist minister for more than 40 years. He served churches in Milam, Geneva, Campsprings, Bronson, Chinquapin, Denning, San Augustine, and had been pastor of the Liberty Hill Baptist Church for more than 17 years, until he resigned on account of ill health.
Smith served as mayor of San Augustine in 1948 and 1949. During his term of office, the San Augustine Memorial Hospital was built. This was his main project during his term of office. He did not seek re-election.

Smith was a member of San Augustine Masonic Lodge and served as district deputy grand master.
Pallbearers were Hogan Fussell, Morris Thompson, Dr. C. R. Haley, E. A. Buckalew, Abb Howard, Albert Green, J. H. Wells, and Nelsyn Wade.

Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Lucille Smith of San Augustine; one son, J. L. Smith of San Augustine; one grandchild, Linda Joy Smith of San Augustine; three brothers, Obe Smith of Fairmount, G. S. Smith of Diboll, and Curtis Smith of Baton Rouge, La.
**************************************
The Sabine County Reporter, Hemphill,Texas, Thursday, April 2, 1964

(Courtesy of Kay Parker McCary)

Russell + Lucille Hoell. Lucille was born about 1896. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Martha Catherine Smith about 1872 in Sabine County, Texas. Martha (daughter of Obediah Jackson Smith and Elizabeth Chapman) was born on 2 Mar 1852 in Fairmount Community, Sabine County, Texas; died on 4 Jun 1930 in Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Zeroine Garlington about 1841 in Sabine Parish, Louisiana. Zeroine (daughter of Benjamin Garlington and Caroline Cynthia Vick) was born on 10 Jan 1823 in Copiah County, Mississippi; died on 1 Sep 1889 in Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Fairmount Community, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Tricia McNaughten Williams emailed, on March 30, 2011, that "Obediah J. Smith's middle name is Jackson and his death date is July 21, 1868 his death place was Big Sandy, Sabine County, Texas, USA with burial at Dickey Cemetery, Sandy Creek, Sabine County, Texas, USA." In her annotated transcription of the Fairmount Cemetery of Sabine County, Kay Parker McCary instead writes that "Obediah Jackson Smith buried Obediah Jackson Smith Cemetery, SCT - old and new markers."

Obediah married Elizabeth Chapman before 1835. Elizabeth was born on 21 May 1816 in South Carolina; died on 20 Mar 1901; was buried in Fairmount Cemetery, Yellowpine, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In her annotated transcription of the Fairmount Cemetery of Sabine County, Kay Parker McCary notes that she was a daughter of Elijah CHAPMAN and Elizabeth MARTIN.