robert grandison smitherman
Funeral services for Robert
Grandison Smitherman, 84, well-known business and civic leader of
Bienville parish, who died Tuesday night at 8:35 o'clock at a local
sanitarium, were to be held from the Liberty Hill Baptist church at
3:30 p. m. Wednesday.
Interment will be in the Liberty Hill cemetery, under the direction of the Roll Osborn funeral home. The body lay in state at the home of a son, C. B. Smitherman, 395 Albany avenue, with whom he lived for the last four years, from 8:30 a. m. until 1:30 p. m. Wednesday when the funeral cortege left fo Liberty Hill.
Surviving Mr. Smitherman and his widow, the former Miss Rach Roden, daughter of Joshua Embr Roden, one of the pioneers of North Louisiana, whom he married on Dec. 26, 1878; also eight children all of whom were at his bedside when the end came. They are James E. Smitherma president of the Red River Valley Improvement association, and well known Shreveport business man C. Boyd Smitherman, Robert Green Smitherman, David E. Smitherman, Mrs. J. M. McCarty, Mrs. V. T. Mather, all of Shreveport; Mrs. F. Vernon of Liberty Hill, Ark.; Mr Howell D. Jones of Arcadia; Mr R. P. Vernon, another daughter died several years ago at her home in Ruston. In addition to his chidren there are 34 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and a brother Andrew Jason Smitherman.
Mr. Smitherman was born at Randolph, Bibb County, Ala., on March 29, 1851, the son of Lucretia and James Smitherman, one of the pioneer families of Alabama who had migrated from Virginia, from which place he moved to Liberty Hil Bienville parish, in 1875. There he established his home and resided until 1924, since which time he had made his home with his son, C. I Smitherman, at Haynesville, and later in Shreveport.
Mr. Smitherman was one of the foremost farmers in North Louisiana and put into practice many years ago much that is now considered modern in the way of soil conservation and improvement, erosonial control and timber protection, and culture. In addition to farming, the deceased taught in th public schools of his community during the early years of his life and was a leader in the religious and social life of Bienville paris He was for many years a member of the police jury in Bienville, parish, and was president of that body for four years. He took an active part in the anti-lottery and temperance contests in Louisiana. Mr Smitherman joined the Baptist church when he was 8 years old and continued to be a communicant of that church. He was committed to the cause of religious education tolerance and freedom.
Interment will be in the Liberty Hill cemetery, under the direction of the Roll Osborn funeral home. The body lay in state at the home of a son, C. B. Smitherman, 395 Albany avenue, with whom he lived for the last four years, from 8:30 a. m. until 1:30 p. m. Wednesday when the funeral cortege left fo Liberty Hill.
Surviving Mr. Smitherman and his widow, the former Miss Rach Roden, daughter of Joshua Embr Roden, one of the pioneers of North Louisiana, whom he married on Dec. 26, 1878; also eight children all of whom were at his bedside when the end came. They are James E. Smitherma president of the Red River Valley Improvement association, and well known Shreveport business man C. Boyd Smitherman, Robert Green Smitherman, David E. Smitherman, Mrs. J. M. McCarty, Mrs. V. T. Mather, all of Shreveport; Mrs. F. Vernon of Liberty Hill, Ark.; Mr Howell D. Jones of Arcadia; Mr R. P. Vernon, another daughter died several years ago at her home in Ruston. In addition to his chidren there are 34 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and a brother Andrew Jason Smitherman.
Mr. Smitherman was born at Randolph, Bibb County, Ala., on March 29, 1851, the son of Lucretia and James Smitherman, one of the pioneer families of Alabama who had migrated from Virginia, from which place he moved to Liberty Hil Bienville parish, in 1875. There he established his home and resided until 1924, since which time he had made his home with his son, C. I Smitherman, at Haynesville, and later in Shreveport.
Mr. Smitherman was one of the foremost farmers in North Louisiana and put into practice many years ago much that is now considered modern in the way of soil conservation and improvement, erosonial control and timber protection, and culture. In addition to farming, the deceased taught in th public schools of his community during the early years of his life and was a leader in the religious and social life of Bienville paris He was for many years a member of the police jury in Bienville, parish, and was president of that body for four years. He took an active part in the anti-lottery and temperance contests in Louisiana. Mr Smitherman joined the Baptist church when he was 8 years old and continued to be a communicant of that church. He was committed to the cause of religious education tolerance and freedom.