Flora Journal-Record

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YOU SHOULD RSAD THE JOURNAL«ECORD ^THE NEWSIEST NEWSPAPER IN CLAY COUNTY
• / VOLUME XII       "n™ jouKifAii. voi. S4.   no. 17
FLORA. ILLINOIS. THURSDAY. APRIL 24. 1924
NUMBER 32
COL RARDOLPfl SNITI BEST-LOVED CITIZTll
Beoeived the OUI to the HiRher Ufe Laat Tharsday Night In SprioK- fleld—Reeting 'Place of tlie Great Bmanripalor.
FVNERAL    HELD    ON    TVB8DAY
Last Tliursday, April 17, when Col. Randolph Smith took the afternoon train for Springfield, to attend the Republican state convention aa one of the five delegates from Clay eoun¬ ty, his host of loyal friends here thought not this ^as the last time they woald hear Sils cheery, voice, baak In the sunshine of hig smile, or feel the touch of his warm band- clasp. And when athe wires carried the message about 9 o'clock that night that Colonel Smith's spirit had auddenly l"ft Its habitation in the temple of clay and joined the in¬ numerable host of the mighty dead, then came the tear-dimmed eye, the faltering, tremulous voices of those who loved this prince of men— Flora'a best loved citizen.
The life and work of- Colonel Smith cannot be told by pen and tongue, as they cannot adequately convey the inner humanity, the great heart that throbbed In unison with those who needed, sought and ob- f tained his guidance over the storm tossrd seap of human life, both with ¦ound advice and substantial assist¬ ance.
It is extremely difficult to attempt a valuation of the type of life exem- pltfied by Colonel Smith. In the great flood of human life upon the earth, it seemB to ua there are but two clasBea—the selfish and the unself¬ ish. Inanimate marble cannot convey to human Intelligence the worth of ht who really loven his fellowmen. Colonel Smith was of that rare type whose heart-throbs went out toward thpso who needed help, and only the recording angel has a correct account of the sum total of his deeds,
ComInK to Flora In 1,S7S, when Plora was u mere villaRe-strugglinK to kepp from sinking Into the mud. Colonel Smith entered heartily Into the work of building for the future and lived to see the vil'age develop Into the fine little modern city of to¬ day. And he played a prominent part in this develoinient. helng directly Interested In banking, newspapers, building and loan and otber local in¬ stitutions that were helping to create a greater and better Flora. The his¬ tory of Flora and Clay county would be Incomplete without Incorporating the life work of Colonel Smith as ~one of the chief assets. Loyal to his taim and county, the Great Master and the chnrch, his friends and busi¬ ness associates, and living to see his children grown and happily marrfert and with his grandchildren to bright¬ en hig later life. Colonel Smith, who would have been 75 yearg old had he lived until May 31, passed away at a ripe old age, leaving a blessed heri¬ tage to hts family.
COIX)NEL RAM)OU>H
SMITH ~~PASSRS
The sudden death of Colonel Randolph Sm|th of Flora comes as a shock to many Peorians who knew him well and who were in¬ timately associated witb him in politics and public service. Al¬ though be nefer held any office in the state other tban serving as colonel on the staff of three gov¬ ernors, hia wide influence was felt in the republican party In all its councils, and his personal honor, loyalty to friends, and political sagacity made him a valuable and worthy citizen.
His large coal Interests in south¬ ern Illinois led him to make an ex¬ haustive study or mining prob¬ lems, and he was one of the best Informed men In thC state on the fuel question.
His loyalty to friends and faiih In their ability was one of the traits which endeared him to them and which made his influence so great. The* proprietor of The 'Transcript once had occasion to test thig trait In Colonel Smith, who loaned him the money with which to purchase the first news¬ paper he owned in Peoria.
Colonel Smith's many friends will mourn his, passing, while the republican party hag lost a staunch supporter and the state a public-spirited citizen.— Peoria Transcript.  4,   19, J924,
LAST RITES FOR FAMR AND SOR
HELD FRON N. E. CHURCH TDESDAY
tOLO.NKL 8.MITH'8 OWN
STORV OF HIS tilFK
STORY  OF THK 1,A8T HOI'RS OF COliONEIi SMITH
Colonel Smith, on last Thursday, accompanied by W, K, Harris of this city, and Judge Tolllver, Paul Oib¬ aon and Victor Lewis of Louisvllie. went to Springfield, arriving there at 7:40. On the way to the St, Nich¬ olas hotel. Colonel Smith complained of a stomach httack. he having been a snfferer at Intervals for some time with illness of this nature. Arrlv'ng at the hotel hlg companions made him comfortable on. a divan in the lobby, and he iook some medicine which he always cabled with him. This furnished only temoorary re¬ lief and th'fe hotel physician. Or, H, -fi. Tuttle, was called, but the uttack proved so serious that Colonel Smith eould not rally and he pssi^d sway at t:16. He was conscious until near yhe and.
His son. Dr. Carroll Smith of St. Lonls. and daughter, Mrs, F, M, Welab of Chicago, were notified and eame at once to Springfield, and after tke coroner's Inquest the remains werO prepared for shIpmenU arriving in this cfty on the midnight train Fri¬ day nigbt.
