This log cabin was owned by John W. SMITH and his wife Fay C. BOOKOUT. It used to sit just out side of Decatur, Arkansas; but now this home is sitting in downtown Decatur.
What happened is that John W. SMITH traded his home and 80 acres of property to PETERSON (Peterson Chickens) for another piece of property outside of Gravette. As the SMITH family had grown, the outer walls of the Log Cabin were added onto. When someone went to tear it down, in the middle they found the original log cabin and then from there it ended up downtown in Decatur.
John SMITH was born in Columbus, Mo., May 2, 1870 and departed this life Dec. 31, 1946 at 6 p.m. at the age of 76 years and 8 months. He moved to Arkansas with his parents at the age of 17 and lived in Decatur until the past few months He was married to Fay BOOKOUT, Dec. 13th, 1896. To this union, 9 children were born, One son which preceded him in death. He leaves to mourn his departure his widow, Mrs. Fay SMITH and eight children: Mrs. Flora MCKENZIE of Tulsa, Mrs. Marilla GARRETT of Colorado Springs, Zela SMITH of Goodman, MO., Mrs. Anna BARNWELL, Erva, Elbert, Orlie, and Nelson SMITH all of Gravette. Also one brother, Will SMITH of Maysville, and one sister, Mrs. C.H. MOORE of Sulphur, Okla., 20 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren, besides several neices, nephews, and a host of friends.
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CARD OF THANKS
We wish to express our thanks and appreciation for all the many acts
of kindness, the comforting words spoken, and the thoughtfulness of neighbors and
friends during the illness and death of our beloved husband and father, John SMITH.
Mr. and Mrs. E.W. MCKENZIE and family
Mr. and Mrs. Albert SMITH and family
Mr. and Mrs. Bert BARNWELL
Mr. and Mrs. Zela SMITH
Mr. and Mrs. Earl GARRETT and family
Mr. and Mrs. Orlie SMITH and family (they spelled Orlia's name wrong)
Mr. and Mrs, E.S. SMITH and family
Mr. and Mrs. J.N. SMITH and family
Faye Carrie BOOKOUT SMITH, daughter of Louis and Murilla BOOKOUT was born Jan 21, 1877 in Benton county, Ark., and departed this life Jan. 18, 1959, in the home of Mr & Mrs. Eva SMITH in Gravette Ark at the age of 82 one month and 3 days. She was united in marriage to John Wiley SMITH Dec. 13, 1896. To this union was born nice children - three daughters, Mrs. Flora McKinzie of Tulsa, Mrs. Annie BARNWELL of Gravette, and Mrs. Murillie Garrett, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Six sons - Ervie, and Orlie of Gravette, Zelah of Goodman, Mo., Albert of Decatur, and Nelson of Englewood, California. One son preceded her in death. Her husband passed away Dec. 31, 1946. She is also survived by 20 grand children, 24 great great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews and other relatives and a host of friends to grieve her departure. All her life has been spent in the vicinity of Gravette and Decatur. She was converted at an early age and became a member of the Methodist Church and remained faithful to the end. She loved to read His word. We know that our loss is Heaven's gain.It's been said by Fay's daughter -Fay's middle name is Cassie. Family notes have Faye death Feb 18th 1959, and her Headstone shows she died Feb 18 1959
John W. SMITH age 39 MO. parents born in TN
Cars F. SMITH <looks like on original census> would have
to be Carrie or Cassie. age 32 wife AR
Flora SMITH daughter age 12 AR
Ervie SMITH son age 10 AR
Annie SMITH daughter age 8 AR
Zelia SMITH son age 4 AR
Nancy E. SMITH Mother age 67 TN
Nancy E. SMITH headstone in Decatur AR says born 1835 died in 1912, so
I am a bit disturbed by the age here, this 1910 census would have her
born
about 1843.
John W. SMITH Head born in Missouri Parents born in TN.
Carrie F SMITH Wife Father born in GA and mother born in TX
Orlie C. SMITH son
Zelah T. SMITH son
Marilla B. SMITH daughter
Nelson T. SMITH son
In translating original census into text there you will see that Orlie
should of been Orlia, Nelson name is John Nelson, but it has him as
Nelson T.
which the T. may of been a J. John married Fay Carrie BOOKOUT at the
age of 27 and she was 20.
