Extracted from The Southern Sentinel (Winnfield, LA)
Friday, April 2, 1909

NECROLOGICAL.

Aurelius Smith.

Died in Winnfield, La., at 3:35 p.m. Friday, March 26, 1909, of pneumonia, Aurelius Smith, aged 45 years, 10 months, and 17 days.

Deceased was born near Montgomery, La., on May 9, 1863. His life has been passed in business pursuits and in his earlier days he developed those traits that culminated in his success in business. He spent several years of his life in Dodson and East Texas, and moved to Winnfield several years ago and established the Smith-Grisham Drug Co., in which he was doing a successful business.

He married Miss Mary Grisham, a sister of ex-District Attorney O. M. Grisham, one of the leading lawyers of Winnfield, at Gaar's Mill, September 1, 1892. From this union four children were born, two of whom survive him with his devoted wife. There are also living a sister, Miss Helen Smith, and four brothers, A. P. Smith of Winnfield, Dan H., Claude and Lycurgus Smith of Mineral Wells, proprietor of the Carlsbad mineral water. He was otherwise widely connected.

Mr. Aurelius Smith was endowed with those traits of character calculated to win the confindence and esteem of the citizens and gain the confidence of his fellow men. Genial and kind, sociable and charitable, a model husband and father, a useful and public spirited citizen, around his personality gathered the radiance of the Christian gentleman. Little wonder that his death, in the midst of his career of usefulness, should elicit profound regret and deepest sorrow. Thus his Christian life was closed amid the tears and expressions of deepest grief of those who knew best his virtues and worth.

At the residence last Saturday the multitude gathered to pay tribute to his memory. Dr. J. R. Edwards, of the First Baptist Church, conducted the religious services and then the members of Eastern Star Lodge of Winnfield and Dodson Lodge, F. & A. M., took charge of the remains. A very large concourse of people followed the hearse to the Winnfield cemetery and gathered at the grave to pay final tribute to the honored dead, and listen to the touching funeral rites of those with whom he was closely associated in life. As he was laid to his final rest with the melody of “Nearer my God, to Thee,” floating on the afternoon air, and amid the sighing of the budding emerald trees, there came to mind the words of the poet Young: “Death loves a shining mark, a signal blow.”