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Note: Of Texas The 1920 federal census for Fannin Co., Texas shows that he was born in Texas and his parents born in Tennessee.
Albert Hinton Smith was the son of Orville Smith and Martha Ann.
Hint was born May 6, 1850 in Sumner County, Tennessee and came to Honey Grove with his family in 1851.
He married Mamie Irvine Meyer in Danville,Kentucky.
Mamie was born 1 Jun 1857 in Danville, KY and died 5 Jan 1906 and is buried at Bellevue Cemetery in Danville.
Hint died 6 Aug 1937 in Honey Grove. --------------------------------- Honey Grove Signal Citizen, 13 Aug 1937
A. H. Smith, Resident of Honey Grove for 86 Years, Dies Last Friday Night
A. H. Smith, possibly better known to the people of this city and community as "Hint," abbreviation for Hinton, died at the home of his son, Meyer Smith, and family, last Friday evening about 10:30 o'clock, after an illness of less than a week, his passing depriving Honey Grove of one of its earliest citizens and settlers and one of its pioneer businessmen.
The deceased was 87 years of age, and was one of Honey Grove's oldest citizens, as well as one of the oldest in the entire county.
Mr. Smith was born in Gallatin, Ky., May 6, 1850, the son of Orville and Martha Smith. He came with his parents to Honey Grove in November 1851, at which time Honey Grove was only a small community with one store, and his parents were among the few pioneers who built the present city of Honey Grove.
Growing to manhood, the deceased became one of the leading citizens and, guided by the instincts of his parents, likewise soon became a progressive citizen, and with a few others of the same type, was responsible for the continued up-building of this territory and Honey Grove.
He labored faithfully and hard for the community which he had seen grow from a wilderness to a prosperous town, and was identified with the business and farming interests for many years, and his efforts have often been recalled by the older citizens, most of whom have years ago passed on to their reward.
Up until a short time back, when the weight of years fell heavily upon him, Mr. Smith had a most vivid memory, and many were the interesting stories of the early days of Honey Grove that he told. He had a most unusual memory for names, events, people and dates, and his passing has more than likely silenced forever some of the most interesting early history of Honey Grove.
It is indeed regretful that he had not placed in writing the many facts that he had stored away in his mind for three-quarters of a century. Such a history of our community would have been most interesting and beneficial to those of the present generation and the generations to come. Having lived here at the time when only one or two stores were proudly boasted of and then lived on down until the present state of progress had been attained, is something that few people ever achieve, but the deceased was no doubt the allotted one for this purpose and he served well this task.
Mr. Smith, having engaged actively in business during his early days, later giving his time to his farming interests, even though for many, many years, within the confines of the city.
The community owes much to the former activities of the deceased, the influence for good he had, the work that he did, and the civic pride and progressive spirit that he exhibited, as well as the Christian spirit that he lived and practiced, and by his own life instilled into the struggling community.
In 1880 in Danville, Ky., Mr. Smith was married to Miss Mamie Meyer, and to this union one child was born, Meyer Smith, who survives him, and who with his family have during the last years of his life given him every care and attention.
His son, Meyer Smith, and wife and his granddaughter, Miss June Smith, are his closest survivors, and his passing has brought to these and other relatives deepest grief.
At an early age Mr. Smith united with the cumberland Presbyterian church, and during his entire life he was a conscientious, consecrated Christian citizen. In his earlier days he gave of his time and talents to the church of his choice, and served in various official capacities and continued to do so until a few years ago, when age curtailed his energies and prevented his usual activities. Through his long and useful life, his church activities were never neglected, and he continued to serve his Master to the very best of his ability.
As the weight of years still further decreased his energies, he conserved his strength so that he might continue to attend weekly and Sunday services, and in all kinds of weather he was a faithful attendant at the church of his choice, being faithful until the last.
The deceased was one of Honey Grove's most beloved citizens, and no more energetic, Christian and appreciated citizen has been known to our citizenship. He has left behind a career that cannot be duplicated; a life that could not have been more useful; a memory that will never be outlived, and an example of Christian living that should be an example for all to follow.
The funeral services were held at the Presbyterian church, his Christian home for many years, Sunday afternoon at 5:30 o'clock, and as the lowering rays of the evening sun sank into the west hosts of friends, both old and young, from many sections of the community gathered to pay their final tribute to their friend, so would his soul pass into that new and happy home, that place not made with mortal hands, but in which God's chosen can find perpetual peace and happiness.
