Biography of David A Smith, Greene Co, AR

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Submitted by: Michael Brown
        Date: 5 Sep 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas

page 170

David A. Smith. In the space allotted in this volume it would be impossible to give a
detailed account of the career of this gentleman, but it is only just to say that in
his walk through life his course has been marked by honesty, industry, and a manly,
independent spirit. His birth occurred in Middle Tennessee on the 8th of July, 1826,
and he was the eldest in a family of twelve children born to Stantford and Margaret
(Tassey) Smith, who were natives of North Carolina and Alabama, respectively, and
with their parents removed to Tennessee at an early day, where they met and married.
In the fall of 1825 they came to Greene County, Ark., and bought a tract of 160 acres
of land which was in a wild state, and on this they located, improved it, and resided
here until 1876, when the father died. His wife's death occurred on April 8th, 1874.
David A. Smith was reared to manhood on this farm and, besides becoming familiar with
the details of farm work, learned the carpenter's trade of his father, following this
occupation in Tennessee and also after coming to Arkansas. He came to the latter
State at the same time of his parents' removal and bought 160 acres of wild land on
Sugar Creek, on which he erected buildings, set out orchards, and cleared forty
acres. After making this his home for about fifteen years, he sold out and purchased
his present property on Crowley's Ridge, which consists of 225 acres of land, 100 of
which are under cultivation. He has cleared forty acres himself and has made other
improvements, which goes to make his home one of the most valuable in the country. He
does general farming, raising corn, the smaller cereals, and cotton. He also has a
good apple and peach orchard. During the intervals between the farming seasons he has
worked at the carpenter's trade, and has built most of the better class of houses in
the township, among which are the residences of Capt. Crowley and Mrs. Boyd. Mr.
Smith was married on the 6th of January, 1858, to Miss Margaret Pevehouse, a native
of Arkansas, by whom he became the father of six children, four of whom are living:
William W. C., Sarah Ann, who died at the age of twenty years; Mary Elizabeth, who
died when one year old; Logan L. R., Susan Cansada, wife of G. B. Harris, a resident
of the county; and James A. Smith. In 1879 Mr. Smith lost his worthy wife, and in
1879 he wedded Mrs. Cothren. He is quite an active politician and has served as
bailiff of Greene County. He is a patron of education and is at present a director of
his school district.