|
a.
|
Note: ical College in 1903; he had left Delware College in 1901 when his father moved the family to Philadelphia after selling the farm. He practiced in Huntington, PA for a short time, spent the rest of his life in Pitcairn. Resources in Pitcairn are not good. According to the state medical society, he had epilepsy (his picture portrays him as high strung, and from the Smith family photo when the children were small, he was slight, undersized and shy, in fact appears to be younger than his six years younger brother). They have that he "died", and "left a wife". A woman named Smith is buried near him but didn't die until the 1970's or something, in a different town. His death notice in the JAMA says he died in February 1925 and gives no further info; most of the doctors' death notices list specific causes of death and specific dates. His death certificate says he died of "apoplexy". He was 51 years old. The state medical society said that he had epilepsy. I wonder if he did have epilepsy, or someone confused epilepsy and apoplexy. To be sure, it appears like the medical community was told very little about Dr. Smith's death, which was not what was customary and could have helped cause confusion. For instance, it was customary for the state? medical journal to report causes of death of doctors, but the death notice for Dr. Smith just reported that he is dead. The state medical association didn't have an actual cause of death. My father said he was told that his uncle died of the flu. My father wrote that there were two daughters, Elizabeth and Emma. The mother and daughters visited during Father's family's first summer in Carlisle in 1935. He was 15 or 16. They "may have been 10 or 15 years older. They were very pretty girls and vivacious." But I only know what happened to Elizabeth. He graduated from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, in 1903. I checked into Masonic membership of Smiths and learned that Lawrence was a Mason, lived in Robertsdale, initiated 12/30/1906, crafted 12/29/07, raised 2/26/07. 1920 census has doctor, medical, employer O.A. I heard from Betsy Carpenter, daughter of Lawrence's daughter Emma. She says that Lawrence started his medical practice in Cassville after graduating from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. The Smiths had their family home in Pitcairn, where Dr. Smith had his medical practice. She also said that Adda's full name was Sarah Adda Wilson. Betsy Carpenter writes that Grandview Cemetery where Lawrence, his wife and his oldest daughter Elizabet are buried is not far from their family home in Pitcairn where he had his medical practice. From Betsy Carpenter: "He began his medical practice in Cassville, PA then moved to Huntingdon, PA, and finally settled his family in Pitcairn, PA. He played violin and his daughter Emma recalled that he was a good artist who drew wonderful horses for her on the back of prescription pads. "Dr. Smith was a tall man. He received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College. While at medical school, he supported himself by selling stereoscopic slides and served as a street car conductor. His maiden aunt, Rachel Thompson, helped him financially during this challenging time. His father lavished care on his dwo daughters, however, he didn't offer much, if any, support to his sons. Dr. Smith was not an epileptic; however, he had a serious alcoholic problem which his wife, Sarah Adda Wilson, handled with discretion. Grandma was teh perfect Victorian lady. I was not told of his illness until near the end of my mother's life. This was a great sadness to the family for he was a good person and a well regarded doctor." There was a definite issue between fathers and sons in this family.
Note: He became an "alleopath"; a doctor, after graduating from Jefferson Med
|