James Howard Smith

Date of Birth: September 8, 1895

Date of Death: August 22, 1954

Location in Presbyterian Cemetery: Section EE Lot 1

Description of Smith and His Life

James Howard Smith was born in Lynchburg, Virginia on September 8, 1895 to his parents William Boyd Smith and Ida Falwell Smith. Smith's parents married on January 29, 1890 in Campbell County, Virginia at the ages of 23 and 24. Not much is known about Smith for the first part of his life, but he enters the historical record again on June 5, 1917. The Selective Service Act drafted Smith into military service in World War I shortly after the United States entered the fight. At that time, Smith was still single and lived in Mercer County, West Virginia in the town of Bluefield. At 22 years old, Smith described himself on his draft card as a medium height Caucasian with gray eyes and brown hair. To serve his country abroad, Smith left his current job as a shoemaker.

Smith entered the United States Army as a private in the 126th Infantry Regiment, serving in its Machine Gun Company. Parts of the 32nd and 31st Infantry combined to form the 126th Infantry, commanded by Colonel Joseph B. Westnedge. The 126th, part of the 32nd Division, completed their training at Camp MacArthur in Waco, Texas for the second half of 1917. In February 1918, the 126th departed for Europe, arriving at Brest, France on March 4. Relocating quickly to St. Nazaire, the 126th spent six weeks unloading cargo from ships and working in supply warehouses. Eventually, orders designated the 126th as a combat unit, and Smith first saw enemy fire in the trenches of Alsace on May 18, 1918, losing several fellow soldiers. Over the course of the war, the 126th engaged in combat in the Aisne-Marne Offensive, the Oise-Aisne Offensive, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. In the Meuse-Argonne Offensive specifically, the 126th fought at the front lines for 20 consecutive days. At the signing of the armistice that ended World War I, the 126th remained in support position on the Dun-sur-Meuse bridgehead.

Smith earned a Purple Heart for his service in World War I, although it is unknown in which engagement he suffered wounds. Not long after returning home, Smith married Marie Aline Konsik on December 9, 1923 in Petersburg, Virginia. Together, the couple had two children: James Howard Smith Jr. and Ann Marie Smith. Sadly, Smith's father did not live to see his son marry, passing away on January 8, 1920 at the age of 54. Smith's mother rejoined her husband nine years later, dying on June 20, 1929. The specific details of Smith's later years are obscure, but it was likely a challenging time for Smith. The exact date is unknown, but at some point Smith and his wife divorced. His wife eventually remarried, becoming Marie Aline Sheffield, but Smith did not. Smith's death on August 22, 1954 was a bleak affair. According to his death record, Smith committed suicide, shooting himself in the head at his home. At the time of his death, Smith still worked as a shoemaker and lived in Petersburg, Virginia. Smith's family laid him to rest in the place of his birth in Lynchburg, Virginia at the Presbyterian Cemetery. Smith's tombstone commemorates his service in World War I and designates him as a Purple Heart recipient.

Bibliography

Gansser, Emil B. History of the 126th Infantry in the War with Germany. Grand Rapids, MI: 126th Infantry Association, A. E. F., 1920.

"PVT James Howard Smith." Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/201954950/james-howard-smith.

"Story of the 126 Infantry Regiment." The United States World War One Centennial Commission. https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/michigan-in-ww1-articles/1796-the-story-of-the-126th-infantry-regiment.html.

"U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 for James Howard Smith." Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/22562554:6482? tid=&pid=&queryId=3088132e15ea68f893c1d120c9785b9e&_phsrc=tUK7&_phstart=successSource.

"Virginia, U.S., Death Records, 1912-2014 for Ida Falwell Smith." Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9278/images/43004_162028006052_0040-00369? treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=193175.

"Virginia, U.S., Death Records, 1912-2014 for James Howard Smith." Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9278/images/43006_172028008151_0233-00170? treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryID=1d249fc3c81db104b168280a0976d587&usePUB=true&_phsrc.UK10&_phstart-successSource&usePUBJS=true&pID=219760.

"Virginia, U.S., Death REcords, 1912-2014 for William Boyd Smith." Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9278/images/43004_172028004349_0026-00120?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=618689.

"Virginia, U.S., Marriage Registers, 1853-1935 for Marie Aline Konsik." Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/62154/images_i1023819-00102?treeid=&personid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=tUK20&_phstart-successSource&pId=90486381.