Presley N SMITH

Unknown - December 3, 1887

*Obituary
Fayetteville Democrat
Friday, December 9, 1887

SMITH, Presley N. – "Uncle Presley Smith is dead," was the sad announcement made upon our streets Saturday morning, the 3rd inst. We had known for several months that he was in feeble health, but did not realize the fact that death would so soon claim him as another victim from our already greatly diminished list of old time friends of Fayetteville. The writer had known him since his early childhood—about the year 1840, I think it was, that I first saw him. He came to my father's humble home, which had been the year previous erected in the wilderness near the head of the Middle Fork of White river. He was then canvassing for the office of sheriff, and during that first visit by his kind words and pleasant manners made me his friend, which friendship grew and strengthened with the years, and I can truthfully say was never broken. He was a good judge of human nature, and understood the art of making friends out of the little boys and binding them to him as with hooks of steel, and those boys when grown up to manhood were sure to vote for him. There are no doubt many men now living in this county who like myself are growing gray, who cast their votes for him for clerk in his last race for that office through feelings of personal friendship formed for him in early childhood. Away back in the forties, during the campaigns for county offices, it was a custom for candidates to treat the people who came out to hear them speak. Uncle Presley was opposed from principle to whisky selling and whisky drinking and would not spend his money for that which would make men drunk. But he would buy all the cider and ginger cakes, or watermelons on the ground, and he invariably took especial care to see that every barefoot, hungry boy present got a good share. No those boys could not vote then, but he lived to see them all voters. Attentions like these and his uniform kindness and words of encouragement to the little boys of Washington county were as bread cast upon the waters to be gathered up by him in the future years. He was like another old friend of our boyhood, vis: Maj. B.H. Smithson, whose motto was "Always make a boy your friend," and when he is a man he will stand by you. Maj. Smithson said to me during one of his last campaigns, I think it was the last, about 1860, that there were enough young men then living in Washington county whom he had made his friends in childhood to elect him to any office he might ask for. I was satisfied his statement was correct for I was one of his firm supporters who never failed to give him my vote, notwithstanding the fact he belonged to the democratic party and I had been raised and educated a whig, but I voted for the man and not the party, and did it because I learned to like him when a very small boy. He like Uncle Presley had naturally a big kind heart, always treating little boys kindly and they never lost anything by it, for those boys were their friends when arrived at man's estate. ******During the last 37 years I have been intimately acquainted with Uncle Presley. We were associated together in the division of Sons of Temperance and lodge of Good Templars from 1850 to 1860. In the Methodist Church from 1852 to 1868, and in the Masonic Fraternity from 1853 to 1883, since which time he rarely ever attended our Masonic Lodges, but he was not required to attend on account of long and faithful service, and I most cheerfully bear testimony to the fact that I never saw any failure on his part to do his whole duty in any capacity, either as a mason or a christian gentleman. His liberality to his Church or to any charitable or public enterprise was the subject of remark by all who knew him intimately during the years of his success and prosperity. He was the most accommodating official I ever knew, always ready and willing to oblige a friend whether he had money to pay or not.

We venture the assertion that if it were possible for his executor or administrator to collect all the small amounts and larger ones that are justly due him for recording deeds, mortgages, will, marriages and other official acts performed by him during his thirty years of public service as sheriff and clerk, and receive also a fair compensation for deed, mortgages and other legal documents which have been written and acknowledged by him without charge, and to this add the amounts he has paid for poor people who had not the money to pay their taxes, or fines, that it would amount to a sum sufficient to pay for the erection of a marble monument over his last resting place higher than any of the beautiful and costly ones that now adorn our city cemetery. When he was in condition or position financially to do so, he was ever the poor man's friend—liberal and charitable to a fault. I dare say that his money has helped to build more school and church houses in Washington county than any other man's who ever lived or died in the county. There are no doubt many people now living in this county and elsewhere who remember sometime in their past history when this good old man of whom I write, came to their relief in the hour of need, when no one else would listen to their appeal for aid, and I feel sure that there be many in whose hearts yet live grateful recollections of him and who would join Brother Greathouse in "laying a flower upon his grave" as he expressed himself so feelingly on last Sabbath morning, as he stood beside the coffin which contained all that was mortal of his early friend and benefactor. If in his long confinement to his home there was any seeming neglect in the way of visitations or other attentions to him by his old friends I feel sure it was not willful but because they did not understand or appreciate his condition. His old friends I know loved him to the last and would gladly have administered to his comfort and happiness, had they known how best to do so. Now that the earth hides him from view they will ever cherish in their hearts the kindest feelings and most sacred remembrances of their kind and liberal hearted friend and brother whose loss to us we feel well assured is his eternal gain. V.

*Obituary (as written)
The Springdale News
Saturday, December 10, 1887

SMITH, Presley R. - (from The Fayetteville Sentinel)
This venerable and esteemed citizen, who has been confined to his home by the ravages of consumption for two or three years, departed this life Saturday morning last about 2 o'clock. "Uncle Presley," as he has been affectionately known to our people for many years, has been a citizen of this county for more than fifty years. He came from Lincoln county, Tennessee about 1835 and cultivated a farm and taught school near Farmington until his election to the office of sheriff in 1840. He held the position 4 years and in 1846 was elected county clerk and was re-elected until 1862. He was chosen to that position from 1866 to 1868 and from 1872 to 1880. He was thirty years in office in this county — four as sheriff and twenty-six as county clerk. He made an acceptable and faithful officer, as was attested by his repeated reelections. He was a prominent member of the M.E. Church South and also one of the eldest members of the Masonic Lodge of this city. He was three times married, his last wife surviving him. We do not know his age but it is the opinion of our oldest citizens that he was in the neighborhood of 80 years old. He was buried Sunday morning in the cemetery at Gherin's Chapel, Rev. B.H. Greathouse officiating.

Contributed on 10/18/22 by judyfrog
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Record #: 1453713

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