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BUTTS COUNTY PROGRESS.DEATH CLAIMS CAPT. WILLIAM F. SMITHL(TNG AND USEFUL CAREER ENDEDFinal Chapter Written in Life of One Butts County’s Foremost Citizens— * Was Editor. Builder And Public Spirited Citizen And Death Is A Blowa railroad was I ho dream of Capt. Smith's life. In July 1909 the city council of Jackson granted Capt Smith and associates a franchise to build n|trolley line on any street in Jackson. Work on this line was started in June ! 1911 and the road has been built from the Southern depot to the business section of Jackson.The fact that Capt. Smith did jnot receive the encouragement ' in this enterprise he thought he deserved distressed him and dis-i appointment no doubt hastened 1 his death.After a long and distinguished career. Capt. W. F. Smith, one Wtf Butts county's leading citizens, passed away at his home in Flo-Sunday morning at 11:30 ck. He had long been ill • recently suffered from anIujroublc for which he undcr-SRt an operation in Atlanta JeVeral months ago. Death was due to a general breakdown and n complication of diseases.News of the passing of this pioneer citizen brought grief to.hundreds of friends who knowand admired him for his stainless life and for the gooJ he did toEstablished Newspapers.Capt. Smith was a pioneer | newspaper man in Butts county., In 1875 he established the Middle Georgia Argus’’ at Indian Spring. The paper was later sold 1 and moved to Jackson and is now the Jackson Argus. When Capt. Smith embarked in journalism he set type by the light of a little brass lamp and the Washington hand press was in vogue.. He was a Populist in those days and until his death was an advocate of good government.The Butts County Progress was started by Capt. Smith in 1882. Cotton was cheap, the country in bad condition anj Capt. Smith did his full duty in helping toCAPTAIN W. F. SMITHothers. To the future growth and development of Butts county his death comes as a peculiarly sad blow.Had Useful Career.have better laws enacted. He was a frequent contributor to the local press and was a forceful ant entertaining writer.Member Prominent Family.For more than a generation Capt. Smith had been prominently identified with every movement for the upbuilding of Butts county and her resources. He saw years ago tiie possibilities of water power development on tte Ocrnulgee river and wrote and talked about this propsition until he lived to see the Ocmulgee’s waters harnessed and supplying electrical energy to cities and factories throughout Middle Georgia. With Messrs. Collier and Lindsay he built the Flovilla Indian Spring Railway, in which enterprise he retained an interest until his death. He played an important part in having the Southern Railway built through Butts county, when another route had been surveyed.More recently Capt Smith had been engaged in trying to build a net work of interuban railways in this section. He was general manager of the Middle Georgia Interurban Railway Company, chartered to build a railroad from Griffin to Social Circle. This company owns valuable rights of way through several Middle Georgia , counties.1 To «ee Jackson and Flovilla and i- Indian Spring linked together byWilliam Furguson Smith was born Sept. 25. 1845. He was thlt; son of Samuel F. and Annu | Lindsey Smithand belonged toom j of the oldest and most prominent families in Butts county. Hi: 1 father represente-4 the countv ii the legislature in 1877-78. Thlt; brothers of Capt. Smith are Hon Wilson Smith, former represen tative from Butts county. Johi R. L. Smith, a prominent attor | ney of Macon. S. J. Smith, coun ty treasurer of Butts county. A B.. .S. K.. G. W. and R. V. Smith Jr. His sisters are Mrs. C. F Etheridge and Miss Alice F Smith.Capt. Smith married Dec. 24 1867 Miss Mary T. Preston o Butts county, who died severa I years ago. His second wife, b whom he was married Oct. 23 1890, was Miss Martha E. Mitch el). Besides his widow Capt Smith is survived by eight daugh iters. Mrs. N. J. Thomas, Mrs IT. 0. Linch, Mrs. R. B. Thomu 1 son. Misses Laura, Maude. Willi-| and Jewell Smith, of Flovilla. am Mrs. T. J- Rhodes, of Hosford Fla.. Mrs. T. J. Brown, of Me Donough; five sons, Dr, J. G Smith, of McDonough, Col. W E. Smith, of Manchester, Messrs S. V. and D. H. Smith, of Flovilla. S. L Smith, of Grand Ridge, Fla.Fought for the South.Capt. Smith served for two years in the civil war as a member of Co. I. 45th Georgia, captain John I. Hall.He was a devoted member of the Baptist church. He stood for temperance, for law and order and was a splendid type of the Christian gentlemen.Was Public Spirited.In these piping limes of commercial greed and selfisheas Capt Smith's life stood out conspicuously as one who worked for the public good. The best years ot his life were spent in working for the development of his native county. He spent liberally of his time and resources in planning and building for Butts county's future growth.The funeral took place from the Flovilla Baptist church at 11 o’clock Tuesday morning and was largely attended. The services were conducted by Rev. W. W. Arnold. Numerous and handsome floral tributes were a mute tribute of the esteem in which the deceased was held. The remains were laid to rest at Sandy Creek Cemetery. 'lie wim thenutdrxt Roman of them all. His life was Kettle; ami llto elements St mixed in hint, that nature might stand up,And say to nil the world, this was a Man!
Newspaper Details
Butts County Progress
Jackson, Georgia, US
Fri, Mar 22, 1912
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Janice R.
GA, USA 24 Dec 2016
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