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Note: A native of Lewisburg, WV, he and his wife Caroline, moved from WV to Radford, Va. in 1930-31
Taken from an article written in 1961, probably the Roanoke Times or the Radford News Journal:
He began working in the stone business shortly after the turn of the century (1900) and managed quarries in Wisconsin, WV, and Virginia and in various stone operations. Beofre moving to Va, he spent 7 years working for a railroad in WV as a roadmaster. "For years, construction men had searched for a workable sand that could be made from stone. Such a find would reduce construction costs, increse efficiency, and create a stronger binding concrete. In 1935, five years after moving to Radford, ..he had develoed such a sand from the stone in the quarry. When he wrote about this in an article for the "Rock Products" , the industry realized it had something big. A sample of the new sand showed the highest test results of any conventional sample for strength and bonding qualities. Requests for samples and information came from all over the country", and Winnipeg. The new product was used in the building of Claytor Dam just a few hundred yards upstream form the Radford Limestone Corp offices.
From his obituary:
Arnold Smith conducted his funeral service.
He was rated by many as the most active lay member of the Baptist Church in Va. He attended all conferences and association meetings around the state for many years....
He took a big part in raising funds for the Va Baptist Hospital in Lynchburg, the Va. Baptist Orphanage at Salem, and the Va. Baptist Home for the Aged at Culpepper.
Locally her was very active in church activities and was Sunday School Supt for many years.
Active pallbearers were men he worked with for so many years at the quarry: Herb Williams, Ray Lancaster, Jule Williams, Winifred Meredith, William Guill, and honorary pallbearer Clayton Williams... members of the Men's Bible Class of the 1st Baptist Church were included.
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