Brief Life History of William Decatur
Mr William Decatur Smith Sr. was born on 23 October 1892, in Loudoun, Virginia, United States. He had at least 3 sons and 1 daughter with Mary D Thompson. He lived in Scott, Fauquier, Virginia, United States in 1920 and Scott District, Fauquier, Virginia, United States in 1940. He died on 12 July 1957, at the age of 64, and was buried in Middleburg, Loudoun, Virginia, United States.
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Family Time Line
Sources (13)
- Willie D Smith, "United States Census, 1920"
- Willie Decatur Smith, "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918"
- Willie Decatur Smith, "Find A Grave Index"
Spouse and Children
1892–1957 Male
1896–1951 Female
Children (4)
1922–2004 Female
1927–1958 Male
1929–1929 Male
1930–1986 Male
World Events (8)
1894 · Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument
Age 2
1896 · Plessy vs. Ferguson
Age 4
1910 · The BSA is Made
Age 18
Name Meaning
English and Scottish: occupational name denoting a worker in metal, especially iron, such as a blacksmith or farrier, from Middle English smith ‘smith’ (Old English smith, probably a derivative of smītan ‘to strike, hammer’). Early examples are also found in the Latin form Faber . Metal-working was one of the earliest occupations for which specialist skills were required, and its importance ensured that this term and its equivalents in other languages were the most widespread of all occupational surnames in Europe. Medieval smiths were important not only in making horseshoes, plowshares, and other domestic articles, but above all for their skill in forging swords, other weapons, and armor. This is also the most frequent of all surnames in the US. It is very common among African Americans and Native Americans (see also 5 below). This surname (in any of the two possible English senses; see also below) is also found in Haiti. See also Smither .
English: from Middle English smithe ‘smithy, forge’ (Old English smiththe). The surname may be topographic, for someone who lived in or by a blacksmith's shop, occupational, for someone who worked in one, or habitational, from a place so named, such as Smitha in King's Nympton (Devon). Compare Smithey .
Irish and Scottish: sometimes adopted for Gaelic Mac Gobhann, Irish Mac Gabhann ‘son of the smith’. See McGowan .
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
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