| Notes |
- The following excerpt was written in 1994 in the memoirs of Judith Smith Fitzhugh, eldest daughter of August William Smith and Bertha Cora Weisent Smith.
August Smith (father) - August was born in Louisville, Ohio, on May 12, 1913. He died on June 22, 1973, at 60 years of age. He was the oldest of 5 children. One brother, died at age 16; a sister, Alma, died at age 23 of rheumatic fever. August was raised on a farm in a small rural community. He spoke only German until he started grade school. He had only a grade school education; he purposely flunked one year of school so he would be 16 and not have to go to high school. My father didn't believe having much education was important. He served during World War II in the Philippines. After the war, he married my mother in 1948. He was 35 years old at the time he married and most probably was already "set in his ways." He was very close to his mother, and it was very traumatic for him when she died in 1961. It was the only time I ever remember my father crying.
When my parents married, my mother had been working for some time. She continued to do so until the children arrived. My father never minded my mother working before or after they married. He didn't seem to mind her getting involved in outside activities either. He occasionally would help do household chores; for example, he would wash the dishes if my mother was busy and didn't have time to do them. I also remember him cooking once in awhile, especially on Sunday evenings.
My father raised ten children, all of whom survived infancy. He had a job in a factory, and although we were not destitute, my father would live from payday to payday. It was his policy that if he didn't have the money, he would not buy the item. He was a strict disciplinarian, but was usually very fair. In most cases, my brothers would usually he blamed for misbehavior, even if the girls were also involved. He would use much harsher punishment for the boys than the girls. His lack of education prevented him from being able to help the children much with homework, although he would help if he was able to. His ideas on education were reflected in his views on his children furthering their education. When my sister, Carol, went to nursing school for three years, he could not understand why she wanted to spend so much time in school instead of getting a job. When my brother, Don, wanted to quit working to go to college, my father objected so violently that he gave up the idea eventually. My brother, Bob, did go on to finish college, but my father did not seem to object this time. Perhaps it was because Bob had a full scholarship and therefore, my father would not have to pay to put him through school. I do know that money was a constant worry for my father, which was understandable with a large family and a low-paying job. Another incident I personally remember was the time that I wanted to move out of the home to share a house with two other girls. My father objected so strongly that I never did leave home until I got married. I don't remember why he did not want me to leave; perhaps he did not want to see his oldest daughter leave or maybe he didn't believe that girls should move out of the parents' house until they married.
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1913 - 1973 (60 years)