Rev. Marshall Masters, pastor of the First Christian church in Greenville, paid a most impressive tribute to the deceased, and at the same time impressed all present with the reward which is in store for those who live the full life asked of by the Master. A quartet composed of T. G. Lane, H. L. Thompson, Mrs. A. B. D. Diedrick and Miss Mary Hannah McClure gave a special number, and a duet by Mrs. Mc Eversole and Miss Ruby McClure was also impressively rendered.
The remains were laid to rest in Oakwood Cemetery following the service.
Pallbearers being R. E. Eversole, J. F. Black, Dan Baker, H. L. Allen, R. M. McCleary and W. N. Johnstone.
The Signal-Citizen joins with our entire citizenship in extending to the relatives and friends of the deceased most sincere sympathy in their period of sadness. ----------------------------------- Albert Hinton 'Hint'ù Smith and his twin brother Orville were born in Gallatin, Tennessee, May 6, 1850.
Albert Hinton, affectionately known as 'Uncle Hint'ù in later years, moved to Honey Grove with his family in October, 1851.
Hint worked for his father in the family hotel while growing up in Honey Grove.
In 1869 Hint was living close to Saundersville, Tennessee, at the farm of his grandfather Montgomery.
On May 25,1880, he married Mary "Mamie" Irvine Meyer of Danville, Kentucky. Mamie was born in Danville, June 1, 1857. She was the daughter of Anselm David Meyer of South Carolina and Elizabeth Caldwell Irvine born in Kentucky.
Hint owned a livery stable on West Main Street. In 1880 Hint was living in the Smith Hotel and his occupation was liveryman.
Later "Hint owned a farm about a half-mile southwest of our city limits and this farm had about ten acres of timber on it, which was used by the family for a supply of firewood for cooking and heating in the wintertime. The Smith woods, as it was commonly called, served as a convenient entertainment center for our community and was very popular with young and old alike as a place to hold picnics, Fourth of July events or any other outdoor activity that was of interest. The woods were close in to town and it was only a short buggy or wagon ride from home.
In later years Hint became interested in animals and particularly was he fond of the lovely and graceful deer. Nothing would delight his watchful eye more than the sight of a newborn fawn as it gained strength near its mother's side and frolicked with the other deer. He was so interested in the deer that he was able to tame some of them. He built a high fence back of his house and his lot extended from Main Street back to Walcott Street behind. He must have had two or three acres fenced in and the grass was nearly always plentiful for his herd of tame deer.
Uncle Hint lived to a ripe old age and he was always interested in talking with the young kids in town. I can recall many times sitting with him listening to his soft voice spinning tales of his youth. He could captivate the attention of young and old alike. When Uncle Hint Smith died there was somehow a void left in the community and there was no one to care for his precious deer. They were turned loose in the woods and later on the fence was taken down. The memory of the deer and "Uncle Hint" Smith will always be with those of us who were fortunate enough to have known him."
Written by: John Black ----------------------------------------- Hint was enumerated on the 1910 census living on West Main Street with son, Meyer, he was widowed and his occupation was laborer.
On the 1920 and 1930 census he was still living with his son on West Main Street.
The 1930 census listed his occupation as cotton farmer.
The following article appeared in the Honey Grove newspaper:
Signal-Citizen:
We knew him well when we were growing up in Honey Grove and always enjoyed visiting with him 'up town'. Uncle Hint wore a mustache and goatee (snowy white) and under his high stiff collar was always a black string tie. He could always be found wearing a coat and vest that did not match his trousers and the vest was adorned with a large gold chain fastened to a vest button and on the other end was suspended a huge gold 'pocket' watch. His spectacles were round and had black frames through which his friendly, wrinkled eyes kept watch on his visitor. His voice was soft and warm and often his mouth was graced with a small peach twig he used on his teeth.
Hint could talk for hours on end about his younger days and share with his listener the interesting saga of those early years. His memory encompassed the tragic years of the Civil War, although he was too young to 'join up' and he knew of the heartbreak of those families who lost their 'sons' to battle and disease during that tragic war.
Hint died August, 1937, and is buried with the Smith family in Oakwood Cemetery.
Mamie died between 1900 and 1910.
by: Jo Ann Huston
Residence: Honey Grove, Fannin Co., Texas
H. M. Smith, Honey Grove, Texas, was the informant for his death certificate.
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