Vhe  Silent   Voice of  Flora's  Heart- nirobs on Tnesday Seemed to Say:
Colonel Smith, our dear departed trlend, the time haa come for oa to ¦ay "Farewell." Implicitly have we trusted you. truly have we loved you, fondly have we companioned with yeu. The call has come and we must part—bnt not forever. There must be, there will be, somewhere else a dawn, a reuniting of the friendships formed here, to last throughout eter¬ nity. You have crossed the river that marks the unknown shore, your hands fllled with deeds of Christian eharlty and love—the golden keys that ope the palace of eternity. Mean¬ while we must presg on toward indi- ' Tidnal and community betterment, in¬ spired by the noble example you have left ns as a guiding star ot hope. Un¬ til that day when the voice of the Archangel and the trumpet of God ¦ball sound —the resurrection morn —^we say: pioneer, patriot, friend, brother, counselor, comiwnion — farewell.
MR. WINTBRS IW HOSPITAIi
John Winters had the mlsfortn'ne (e fall, receiving a fracture of the kIp. He was taken to the Olney sani¬ tarlnm fer treatment.
The family of Colonel Smith, on Wednesday In going over some of his old papers, discovered a story of the Colonel's life, written by himself, and as it gives additional facts, we are reproducliyg the most Interest¬ ing parts of the narrative, ag fol¬ lows:
Randolph Smith, youngest son of Willis and Cynthia Smith, wag born May .11, 184!1. on a tarm 12 miles north of Salem. Marlon rounty. 111. His parents moved to Parkvllle. Mo^ leavinp Salem with an outfit of two- horse covered wapons and a tent. The start was made Oct, 1. 1S49, The trip look two months, as rain, snow ana intense cold and bad rorids were er. countered  durlitg the entire trip.
In the spring of I.S.IO. his father, with an uncle and aunt who had five small children, and two young men I'ousins, joined an emigrant train for California, His mother remained at home to care for a f>!mily of sev¬ en small children.
His father, uncle ani annt died with that dread scourge of cholera potne weeks after startInK, They trav¬ eled over the old Santa Te trail, and were !n Southwestern Kansas when death came, and were buried'-m the old trail near the Cimarron river hn being 46 yearg old. The e,'iBct spot where they were burled has never been known, as only rough beards were used for coffins and a boird for. headstones. The train moved on nnd after many months of severe trials, reached San Francisco, his full cous¬ in, the oldest, a girl of in. nnd two roiislns from Kansas City, belns? fhe only survivora of his family who started. The five small chilfiren, through the generosity of miners, were sent to New Orleans via ship. They were quarantined with the measles, but finally reached an uncle's, at Parkvllle, where they were cared for and all grew to manhood and womanhood.
His father was a widower when he and his mother married, with stx children, five boyg and one girl. His mother, a widow, with three hoys and two girls. By this second marriage three boys were born: Willis, who died In Infancy; Oeorge W. Mitth, who died In Flora Nov, IS, 1899; and Randolph, His mother moved to Plattsburg, Mo,, a few years after her husband's death, but returned to Salem, III,, In 1863,
Randolph taught school in 1869- 70 in Clay county. Was deputy cir¬ cuit clerk of Clay county beginning in spring of 1870, and served two years. Went to Flora March Sl, 1878, as teller and bookkeeper in First Na¬ tional Bank, and was made cashier In 1878. In 1900 was elected presi¬ dent, serving in thts capacity antll 1909, at which time he resigned, but continued ag member of tl^ board of directors.
In J 897 became president of Breese Mining Co.. In 1905 organized the present Breese-Trenton Mining Co., with $300.000.capltai. Retired as president In 1910. retaining his in¬ terest and serving as a director. Can¬ didate for congress tn lft04, thought he won, but the committee decided adversely.
Appointed Colonel on staff of Oov. John R. Tanner, Feb. 2. 1897, reap¬ pointed by Gov, Yates Jan, 8, 1801; reappointed by Oor. Deneen June 12,.1906. Served 4 years under Oov. Tanner as member of the Burean of Labor Statistics.
One of the members Omaha Com¬ mission, One of tbe four Illinois mem¬ bers of the Interstate Coal Associa¬ tion, comnrlsing niinois, Indiana Ohio and Western Pennsylvanlji, four committeemen from each state. Member State Central jCommittee 1904—its treasurer.
Appointed member local draft board Clay connty June 2S, 1»17, honorably discharged March Sl, 191».
NOTE—Colonel Smith did not seem to hsve kept notationa after the above date.
BODY OF CO!,. RAMKtLPH aMITH ANI) HOX, MAJ. tM,Ari>K K. 8.MiTH LAID TO FINAL RRST IN EUMWtH)!) CEMt'H'iCRY — EN- TIRE CITY MOURNS LOSS OF PHILANTHROPIST. /
MASONIC RITUAL. AT LAST REflT- ING PliACB — FRIENDS A^Tl) REIiATIVEH ATTEND OltSK- t)VlVS Ij^OR FLORA'S R8ST- LOVED CITIZEN.
Probably the largest concourse of people that ever gathered In Flora for a similar occasion on Tuesday paid homage to Col, Randolph Smith and his soti. MaJ. Claude E.. at tbe funeral services held In the First M. 15, church for both father and son, at the hour of I o'clock, p. m.
The body of Colonel Smith lay in state at his home, corner North Main and Third streets, just west from the church, until 11:00 o'clock and hun¬ dreds of friends and admirers of the beloved citizen took a farewell look upon the face of their true friend and fellowman.
The bodj' of Maj, Claude E, Smith arrived from Long Beach, Calif,, at 11:40 a, m Tuesday, accompanied by his sister, Mrs, Roy L. Medcalfe, and son. Randolph, and the remains were taken to the M. E. church for th.> dual funeral service.
In honor to the memory of Florn'>f distinguished citizen, all buslnep^