Individual Details
William Ara Smith
(28 Jan 1875 - 10 Oct 1943)
State of Iowa Adjutant General's Department Certificate states,"William A. Smith age 23. Residence Dubuque, nativity Iowa. He was in the Spainish American War. He enlisted June 24, 1898 in Company "A" 49th Iowa Infantry. Mustered into Federal Service June 24, 1898. Mustered out May 13, 1899, Savannah, Georgia. Service in Cuba from December 21, 1898 to April 4, 1899. From Page 235 of Book Ancestors and descendants of Abigail Ferris and James Clason of Stamford, CT. and Beaver Dam, Wisc. by Fay Morehouse Medhaug, Waterloo, IA, April 1987. He took photos of the ships in Havana Harbor while in service.
William Ara Smith's discharge paper for Federal service is recorded 25 Feb. 1942 in book 31, page 293 in Black Hawk County Recorder's office.
William A. Smith was a Private of Captain W. H. Swift's Company A of the 49th Regiment of Iowa National Guard from 9 October 1899 until removal from company station 29 September 1900. Character Good, service honest and faithful. Usual occupation photographer.
William was a Corporal in C. W. Cotton's Company 13 of the 53 Regiment of Iowa National Guard enlisted 7 May 1902 until 17 November 1903. Character Good, service honest and faithful. Usual occupation fireman [rail road].
William's Pension Certificate No. 1212951 reads: It is hereby certified that in conformity of the laws of the United States William A. Smith who was a Private Co. A 4th Regt. Iowa Infantry is entitled to a pension at the rate of eighteen dollars per month to commence November 12, 1924. His widow Clara received widows benefits after his death.
William was a photographer and had his own shop before he married. His granddaughter Fay Medhaug stated that he had studied to become a Baptist preacher when young but became disenchanted by the hypocrisy and dropped out.
On the U. S. Census of 1910 at Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., Iowa, William A. Smith appears with his wife Clara D., children Genevieve, William, May, and Emma, his parents William W. and Ida and his brother Raymond F. William A. is a locomotive engineer, William W. is a stationery engineer and Raymond is a wood worker at a door factory. They are living at 225 Ankney St.
Clara and William with their 6 children, his parents and a lodger are on the 1920 Census of Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., Iowa.
On the U. S. Census of Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., Iowa 1930 shows William with his wife Clara, children Mae, Howard, Harry, and Ila. William is an engineer with a railroad. Mae (May) occupation is telephone operator. Harry was a bell hop at a hotel.
William was a retired Illinois Central Railroad Engineer. His Railroad Retirement Board number was A-45115. He retired May 11, 1936. A letter from Illinois Central System stated he had worked for them 36 years before he retired. He received a lifetime pass to ride the railroad for himself and his wife.
On the 1940 U. S. Census of Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., Iowa, William A. Smith is listed with his wife Clara, children Mae Smith, Jean Smith, Genevieve Morehouse. Also in the household is his mother, Ida and grandchildren Roy, Fay and Jane Morehouse. Mae is working as a telephone operator. The family is living at 312 Charles Street.
Waterloo Daily Courier, Monday Oct. 31, 1943: page 2. William A. Smith, 68, a retired Illinois Central railroad engineer who lived at 312 Charles St. died at 9:30 a.m. Sunday of heart disease at the Veteran Hospital in Des Moines. Born Jan. 28, 1875 in Dubuque, Iowa, he was the son of William W. and Ida Ema Smith. On Oct. 19, 1900 he married Clara Brisco at Osage, Iowa. Mr. Smith had been working in Waterloo prior to the marriage and they came here immediately. He was a veteran of the Spanish American War and was a member of Waterloo Lodge 105 A.F. & A.M. Surviving are his widow and seven children: Mrs. Genevieve Lenius, 312 Charles St., May B. and Ila Jeanne Smith of 312 Charles St., Emma Harrington of Oelwein; William C. Smith chief commissary steward in the Navy somewhere in the South Pacific; Harry R. Smith Chief carpenters mate in the Seabees at New River, N. C.; and Howard A. Smith of 1256 Ackermant St.; three brothers C. E. Smith of Clinton, Iowa; Raymond F. Smith of Chicago; Roy J. Smith address unknown; a sister Hulda Smith of Chicago; 11 grandchildren and a great grand child. One grandson Pfc. William C. Morehouse is with a railroad battalion in North Africa. A sister Ruth Servatius and a son Henry preceded him in death. The body was taken to Peterson Bros. funeral home.
Waterloo Daily Courier, Tues. Nov. 1, 1943: Funeral services for William A. Smith, 68, retired engineer, who died Sun. at the veterans hospital at Des Moines, Ia. will be conducted by Rev. A. L. Drake, pastor of the 1st Baptist Church at 2 p.m. Wed. in the Petersen Brothers Funeral Chapel. Burial will be at Elmwood Cemetery with military and Masonic services at the gravesite. Mr. Smith was a member of Martin Lodge 624 AF and AM.
William Ara Smith's discharge paper for Federal service is recorded 25 Feb. 1942 in book 31, page 293 in Black Hawk County Recorder's office.
William A. Smith was a Private of Captain W. H. Swift's Company A of the 49th Regiment of Iowa National Guard from 9 October 1899 until removal from company station 29 September 1900. Character Good, service honest and faithful. Usual occupation photographer.
William was a Corporal in C. W. Cotton's Company 13 of the 53 Regiment of Iowa National Guard enlisted 7 May 1902 until 17 November 1903. Character Good, service honest and faithful. Usual occupation fireman [rail road].
