SMITHEY, John William

Date of birth:  9 Sep 1848 – Mercer County, Kentucky
Date of death: 11 Apr 1895 – Whiteland, Johnson County, Indiana

The Franklin Democrat, Friday, April 19, 1895,
Volum XXXV Number 40, page 1 column 6

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Killed.

Wm. Smithy, an employee at R. T. Wiley’s saw mill at Whiteland, was caught yesterday afternoon [sic], in a belt and drawn between the drive wheel and carriage wheel, instantly crushing out his life. He was about forty years old and single.

The Franklin Democrat, Friday, April 19, 1895,
Volum XXXV Number 41, page 1 column 4

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Obituary.

John Wm. Smithey was born in Mer­cer county, Ky., September, 1848. His childhood and youth were spent in that state. About 1864, his parents, James and Mary J. Smithey, moved to Johnson county, Ind., the subject of this sketch accompanying them, and located on a farm a short distance west of White­land. In 1868 Mr. Smithey, then about twenty years of age, united with the Bethany Presbyterian church, the church at that time being located about two miles north east of Whiteland.

In the course of a year or two after this, the family moved to Franklin, where Mr. Smithey lived five or six years. He then returned to Whiteland where he continued to reside until the time of his death. By occupation he was an engineer, and was so employed in R. T. Wiley’s Mill, where as the result of an accident, he met his death April 11, 1895.

Funeral services conducted by Rev. J. C. Burt, were held at the Presbyterian church, Sunday, April 14, followed by interment, under the auspices of the Greenwood K. of P. lodge, in Green­wood cemetery.

He was a man most highly respected and beloved by all in the community, church and in the hearts of his friends, he occupied a place which will not soon be filled, and expressions of sym­pathy for his brothers and sisters in their bereavement, are heartfelt and uni­versal.

Affable in manner, affectionate in disposition, conscientious and strong in his convictions, he was a man of per­fect integrity, and his whole life was a living example and embodiment of all the Christian virtues.

R. W. TERHUNE.

Link to John William Smithey’s grave

Note: Apparently the reporter took articles intended for the April 12th issue and put them in the April 19th morning paper (Volum XXXV Number 40) without changing the date references from those of the earlier week. The April 19th evening paper (Volum XXXV Number 41) has the correct date references. This is confirmed by the Johnson County Indiana WPA Death Index 1880-1920, page 192, referencing Book H-17, page 13 which records that John Smithey died on 11 April 1895.

Submitted by Mark McCrady, Cathea Curry and Lois Johnson