2 obituaries; The tombstone gives his birth year as 1869

1st Obituary printed in the March 8, 1956 Enterprise, Blair, Nebraska

Wm. Smith Buried In Calhoun

Mr. Wm. Smith passed away Sunday night at the Hill Crest Home at Plattsmouth where he had been in failing health for several years. For the past six months he had been bedfast.

Mr. Smith was born at Rantoul, Illinois on March 12, 1868 and would have been 88 years old next Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were married in 1897 and came to Washington County in 1901 where they started farming east of Calhoun.

For nearly twenty years Mr. Smith was a member of the Calhoun City Council.

Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith. A daughter (Goldie) Mrs. Ira Pieper preceded her parents in death. A son, Lester, of Blair, survives. Also surviving are four grandchildren: Darrell Smith of Omaha and Gene Smith of Blair, Mrs. Harold Swanson (Lillie Pieper) of Omaha and Mrs. Chas Davey (Carol Pieper) of Rapid City, S.D, and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at the Calhoun Presbyterian Church with Rev. Norman Fowler officiating. The Sievers Mortuary was in charge of burial in the Calhoun Cemetery beside his wife who passed away last December 30th.

Pallbearers were Bruce Cox, Otis Hawkins, George Rohwer, Claire Thomas, Harold Saltzman and Harold Waldenstrom.

2nd obituary: March 8, 1956 Pilot Tribune

Mr. Smith, 86, Succumbs

Former Fort Calhoun Farmer Died at Plattsmouth Home Sunday.

A longtime Fort Calhoun resident, William Smith, 86, ex-farmer, died Sunday at Hillcrest Home in Plattsmouth.

Born Mar. 12, 1869, at Rantoul, Ill,, he came to Fort Calhoun in 1901. For years he farmed east of there and also was a horse trader.

Funeral services were held at the Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church yesterday at 2 p.m., the Rev. Norman Fowler officiating. The Sievers Funeral Home had charge of arrangements. Interment was in Fort Calhoun Cemetery, and pallbearers were Harold Saltzman, Harold Waldenstrom, Bruce Cox, George Rohwer, Clair Thomas and Otis Hawkins.

Mr. Smith is survived by one son, Lester Smith of Blair, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He wife, Emma, preceded him in death on Dec. 30, 1955.

~~~Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska library.~~~

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