Husband Wilson Jones Smathers, M.D. 1 2 3 4
Born: 28 Mar 1851 - Limestone Twp, Clarion Co, PA 3 5 6
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Father: John Smathers (1828-1895) 3 5 6
Mother: Ann(a) Jones (1829-1915) 3 5 6
Marriage: 22 Jul 1875 - Smicksburg, Indiana Co, PA 7 8 9
Wife Margaretta Caroline Sims "Maggie" Fulton 1 5 8 9
Born: 16 Feb 1851 - Indiana Co, PA 7 9
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Father: Samuel T. Fulton (1815-1896) 8 10
Mother: Frances Louisa Sims ( -1898) 9 11
Children
1 M Francis C. Smathers, M.D. 4 7 8
Born: 23 Mar 1878 - DuBois, Clearfield Co, PA 7 9
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Spouse: Elizabeth Anne Kearney (1876- ) 12
2 F Margaretta Smathers 7 9 13
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3 M John Marion Sims Smathers 7 9 13
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4 F Bessie Fulton Smathers 7 9 13
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5 F Dorothy Ruth Smathers 7 9 13
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General Notes: Husband - Wilson Jones Smathers, M.D.
He was born on a farm in Limestone township, Clarion County, Pennsylvania, and was just a child when his parents moved to Jefferson County, where he was reared.
The first schoolhouse he ever attended and was a primitive log cabin. Later he enjoyed better advantages and spent a short season in an academy at Dayton, Pennsylvania. He prepared himself for teaching and taught the district school near his home, in the winter of 1870-1, and about this time began the study of medicine, with Dr. R. B. Brown, an old practitioner at Summerville, Pennsylvania. Later in 1871, he entered Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, for a course of lectures and then continued his studies with Dr. Brown, subsequently returning to college and was there graduated on March 12, 1873. In looking about for a promising field for practice he decided upon DuBois, in Clearfield County, where John DuBois was developing his large lumber interests, and four months later as a young physician, he opened an office, being not only one of the first professional men in the place but the very first physician.
When Dr. Smathers came to the hamlet, which was really just a lumber camp, no organization having as yet been effected, it was just a partially cleared portion of Brady township. There had been no need for any town officials, and as the people were industrious and law abiding, no justice of the peace was required. There was, however, immediate need of his professional services and he found that he could very easily qualify for other positions in the neighborhood than physician. Being the owner of a horse, he was frequently the mail carrier for the entire neighborhood. Thomas Jones, an uncle of Dr. Smathers, was one of the first settlers and owned the land on which stood the physician's house and office, and he rented the property from his uncle until 1875, when he purchased it. He filled the entire professional field for the first year but in the next year another physician came, but the latter remained for only two years and still another year passed before Dr. Smathers had the assistance of a co-worker. In the destructive fire of 1888 which swept through the town, Dr. Smathers suffered severely, losing his office and residence. A new office immediately took the place of the burned one and a new residence followed, which was subsequently remodeled and modernized. These buildings were situated respectively at No. 6 and No. 8 S. Main street, DuBois.
Dr. Smathers and his family attended the Methodist Episcopal church and he was instrumental in the building of the first church edifice at DuBois. In his political views, he was a Republican. He did not accept many public offices, but he did serve on the school board for a season and after the organization of the DuBois Board of Health, in 1893, was a continuous member and at one time served as its secretary. He was identified with the DuBois Medical Association and belonged to the Heptasophs and the order represented by the R. P. P. A.
Of the eleven children born to him and his wife, six were deceased before 1898.