Matthews / Conner / Covey / Salts [Solt] Family History - Person Sheet
Matthews / Conner / Covey / Salts [Solt] Family History - Person Sheet
Birth Date30 Jun 18511050
Birth PlaceJonesboro, Washington County, Tennessee
Death Date2 Apr 19351050 Age: 83
Death PlaceDallas County, Texas
MemoHe died on a Tuesday morning at his home in Dallas.
Burial Date3 Apr 19351050
Burial PlaceRestland Memorial Cemetery, Texas
MemoServices were at the Highland Park Church, Dallas.
FatherArthur Jackson McGINNIS-SMITH , M (1829-1924)
MotherHarriette M. BROWN , F (1830-1890)
Spouses
Birth Date24 Jan 1862972
Birth PlaceHebron, Denton County, Texas
Death Date1 Dec 1934 Age: 72
Death PlaceArlington, Dallas County, Texas
Marr Date1 Aug 18771050
Marr PlaceTexas
Notes for Rev. Lafayette Pulaski “L. P.” SMITH
In August of 1921, L. P. of Dallas, Texas spent several days with his Missouri cousins, Daniel Napoleon Saults and family.1060 Since L. P. visited Daniel Napoleon, it is assumed that he was somehow related to the Salts / McGinnis families of Washington Co., TN.
At the time of Allison Woodville Smith’s death in 1928 (his brother), L. P. was living 3319 Drexel Drive, Dallas, Texas. He sent a letter telling my grandmother about Wood’s death. L. P. said that he and his wife both had colds so he must have been married. There was no mention of his own children in the letter -only of his brother’s children.
When Loff’s cousin died in Knob Noster, Mo. (Daniel Napoleon Saults), Loff travelled to Knob Noster and conducted the funeral services.
The following information was sent from the First United Methodist Church in Wichita Falls, Texas:
An article dated Wednesday April 3, 1935 Title: "First Pastor of First Methodist Here Dies Dallas"
Text: "Funeral services were to be held Wednesday in Dallas for the Rev. L.P. Smith, aged minister who was pastor 50 years ago of the First Methodist Church in Wichita Falls. Mr. Smith had been retired for many years. He was the first pastor of the church, serving immediately after its organization. He was a brother of Mrs. Frances Jackson, 1820 Eleventh St. He died Tuesday morning at his home in Dallas." (There was a handwritten note with the article stating that Rev. Smith was the 7th pastor.)
Lafayette Pulaski Smith, son of A.J. and Harriet M. Smith, was born in Washington County, Tennessee, June 30, 1851. He was named after two important generals: Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834), who was a French statesman and general that served in the American Revolutionary army; and Casimir Pulaski (1748-1799), who was a Polish soldier and patriot general that also served in the American Revolutionary army.972
He attended the public schools of Washington County, TN and later was a student at Holston Male Institute, located at Jonesboro, Tennessee. In college he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, South in 1869. He was licensed to preach in October, 1879. In 1872 he moved to Texas with his family and placed his membership in McKamey Chapel. In 1875 he was ordained a Deacon, and an Elder in 1877.972
In the year 1915, Bertha Smith, age 10, daughter of Edward Chalmer Smith and Mamie Perry Smith, went to live with her Great Uncle lafayette and Aunt Maria.972
While still a college student he was converted under the ministry of Rev. (afterwards Bishop) E.E. Hoss and the writer has on more than one occasion heard Bishop Hoss, with tears in his eyes, make the statement that L.P. Smith was the first convert under his ministry. He joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in 1869. He came to Texas in 1872 and with his mother, placed his membership in McKamey's Chapel, then one of the appointments on the Dallas Circuit. Some years later he had the joy of receiving his father into the church.
He was licensed to exhort by the Quarterly Conference of the Jonesboro Station on April 11, 1870. He was licensed to preach by the same body in October, 1870. He was admitted on trial into the North Texas Conference in the fall of 1873 and into full connection in 1875 at which time he was ordained Deacon by Bishop George F. Pierce. He was ordained Elder by Bishop W.M. Wightman in 1877.
On August 10, 1877, he was happily married to Miss Maria Henley Morgan, whom he says "was the best woman in the world." Their life together was ideal and her record of distinguished and fine service in the church is still fresh in the minds of the whole church, she having preceded him to the better land by only a few months.
During the conference year 1880-81 he visited in Tennessee, the scenes of his early life and from there went to England and had the joy of attending the first Ecumenical Conference of Methodism, held in the City Road Chapel, London. He also attended the Third Ecumenical Conference held in London, having been appointed a delegate in the place of Rev. E.W. Alderson, who could not attend. During this year he and his wife spent some months in England, where she was born and grew to girlhood and also they toured France and Switzerland.
