Frederick R. Smith

My great grandfather Fred R. Smith was the third child and at least the only surviving son born to Mary  A. Carbine and William H. Smith. I do not know the sex of the second child born to Mary and William, so I can not say positively that Fred was their only son. The second child died at four weeks. I gained knowledge of the deceased second child from William H. Smith's probate record.

Fred was questioned under oath about all the legal heirs of his father's estate. Fred related that the second child died at four weeks but that he did not know the name of this child - nor did he give the sex of this child. I have not been able to find a birth, death, obituary or baptismal record for this child. But something might surface in the future. Still plenty of hope.

Fred's birth record has errors in it. The midwife who delivered Fred was apparently of German decent - based on her name, as well as, the people that Mary and William were living near on Third Ave. Fred's surname was written as Schmidt instead of Smith but his father's surname was recorded as Smith. His mother's name was recorded as Maria Carbine Smith. Of course, Maria is the German version of Mary. This would not be the last time Fred felt the German influence in his life.

first part of Fred's birth record

second part of Fred's birth record

In the 1900 census, Fred was listed as a traveling salesman for a starch company. Fred would end up working a variety of jobs throughout his life, such as, traveling salesman (several times), saloon owner, caretaker for his wife's father's resort in Wisconsin, and apartment manager. These are the occupations that I know about but he certainly could of branched out into other areas of employment. Although, he never did get involved in the newspaper business, like his father.

1900 US Census Chicago Fred 4th person listed

In 1910, Fred was 32 years old and still single, operating his own saloon and still living with his mother and two of his sisters, Adele and Roberta. He was living at the 1262 Glenlake Ave house. Fred was slow to find love but soon after this census, he did find love to the north in cool Wisconsin when he married Olga Marie Adams of Wisconsin 4 January 1911 in his home city of Chicago.

1910 US Census Fred 2nd person listed

Fred Smith and Olga Adams Marriage 1911

The story goes that Fred decided to go up to Vilas County, WI, to work at one of the resorts for the summer. Probably to escape the heat and humidity of Chicago and make some money at the same time. Apparently at some point, Fred met Olga and sparks flew. Their differences must of been interesting and appealing to each other. Olga was short and petite and Fred was tall and stout. Olga being German, Reformed Lutheran. Fred was Irish Catholic. One area of common ground that they shared was they were both born by the Great Lake of Michigan. Olga being born in Milwaukee, WI and Fred in Chicago, IL.

Fred returned to Chicago at the end of the summer season. I am sure there was some discussion by both families before January, when Olga came down to Chicago to marry her tall, stout Catholic Irishman. I wonder if someone came with Olga to Chicago or if she made her way alone. They were married in the Lutheran Church by John E. Traeger, a Reformed Pastor.



I do not have any pictures of Fred - sad. I do have one picture of Olga which I will post when I do her individual post. The description I have of Fred is taken from his WWI Draft Registration Card. He is tall and stout with black eyes and brown hair.

WWI Draft Registration Card - Fred R Smith

After Fred and Olga married, Fred continued to run his saloon at 4936 Broadway in Chicago. They lived at 1049 Balmoral, which was only .9 mile from their saloon and 1.2 mile from Fred's mother Mary's house on Glenlake Ave. Fred's mother Mary was hopeful to see her only son make his way in life and loaned him money. After Mary's death, his siblings eventually forgave his debt to his mother or his mother's estate.

Fred and Olga's home Chicago 

Location of Fred's saloon Chicago

His son, my grandfather Bill Smith reported that they moved up to Canada for a few years around 1920 when prohibition came about and he could no longer operate his saloon in Chicago. This move to Canada didn't last long and they soon ended up in Vilas County, Wisconsin working for William Adams, Olga's father at his resort on Big Twin Lake. They remained at Big Twin for some time under the generosity of Olga's family. At some point, probably after the death of Olga's mother in 1931, when the estate of William Adams and Augusta Liederbach was divided up among their six children - they moved to Iowa.

Olga and Fred each took their turn living among each others German and Irish families, respectively. I don't doubt that there were differences in style between the two families but they nonetheless found common ground and made their lives together work.

In 1935 they were living in Des Moines, Iowa, along with their younger son Fred A. Smith.

Their older son William or Bill, my grandfather, had married my grandmother, a brown haired, browned eyed girl - half German and probably half English, named Yoland Whitney in 1934.

By 1940, Fred R., Olga and their younger son Fred A. were all living in Cedar Rapids, IA where my grandfather Bill was married and living with his family. Fred R. was working as a salesman of paper products and his son Fred A. was working as an insurance salesman after completing 5 years of college. Fred R and Olga had both completed the 8th grade.

By 1947, Fred and Olga had moved far from their familiar Mid-West and followed their son Fred A. to San Francisco, CA. Fred R would died in San Francisco 9 October 1953 of heart disease in Notre Dame Hospital (Catholic Hospital). Olga respected Fred's generational Irish Catholic heritage by admitting him to a Catholic hospital where his religious right and rituals would be present - an element that is important to the dying.

Fred and Olga's apartment building San Francisco

I have a picture of Notre Dame Hospital circa 1952 but it is copyrighted, so I don't feel that I can post it here in a public setting. So, you can use your imagination...The hospital was white with multiple stories. It was run by The Sisters of Mercy and was closed down in the late 1970's. The building is now used for low income senior housing.

At the time of his death in 1953, Fred was employed as an apartment manager on Geary St. in San Francisco. He and Olga resided at 837 Geary St. apartment #206 Fred was buried just outside of San Francisco in Colma at the Cypress Lawn Cemetery.

Fred's death record 1953 San Francisco

Fred's Obituary 1953 San Francisco Chronicle

Fred's youngest sister Roberta was the only sibling left alive in 1953 when Fred passed away. Roberta was a widow, her husband Clyde Ford had died in 1951. Roberta would live long past her siblings - dying in 1975.

Fred's final resting place

Women Who Remembered - Olga Marie Adams

This post is about my dad's grandmother Olga Marie Adams. But before I begin - I have to comment on this awesome picture. This is a picture was taken in 1892 of a water tower in the city of Milwaukee. Olga was only 4 years old when it was taken and living in Milwaukee. I just want to know if you have ever seen a more awesome looking water tower? I am saying that I have not and this water tower definitely ranks up there in the beautiful water tower category. I know that you are blow away but most water towers are large, round, short and ugly! The Germans knew how to make things and still do.

My mom met with Olga when she was living in San Francisco in the late 1960's. Olga and her husband Fred Smith had left their Mid-Western roots and moved west to San Francisco on account of their other son (they only had 2 sons - one being my grandpa, William Smith) Fred Smith Jr., who was living in San Francisco.

While my mom met with Olga, she took the opportunity and quizzed Olga on her family history. Who her father and mother were, children, names, dates, etc. Olga came through for my mom. She remembered many things. She also remembered the exact place her father was born in Germany. This might not seem amazing but trust me - I am a genealogist and many children don't know as much about their parents as they think they do. Many children have given misinformation or missing information on a death record.

I have only one picture of Olga. I will have to add it to another post because I don't have it scanned into this computer. My mom describes Olga as a small woman with a strong personality. She sounds like my kind of woman. I think I can relate!? 

Olga helped give me my start in genealogy. She remembered her family, so I have, in turn, been able to find and remember my family as well. Thanks Olga.