Copyright 1999 By Dodie(Smith)Browning~ All rights reserved.
James Smith was the youngest son of Tom and Ann Eliza (Steele) Smith. He was born June 1876, Buchanan County, VA. d. 16 March,1946, buried Briar Branch In the Smith Family Cemetery. He married 3 November 1908, Susan Martha Doss, d/o Wm & Lucinda (Brumfield) Doss.
Uncle Jim was actually my dad's uncle and my great uncle. I can state without hesitation that he was my very favorite uncle. The above picture is exactly the way I remember Uncle Jim, except when he was wearing his "Sunday best" either for church or for a funeral. He was an old man when I was just a little girl, but he always had a "little boy" quality about him that made me feel that he was on the same level as his grand children and his nieces and nephews. He made each of us feel that we were really special. He never talked down to us, and treated everyone with respect and dignity. He had beautiful snow white hair that was always in place. He was never too busy to take time to visit with the children and to entertain us. The above picture could be any of at least a hundred times that we went to visit, which was often, because they lived nearby. Just like in the picture, he would have the bottoms of his pants legs secured to keep dirt out of his shoes, when he was working in the garden. He was always in the garden except on Sunday. He was never too busy to stop his work to come and visit and to play with the children. He always had a twinkle in his eyes and a smile on his face. I had forgotten how truly special he was until I started remembering the times we spent at their house. Next to my own grandfather and my dad, Uncle Jim was the "biggest" and most wonderful man in the whole world.
Aunt "Suse" was his equal in every way. I don't recall either of them ever uttering a harsh word to anyone. They were still very much in love and it showed. They were a team and a perfect match! Aunt "Suse" always prepared a feast every day from food that Uncle Jim raised on the farm. Unexpected company was no problem- there was always room for one more. There were lots of "one mores" all the time, because they had a large family and most of the relatives had large families. There were so many of us, it was hard to keep straight just who belonged to which family. Uncle Jim and Aunt Suse epitomized the concept of, "Just one big happy family." I always felt welcome and considered their family to be my own.
"As I remember them:
You know, some children are lucky to have their grandparents well into their teenage years, but I lost mine when I
was little girl. What I do remember, left a lasting inpression on me. I believe they were very religious.
To walk into their yard was like walking into Paradise; so green and so "grassy." Why I could have laid rite down and went to sleep ifin I hadn't been scared of their dogs, Old Dime and Daisy.
It was very pleasant to be around Granny Sue and Grandpa Jim. Now we never went down to their house without Mom or Dad though , unless was it was an emergency. I always went to them to get my teeth pulled. Granny Sue always knew what I wanted when she saw me coming. (Of course, I always had my hand over my jaw.) Grann Sue would say, "What ye want child?" I would say, "My tooth pulled." Grandpa would grab the "wire pliars" off the wall plate on the rafters. He would say, "Let me pull it, as he was coming towards me, opening and closing the pliars. Granny Sue would say, "Hush up Pa, you're sacrin' the child to death."
Granny Sue would say, "Hand me the twine Pa." (It looked like rope to me.) She'd say, " Close your eyes and it'll be out in a minute." The door would slam and the next thing I knew, there would be my tooth on the end of rope-oops, I mean twine. Grandpa would be laughing. Granny Sue would say, ""It's all over child." So help me, as I write this, it was a nightmare for me, but it was a delight for Grandpa.
Grandpa was a hard working man. Granny Sue's house was always "spick and span." Granny Sue played the fiddle and the old organ. They say she played very well in her young days.
Dad had to go in the Army (World War II) when Isom was about three months old. and Grandpa went with Mom to Maryland to see Dad. Grandpa helped take care of Isom and as I recall, he sure enjoyed riding the train. But even better than the train ride, was to get to see Dad.
We stayed at Granny Sue's when Mom and Grandpa went to see Dad. I remember we sat in the yard in the hot boiling sun one whole day after they left. Dad was gone about a year and when he came home, Uncle Sherman went into the Army.
I remember Grandpa working on to of the house in his bibbed overalls. Seems like one day he was well and the next day, he was gone..........."
The children of Jim and Susan (Doss) Smith:
7(1) Kermit Smith married Bertha Workman
7(2) Garnet Smith, b. Oct. 1910 or 1911 d. 2 May, 1966, buried Frye
Cemetery, Verdunville. married John B. Workman, s/o Wm. Workman and Victoria
Vanderpool
7(3) Denver Smith, b. 4 July, 1912, married 20 July 1932, Lona Workman,
d/o Carter Workman & Belle (Browning).
7(4) Martilia Smith, b. 16 Nov. 1914, m. Delmus Workman, s/o Stonewall Workman and Tema (Adams)
7(5) Zernie Smith b. 21 Oct. 1915, never married. Died at age 75 in
Huntington, WV, 13 March 1992. She made her home with her sister Eliza (Smith) Hager
7(6) Clyde Smith, b. Feb. 1918, married Verlie
Workman (b.17 Nov.1922) d/o Shade Workman & Ethel
7(7) Emal Smith maeeied Audrey Workman
7(8) Eiza Smith, b. 7 Feb. 1922, married Carl Hager(b. 21 June, 1924)
7(9) Shade Smith, b. 24 August, 1924, married Lenore Carter, d/o Edward Carter & Effie (Mullins)
7(10) Sherman Smith, b. 23 August 1927, Baptist Minister; married (1st)
Roberta Hensley, d/o James Hensley & Sarah (Dalton)
married (2nd) Minnie (Workman) Tomblin- no children by this late in life marriage