In the fall of 1888 he was granted the supernumerary relation for two years, but immediately took charge of our church in Colorado Springs, Colo. That fall he was returned to that charge and in 1890 was transferred to the Denver Conference, but at the expiration of that year he was transferred back to the North Texas Conference where he remained until his death which occurred in Dallas, Texas April 2, 1935.
After funeral services at Highland Park Church, Dallas, conducted by his pastor, Rev. Umphrey Lee, assisted by Rev. E.W. Alderson, Rev. S.C. Riddle and Rev. R. G. Mood, his body was laid to rest in beautiful Restland Memorial Cemetery. A large number of his brethren of the ministry and a host of friends testified to the sincere love and affection in which he was held by all who knew him.
Brother Smith was granted the Superannuate relation in the fall of 1915 and moved to Dallas where he spent the remainder of his life.
The writer does not deem it necessary to list his appointments since they are of record in the Minutes of his conference but it is enough to say that wherever he served he won the sincere admiration and confidence, not only of his own people but of literally everybody. His was a wonderfully fruitful and successful ministry, his notes showing that literally hundreds were converted and brought into the church under his ministry, many church buildings and parsonages were erected under his leadership, many debts on church property paid and no interest of the church ever suffered for lack of careful attention.
To try to characterize Brother Smith one can hardly avoid what would seem to be extravagant words. He prayed more than any man that I have every known, and they singular purity and uprightness of his life was never even under question. Frequently the remark has been made, "God never made a better man than L.P. Smith," and that I think is true.
His long time friend and brother in the ministry, Rev. S.C. Riddle, pays this tribute to his memory: "During the session of the North Texas Conference in Dallas in 1880 an aged minister said to me, 'Cultivate acquaintance with Lafayette Smith, all who have known him believe that he never had an evil thought.' That was fifty-five years ago, and I have never seen any reason to qualify that statement. Recently one who was very close to him said: 'He is the purest, the most Christ-like person I have known.' Brother Smith was a member of this Conference for sixty-two years, and I'm sure the consensus of all its members is that no nobler, truer man ever lived among us."
"Tuesday, April 9, he was gathered as a fully ripened sheaf into the heavenly garner. As contributory factors to so unique a character and record may mention the following: his conversion in early life; daily devotional study of Holy Scripture; his continuing instant in prayer; reverence toward God and appreciation of all human values; unselfishness, gentleness, nobility and moral courage. Along with these I should mention his marriage in 1889 to Miss Marie Morgan. These two children of God ever seemed to have been made each for the other. Their united life was a prose poem, a holy sacrament. In perfect agreement they regarded the whole round world as their fair seed field. Their benign influence touched many lands and doubtless thousands from the east and from the north, from the south and from the west in the day of consummation of human redemption shall pronounce them blessed. We shall all meet in that glad day." Robert Gibbs Mood1050
At the time of Allison Woodville Smith’s death in 1928 (his brother), L. P. was living 3319 Drexel Drive, Dallas, Texas. He sent a letter telling my grandmother about Wood’s death. L. P. said that he and his wife both had colds so he must have been married. There was no mention of his own children in the letter -only of his brother’s children.
When Loff’s cousin died in Knob Noster, Mo. (Daniel Napoleon Saults), Loff travelled to Knob Noster and conducted the funeral services.
The following information was sent from the First United Methodist Church in Wichita Falls, Texas:
An article dated Wednesday April 3, 1935 Title: "First Pastor of First Methodist Here Dies Dallas"
Text: "Funeral services were to be held Wednesday in Dallas for the Rev. L.P. Smith, aged minister who was pastor 50 years ago of the First Methodist Church in Wichita Falls. Mr. Smith had been retired for many years. He was the first pastor of the church, serving immediately after its organization. He was a brother of Mrs. Frances Jackson, 1820 Eleventh St. He died Tuesday morning at his home in Dallas." (There was a handwritten note with the article stating that Rev. Smith was the 7th pastor.)
Lafayette Pulaski Smith, son of A.J. and Harriet M. Smith, was born in Washington County, Tennessee, June 30, 1851. He was named after two important generals: Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834), who was a French statesman and general that served in the American Revolutionary army; and Casimir Pulaski (1748-1799), who was a Polish soldier and patriot general that also served in the American Revolutionary army.972
He attended the public schools of Washington County, TN and later was a student at Holston Male Institute, located at Jonesboro, Tennessee. In college he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, South in 1869. He was licensed to preach in October, 1879. In 1872 he moved to Texas with his family and placed his membership in McKamey Chapel. In 1875 he was ordained a Deacon, and an Elder in 1877.972
In the year 1915, Bertha Smith, age 10, daughter of Edward Chalmer Smith and Mamie Perry Smith, went to live with her Great Uncle lafayette and Aunt Maria.972
While still a college student he was converted under the ministry of Rev. (afterwards Bishop) E.E. Hoss and the writer has on more than one occasion heard Bishop Hoss, with tears in his eyes, make the statement that L.P. Smith was the first convert under his ministry. He joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in 1869. He came to Texas in 1872 and with his mother, placed his membership in McKamey's Chapel, then one of the appointments on the Dallas Circuit. Some years later he had the joy of receiving his father into the church.
