James W Smith

Brief Life History of James W

When James W Smith was born on 22 December 1924, in Byron, Alfalfa, Oklahoma, United States, his father, Glenn Earl Smith Sr, was 32 and his mother, Gertrude Elizabeth Wells, was 25. He married Jean K Knaub on 7 September 1947, in York, Pennsylvania, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 son. He lived in West York, York, Pennsylvania, United States in 1930 and York Township, York, Pennsylvania, United States in 1950. He died on 16 May 2012, in Windsor Township, York, Pennsylvania, United States, at the age of 87, and was buried in Lower Windsor Township, York, Pennsylvania, United States.

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Family Time Line

James W Smith
1924–2012
Jean K Knaub
1930–2010
Marriage: 7 September 1947
Rodney James Smith
1951–2009

Sources (9)

  • James W Smith, "United States 1950 Census"
  • James W Smith, "United States Social Security Death Index"
  • James W in entry for Rodney J Smith, "United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014"

Spouse and Children

World Events (8)

1927

Charles Lindbergh makes the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight in his plane The Spirit of St. Louis.

1941 · Comanche Code Talkers

Many Native Americans from Oklahoma were once again employed as code talkers during WWII to create a code impenetrable by enemies. Rather than Choctaw, a Comanche-language code was developed. Several of these men were sent to invade Normandy to send messages. None of the men were killed and the Comanche code was never broken. 

1947 · The Presidential Succession Act

The Presidential Succession Act is an act establishing the presidential line of succession. This was a precursor for the Twenty-fifth Amendment which outlines what is to happen when a President is killed, dies, or is unable to fulfill the responsibilities of President.

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.

Possible Related Names

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