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| James Luther Smith (James Joseph Smith) Cabinet card of James "J. Collier, 1643 Larimer Street Denver Colo," Evidence that James was born in Denver. Courtesy of Sarah Moriarty |
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OAPY SMITH'S LOST SON
James Luther Smith or James Joseph Smith
11/27/1893 – 02/24/1969
OK, James wasn't actually "lost," but rather his where-abouts became unknown, probably after Soapy’s widow, James’ mother, Mary passed away in 1947. A name change may have played a part in it. My side of the family didn't know where he went, and James’ family didn't know where the siblings went. 1998 witnessed the 100th anniversary of Soapy's death in Skagway, Alaska. This event brought the family back together again, and by complete coincidence! Members of my side of the Smith family arrived in Skagway, including yours truly, without knowing that one of James’ grandchildren (Jim Caraway) was also attending! Thanks to Jim Caraway, Mike Moriarty, his daughter Tia and Gay Mathis, James’ story continues to develop nicely. Upon meeting James’ grandson, Jim Caraway in Skagway, one of the first issues he brought up was James’ name.
HIS NAME
Jefferson Randolph ("Soapy") Smith II and Mary Eva (Noonan) Smith had three children; Jefferson Randolph III, Mary Eva and James "Jimmie" Smith. The early family trees, mostly produced by my uncle Joseph Jefferson Smith, indicate that he was born James Luther Smith, however, Jim Caraway stated that his middle name was Joseph, which created a mystery in the family. When I got back home I did some research and although most of the family genealogists on my side of the family stated that the birth name was “James Luther Smith,” I could not find any solid provenance of “Luther” as the middle name. The earliest record is an 1893 baptism in St. Louis for “James L. Smith.” The next earliest record being the 1900 federal census, when James was 7 or 8 years old, only shows his name as “James Smith.” He is “missing” from the 1910 and 1920 census, and by the 1930 census’ he listed his name as “James J. Smith” (James Joseph Smith) He died in 1969 as “J. Joseph Smith.”
It is believed that at some point he changed his name, which is not uncommon in my family. When James Caraway got back home he also did some research, writing, “I believe that at some point my grandfather became a Christian Brother and, perhaps due to his strong Catholic faith, changed his name from James Luther to James Joseph. Thereafter, he was known as ‘JJ’ or ‘Joe,’ and never James.”
HIS NAME
Jefferson Randolph ("Soapy") Smith II and Mary Eva (Noonan) Smith had three children; Jefferson Randolph III, Mary Eva and James "Jimmie" Smith. The early family trees, mostly produced by my uncle Joseph Jefferson Smith, indicate that he was born James Luther Smith, however, Jim Caraway stated that his middle name was Joseph, which created a mystery in the family. When I got back home I did some research and although most of the family genealogists on my side of the family stated that the birth name was “James Luther Smith,” I could not find any solid provenance of “Luther” as the middle name. The earliest record is an 1893 baptism in St. Louis for “James L. Smith.” The next earliest record being the 1900 federal census, when James was 7 or 8 years old, only shows his name as “James Smith.” He is “missing” from the 1910 and 1920 census, and by the 1930 census’ he listed his name as “James J. Smith” (James Joseph Smith) He died in 1969 as “J. Joseph Smith.”
It is believed that at some point he changed his name, which is not uncommon in my family. When James Caraway got back home he also did some research, writing, “I believe that at some point my grandfather became a Christian Brother and, perhaps due to his strong Catholic faith, changed his name from James Luther to James Joseph. Thereafter, he was known as ‘JJ’ or ‘Joe,’ and never James.”
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| James Joseph Smith May 20, 1918 |
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Mike Moriarty stated that it was while James Smith was attending St. Viator College, that "this was the point in James' life in which he changed his name to Joseph James Smith."
DATE OF BIRTH
Best as I can determine, James’ date of birth is November 27, 1892. Some early family trees show James being born in 1889, however, the census’ of 1900, 1930 and 1940 state he was born in 1893, however, James’ military enlistment record, that comes direct from the enlistee, shows he was born November 27, 1892.
DATE OF BIRTH
Best as I can determine, James’ date of birth is November 27, 1892. Some early family trees show James being born in 1889, however, the census’ of 1900, 1930 and 1940 state he was born in 1893, however, James’ military enlistment record, that comes direct from the enlistee, shows he was born November 27, 1892.
The 1900 census for St. Louis shows that James was born in November of 1893. It is common for census records to be mistaken as they are copied by hand from the census takers original notes. For instance, the 1900 census shows that James’ father (“Soapy), was born in Kentucky, though records clearly show he was born in Coweta County, Georgia. The dates of the other children, Jefferson and Mary Eva are wrong as well. Was this the fault of the family or the census taker?
PLACE OF BIRTH
Another mystery is James’ birth place. In 1889 Soapy had some troublesome events occur. The Logan Park brawl, Soapy’s attack on Rocky Mountain News editor/manager John Arkins, and the shootout at Pocatello, Idaho, convinced Soapy to move his wife and son (Jefferson III) to St. Louis, Missouri for their safety. Mary is not known to have lived with Soapy in Denver ever again, but enough records, including his own word, show that James was born in Denver, Colorado at the end of 1892. A cabinet card of James that reads, "J. Collier, 1643 Larimer Street Denver Colo," is a pretty good piece of evidence that James was indeed born in Denver. So, the question remains, did Mary move back to Denver for a time?
PLACE OF BIRTH
Another mystery is James’ birth place. In 1889 Soapy had some troublesome events occur. The Logan Park brawl, Soapy’s attack on Rocky Mountain News editor/manager John Arkins, and the shootout at Pocatello, Idaho, convinced Soapy to move his wife and son (Jefferson III) to St. Louis, Missouri for their safety. Mary is not known to have lived with Soapy in Denver ever again, but enough records, including his own word, show that James was born in Denver, Colorado at the end of 1892. A cabinet card of James that reads, "J. Collier, 1643 Larimer Street Denver Colo," is a pretty good piece of evidence that James was indeed born in Denver. So, the question remains, did Mary move back to Denver for a time?
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| James Joseph Smith 1942 Draft registration National Archives and Records Admin. |
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On the draft registration (WW II) card filled out and signed by James in 1942 he lists himself as,
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James Joseph Smith.
- Born November 27, 1889 in Denver, Colorado.
- Married to Eulaila A. Breen.
- Residing working as a teacher in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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| James Joseph Smith with daughter, Mary Jean Smith Courtesy of Mike Moriarty |
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* Many many thanks to Jim Caraway for all his expertise on his grandfather James. To Mike and Tia Moriarty, and Sarah Moriarty for the use of their wonderful family photographs and their family history. And last, but never least, to good friend and top-notch researcher and genealogist, Gay Mathis for the wonderful and fact filled documents.
James Luther (Joseph) Smith: pages 108, 418.
"Whether he likes it or not, a man’s character is stripped at the poker table; if the other players read him better than he does, he has only himself to blame. Unless he is both able and prepared to see himself as others do, flaws and all, he will be a loser in cards, as in life."
—Anthony Holden
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