James Edgar Smith

Notes:

Birth & Death: Roscoe Smith notes (his son). He attended the local Stephensburg school and then a business school at Easton, Pa. He was then employed by his uncle, Daniel Vanatta, husband of Letitia (Letty) Beatty, later becoming a partner. In
1887 James E. Smith sold the Stephensburg business to William Miller and he and his brother Willard (my grandfather) purchased the general store business of Freas Brothers in the Jackson Building on the northwest corner of Front and Market
Streets in Berwick, Pa., which they together operated as Smith Brothers for the next thirty years. (See photo on den wall.) Two additional sons were born to James and Hattie; James Howard (19 May 1987) who married Gertrude Blunt; and Arthur
Matthias (7 April 1893) who married Meta Shobert. Willard married Louise Petty, sister of Hattie, and to them was born one son, Clarence Willard who married Laura Wilde.

James Edgar Smith was a very active person, a devout member of the First Presbyterian Church, Berwick, a trustee at time of building a new church at Second and Vine Streets, later sold to the Reformed Congregation when the Market Street church
was built, shortly thereafter becoming a lifetime elder and in 1943 received a testimonial spread on the Minutes of the Session for having served continuously as such for fifty years. At the time of his death he was the oldest living Past
Master of Knapp Lodge No. 462, F. & A.M. which he had also served for more than twenty years as Secretary. At the time of his death he was Senior Vice President and only surviving member of the first board of directors of the Berwick Bank. He
was also at that time senior member of the board of directors of the Berwick Building & Loan Association, and also of the Pine Grove Cemetery Association. He served on Berwick Borough Council and for many years was President of Berwick Board
of School Directors. He owned and/or controlled, not as an agent nor ever too many at one time, a number of rental properties, helped to organize and for a period operated the Berwick Shirt Manufacturing Company, and later the Berwick Match
Company. He also had a controlling interest in the Valley Hard Vein (roofing) Slate Company with quarry at Edlemans, Pa. which ceased operation at time of World War I as a non-essential industry and never again successfully operated on account
of higher freight rates and the development of less expensive light weight roofing. He was ambitious and active until death; collapsed while mowing the lawn the afternoon of the day before his end. (Age 93)

James married Hattie Petty on 1 Jan 1884 in Briar Creek Twp, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Roscoe Smith notes

Notes:

Roscoe Smith notes

Notes:

Roscoe Smith Notes