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Submitted: 6/3/20 • Approved: 6/13/20 • Last Updated: 6/16/20 • R321334-G321334-S3
November 14, 1853, Milam County, Texas - March 7, 1942, Cameron, Milam County, Texas
MRS. H. F. SMITH DIES HERE SATURDAY MORNING
(FROM SATURDAY'S DAILY)
Mrs. H. F. Smith, widow of the late Hilliard F. Smith, Sr., pioneer Texas builder and founder of Citizens National Bank, died at the family residence at 11:10 a.m. Saturday.
Mrs. Smith was 88 and in November 1941 her birthday was made the occasion of a happy celebration with her children.
Hilliard D. Smith, Sr., died in December 31, 1940.
Mrs. Smith died suddenly following a brief illness. She had been in declining health for sometime and became suddenly ill on Wednesday morning. While her death was a shock to the people of Cameron her condition during the past few days had somewhat prepared her family and close friends for her death which occurred before noon Saturday.
Mrs. Smith was the daughter of the late W. W. Oxsheer who settled on Little River in Milam county in 1837. The old Oxsheer home, a rambling log mansion, still stands on a hill overlooking Little River bottom where the late Mr. Oxsheer acquired many acres of land.
Following her husband's death Mrs. Smith continued to live in the beautiful two story Smith home in Cameron where last November her children arranged a birthday dinner. At that time her only sister Mrs. Madora Letcher of Dallas attended.
The late W. W. Oxsheer was among the number of pioneers who assisted the late George B. Green to lay out the town site of the city of Cameron.
Posted on the door of Citizens National Bank this morning was the following notice 'Closed - Account of the death of Mrs. H. F. Smith, mother of Oxsheer Smith, President of the Bank. H. F. Smith was the founder of the Citizens National Bank and for many years its President.
Funeral services will be held at the Smith home in Cameron on Monday, March 9, 1942 at 2:30 p. m.
Mrs. Smith was the former Miss Viola Oxsheer, the eldest daughter of the late W. W. Oxsheer, pioneer who came to Texas in 1837 and settled on Little River in Milam county on what is known as the Oxsheer homestead. He was one of the organizers of Milam county, was the first County and District Clerk and with others surveyed and laid out the town site of the city of Cameron.
The old Oxsheer homestead which is a large tract of land along the valley of the river was owned by Mrs. Smith at the time of her death. Since the purchase of this land in the early days it had remained in the ownership of the family.
Mrs. Smith was born November 14, 1853 and died March 7, 1942. Her death came on the birthday of her late husband H. F. Smith who would have been 89 years old today.
The late Hilliard F. Smith died on December 31, 1940.
Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Oxsheer and her mother were three of 7 charter members of the Methodist church in Cameron established in 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Hilliard F. Smith were life members of the Methodist church here.
They moved to Cameron on January 1, 1888 and she had lived at the Smith home in Cameron for 53 years. She was the mother of 8 children, 7 of whom lived to maturity and 5 now survive her as follows:
Hilliard F. Smith, Jr., of Cameron, Mrs. Vernon McIntyre of Alpine, Mrs. Rush A. Thomas of Cameron, Miss Aetna Smith of Cameron and Oxsheer Smith, President of Citizens National Bank.
Grandchildren who survive are: Miss Viola Thomas now at the University of Texas; Goodhue Smith of Waco; Jeanette McIntyre of Alpine also student at Texas University and Hilliard Thomas, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Rush A. Thomas of Cameron and now with the armed forces in Iceland.
Her only sister, Mrs. Madora Letcher of Dallas also survives with her two daughters, Mrs. Smith's nieces, Mrs. C. C. Slaughter, and Mrs. Arnold Bailey. Her only brother was Fountain G. Oxsheer of Fort Worth who died 6 years ago.
When the funeral is held at 2:30 Monday from the family residence, Rev. J. Coy Williams, former pastor of the Cameron Methodist church and a friend of the family, will conduct the services.
Pall bearers will be: W. O. Newton, Hilry Stedman, Jeff T. Kemp, Graham Gillis, Beal Snead, Arthur Baskin, R. H. McIntosh and Robert McLane.
The Cameron Herald(Cameron, Texas), 12 Mar 1942, Thu, Pages 9 & 12
Family Members
Parents
William Wilson Oxsheer
1815–1905
Martha E. Kirk Oxsheer
1824–1893
Spouse
Hilliard Fort Smith
1853–1940 (m. 1875)
Siblings
Fountain Goodlet Oxsheer
1849–1931
Madora Oxsheer Letcher
1857–1944
Children
Infant Son Smith
1876–1876
Viola Aetna Smith
1877–1969
Oxsheer Meek Smith
1880–1974
Elizabeth Smith
1883–1901
Lilla Smith Thomas
1885–1974
Hilliard Fort Smith
1888–1959
Vivian Smith McIntyre
1890–1979
Goodhue Wilson Smith
1893–1922
Photo courtesy of: Holly Bonorden Jentsch
Contributed on 6/3/20 by lynst.peters62
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Record #: 321334