In Memory of...

My Great-Grandfather, WILLIAM HORACE SMITH, who was killed in a workplace accident on 7 May 1932.

Born in England on 5 Nov 1879 (according to his World War I Draft Registration), he may have immigrated here in 1891 [1930 census]. That same census says he was naturalized, but this was crossed out, and his parents were listed as born in Georgia, US, so there may be problems with the data on that page.  

Photo Courtesy of Portsmouth Public Library, Portsmouth, NH. http://portsmouthexhibits.org (#117 is on right side)

#117-119 Maplewood (diagonally across from cemetery), from 1920 Portsmouth, NH Sanborn Insurance Map

In the 1916 and 1918 Portsmouth, NH Street Directories, William was boarding at 117 Maplewood Ave, employed as a carpenter. That same year, he filled out a draft registration card. On it, he indicated he was a chauffeur for August Hett (who also lived on Maplewood and had a business on Bridge St). When he married in 1921, William was still working as a chauffeur, though 1920 street directory shows him as a carpenter. He may have been doing both. Note: in this time frame, there were 4 William H Smith's in Portsmouth. Luckily, William's draft card had his address on it, so I could match him with the listings in the city directories. He was not found in the 1920 census.

Of interest on the above draft card is his nearest relative, Frederick Smith of the US Army. Perhaps he was a brother of William. These names are so common, it could be some time (if at all) to find a connection between the two men. There was a Frederick who was stationed at Fort Constitution in 1912, and a a person of that name lived in Portsmouth in 1918 and 1920, before moving to California.

249 Maplewood Ave - house no longer there

250 Clinton - bldg still stands today

William is not listed in the 1923 or 1925 directories for Portsmouth, but is back for 1926, now living at 249 Maplewood Ave. He lived here until 1929, the year his wife Annie was struck and killed by an auto (see  http://www.mynewenglandancestors.com/blog/in-memory-of). He remarried in April 1929 to Mattie Frisbee and, in November of that year, he bought a house at 250 Clinton Street from Annie Hett. Here he lived until 1932.

On 7 May 1932, while working at the Portsmouth Gas Company plant, he fell from the runway, and fractured his skull. He would die at the hospital two hours later. His death record lists his burial place as the Sagamore Cemetery in Portsmouth, but his grave is not marked by a stone. I have yet to find the location of the plot. He left a widow and four children (3 of them from his first wife), who went to live in other households when their Clinton Street home for foreclosed on and sold off at auction in Nov '32.

From the Portsmouth Herald, 5/9/1932

(above) The Portsmouth Gas Company (a 1921 photo, when the Memorial Bridge was being constructed beside it) - from  http://www.portsmouthathenaeum.org/

from the Boston Herald, 5/8/1932 (middle initial wrong)

William's death notice (left) mentions that he was a member of the Franklin Pierce V.F.A. (Volunteer Firemen Association). I am still looking through Portsmouth annual reports to see if he did serve as a fireman in this city, or maybe this was before he moved here.