He was licensed to exhort by the Quarterly Conference of the Jonesboro Station on April 11, 1870. He was licensed to preach by the same body in October, 1870. He was admitted on trial into the North Texas Conference in the fall of 1873 and into full connection in 1875 at which time he was ordained Deacon by Bishop George F. Pierce. He was ordained Elder by Bishop W.M. Wightman in 1877.
On August 10, 1877, he was happily married to Miss Maria Henley Morgan, whom he says "was the best woman in the world." Their life together was ideal and her record of distinguished and fine service in the church is still fresh in the minds of the whole church, she having preceded him to the better land by only a few months.
During the conference year 1880-81 he visited in Tennessee, the scenes of his early life and from there went to England and had the joy of attending the first Ecumenical Conference of Methodism, held in the City Road Chapel, London. He also attended the Third Ecumenical Conference held in London, having been appointed a delegate in the place of Rev. E.W. Alderson, who could not attend. During this year he and his wife spent some months in England, where she was born and grew to girlhood and also they toured France and Switzerland.
In the fall of 1888 he was granted the supernumerary relation for two years, but immediately took charge of our church in Colorado Springs, Colo. That fall he was returned to that charge and in 1890 was transferred to the Denver Conference, but at the expiration of that year he was transferred back to the North Texas Conference where he remained until his death which occurred in Dallas, Texas April 2, 1935.
After funeral services at Highland Park Church, Dallas, conducted by his pastor, Rev. Umphrey Lee, assisted by Rev. E.W. Alderson, Rev. S.C. Riddle and Rev. R. G. Mood, his body was laid to rest in beautiful Restland Memorial Cemetery. A large number of his brethren of the ministry and a host of friends testified to the sincere love and affection in which he was held by all who knew him.
Brother Smith was granted the Superannuate relation in the fall of 1915 and moved to Dallas where he spent the remainder of his life.
The writer does not deem it necessary to list his appointments since they are of record in the Minutes of his conference but it is enough to say that wherever he served he won the sincere admiration and confidence, not only of his own people but of literally everybody. His was a wonderfully fruitful and successful ministry, his notes showing that literally hundreds were converted and brought into the church under his ministry, many church buildings and parsonages were erected under his leadership, many debts on church property paid and no interest of the church ever suffered for lack of careful attention.
To try to characterize Brother Smith one can hardly avoid what would seem to be extravagant words. He prayed more than any man that I have every known, and they singular purity and uprightness of his life was never even under question. Frequently the remark has been made, "God never made a better man than L.P. Smith," and that I think is true.
His long time friend and brother in the ministry, Rev. S.C. Riddle, pays this tribute to his memory: "During the session of the North Texas Conference in Dallas in 1880 an aged minister said to me, 'Cultivate acquaintance with Lafayette Smith, all who have known him believe that he never had an evil thought.' That was fifty-five years ago, and I have never seen any reason to qualify that statement. Recently one who was very close to him said: 'He is the purest, the most Christ-like person I have known.' Brother Smith was a member of this Conference for sixty-two years, and I'm sure the consensus of all its members is that no nobler, truer man ever lived among us."
"Tuesday, April 9, he was gathered as a fully ripened sheaf into the heavenly garner. As contributory factors to so unique a character and record may mention the following: his conversion in early life; daily devotional study of Holy Scripture; his continuing instant in prayer; reverence toward God and appreciation of all human values; unselfishness, gentleness, nobility and moral courage. Along with these I should mention his marriage in 1889 to Miss Marie Morgan. These two children of God ever seemed to have been made each for the other. Their united life was a prose poem, a holy sacrament. In perfect agreement they regarded the whole round world as their fair seed field. Their benign influence touched many lands and doubtless thousands from the east and from the north, from the south and from the west in the day of consummation of human redemption shall pronounce them blessed. We shall all meet in that glad day." Robert Gibbs Mood1050
Notes for Maria Henley (Spouse 1)
Maria was a graduate of Dallas Female College and was very devoted and distinguished Methodist Missionary Officer -in which her duties took her to foreign countries. She also served on the Board of Scarritt Collece. Maria was the first president of the Texas State Interracial Commision, and the Maria Morgan branch YMCA was named in her honor.972