William's Pension Certificate No. 1212951 reads: It is hereby certified that in conformity of the laws of the United States William A. Smith who was a Private Co. A 4th Regt. Iowa Infantry is entitled to a pension at the rate of eighteen dollars per month to commence November 12, 1924. His widow Clara received widows benefits after his death.
William was a photographer and had his own shop before he married. His granddaughter Fay Medhaug stated that he had studied to become a Baptist preacher when young but became disenchanted by the hypocrisy and dropped out.
On the U. S. Census of 1910 at Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., Iowa, William A. Smith appears with his wife Clara D., children Genevieve, William, May, and Emma, his parents William W. and Ida and his brother Raymond F. William A. is a locomotive engineer, William W. is a stationery engineer and Raymond is a wood worker at a door factory. They are living at 225 Ankney St.
Clara and William with their 6 children, his parents and a lodger are on the 1920 Census of Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., Iowa.
On the U. S. Census of Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., Iowa 1930 shows William with his wife Clara, children Mae, Howard, Harry, and Ila. William is an engineer with a railroad. Mae (May) occupation is telephone operator. Harry was a bell hop at a hotel.
William was a retired Illinois Central Railroad Engineer. His Railroad Retirement Board number was A-45115. He retired May 11, 1936. A letter from Illinois Central System stated he had worked for them 36 years before he retired. He received a lifetime pass to ride the railroad for himself and his wife.
On the 1940 U. S. Census of Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., Iowa, William A. Smith is listed with his wife Clara, children Mae Smith, Jean Smith, Genevieve Morehouse. Also in the household is his mother, Ida and grandchildren Roy, Fay and Jane Morehouse. Mae is working as a telephone operator. The family is living at 312 Charles Street.
Waterloo Daily Courier, Monday Oct. 31, 1943: page 2. William A. Smith, 68, a retired Illinois Central railroad engineer who lived at 312 Charles St. died at 9:30 a.m. Sunday of heart disease at the Veteran Hospital in Des Moines. Born Jan. 28, 1875 in Dubuque, Iowa, he was the son of William W. and Ida Ema Smith. On Oct. 19, 1900 he married Clara Brisco at Osage, Iowa. Mr. Smith had been working in Waterloo prior to the marriage and they came here immediately. He was a veteran of the Spanish American War and was a member of Waterloo Lodge 105 A.F. & A.M. Surviving are his widow and seven children: Mrs. Genevieve Lenius, 312 Charles St., May B. and Ila Jeanne Smith of 312 Charles St., Emma Harrington of Oelwein; William C. Smith chief commissary steward in the Navy somewhere in the South Pacific; Harry R. Smith Chief carpenters mate in the Seabees at New River, N. C.; and Howard A. Smith of 1256 Ackermant St.; three brothers C. E. Smith of Clinton, Iowa; Raymond F. Smith of Chicago; Roy J. Smith address unknown; a sister Hulda Smith of Chicago; 11 grandchildren and a great grand child. One grandson Pfc. William C. Morehouse is with a railroad battalion in North Africa. A sister Ruth Servatius and a son Henry preceded him in death. The body was taken to Peterson Bros. funeral home.
Waterloo Daily Courier, Tues. Nov. 1, 1943: Funeral services for William A. Smith, 68, retired engineer, who died Sun. at the veterans hospital at Des Moines, Ia. will be conducted by Rev. A. L. Drake, pastor of the 1st Baptist Church at 2 p.m. Wed. in the Petersen Brothers Funeral Chapel. Burial will be at Elmwood Cemetery with military and Masonic services at the gravesite. Mr. Smith was a member of Martin Lodge 624 AF and AM.
Events
| Birth | 28 Jan 1875 | Dubuque, Dubuque Co., Iowa |  | ||
| Marriage | 19 Oct 1900 | Osage, Mitchell Co., Iowa - Clara Daisy Brisco | | ||
| Residence | Bet 1917 and 1918 | Age: 42 - Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., Iowa | | ||
| Death | 10 Oct 1943 | Des Moines, Polk Co., Iowa | | ||
| Burial | Elmwood Cemetery, Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., Iowa | | |||
| Race | White | |
Families
| Spouse | Clara Daisy Brisco (1884 - 1982) |
| Child | Henry Smith (1901 - 1901) |
| Child | Genevieve Clara Smith (1903 - 1975) |
| Child | William Carley Smith (1904 - 1994) |
| Child | May Blossom Smith (1905 - 1992) |
| Child | Ema Ida Smith (1908 - 1999) |
| Child | Harry Raymond Smith (1911 - 1984) |
| Child | Howard Ara Smith (1914 - 1997) |
| Child | Ila Jeanne Smith (1925 - ) |
| Father | William Wayne Smith (1849 - 1923) |
| Mother | Ida Emma Isadore Hosier (1854 - 1940) |
| Sibling | Mamie Smith (1872 - 1876) |
| Sibling | Charles Edward "Ed" Smith (1877 - 1945) |
| Sibling | Ruth Smith (1878 - 1928) |
| Sibling | Huldah Beach Smith (1882 - 1954) |
| Sibling | Roy John Smith (1885 - 1958) |
| Sibling | Raymond Fenimore Smith (1891 - 1951) |
Endnotes
3. Abigail Farris & James Clason By Fay Morehouse Medhaug, April 1987.
5. Abigail Farris & James Clason By Fay Morehouse Medhaug, April 1987.
6. Abigail Farris & James Clason By Fay Morehouse Medhaug, April 1987, Page 98.