Melbourne Smith ^78,106

  General Notes:

Melburn was a newspaper reporter, then a secretary for his father when Madison Roswell Smith became a congressman. Melburn was also a cartoonist for a St. Louis paper.

Melburn allowed his only son to be raised by Nancy Ann Leech (Bebo) after Helen died in childbirth. Melburn remarried when his son was about 6 and wished to take over the care of his son. But Albert objected to being removed from the only mother he had ever known, so Albert was returned to Bebo's care. Because of this incident there were strained relations between Melburn and the rest of his family, especially Bebo and Puff.

The following article was taken from "History of Southeast Missouri," page 746.

Melbourne Smith, editor of the Lead Belt News, is one of the able representatives of the Fourth Estate in this part of the state, the publication of which he is the head standing as a fit moulder of public opinion and recorder of the events of the many-sided life of the community. One of our greatest American writers has penned the lines "There was a young fellow of excellent pith, Fate tried to obscure him by naming him Smith."

But in the case of the subject, as in that of the hero of the couplet, Fate seems destined to frustration in her nefarious designs.

Melbourne Smith is a native son of Missouri, his birth having occurred at Marble Hill, Bollinger county, on December 9, 1882. He is the son of that well-known statesman and lawyer, Madison R. Smith, member of Congress from the Thirteenth District of Missouri. The elder gentleman was born July 9, 1850, at Glenallen, Bollinger County, Missouri, and received his preliminary education in the public, schools, later entering Central College at Fayette, and preparing for the law under Louis Houck, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He was admitted to the bar at Marble Hill in 1874 and he was united in marriage to Nannie Leech of Cape Girardeau January 12, 1881. To this union five children were born, namely: Melbourne, Alma, Taylor, Bab and Buntie. The family removed to Farmington about the year 1888 and there the head of the house engaged in the practice of law. An able man and one of high ideals of citizenship, he soon received marked political preferment, representing his district in the state Senate from 1887 until 1891 and giving most loyal and efficient service to his constituents. He acted as reporter of the St. Louis Court of Appeals from 1901 until 1904 and in 1907 reached the zenith of his career, going as representative of the Thirteenth Missouri District to the Sixtieth Congress, his tenure of office lasting from 1907 to 1909. The son, Mr. Smith, is a stanch supporter of the principles of Democracy and he is a prominent Mason. The religious faith of the family is that of the Southern Methodist church. Madison R. Smith is at the present time counsel for the Federal Trust Company of St. Louis and he also acts in the same capacity for the Houck Railroads. He is located at Farmington at the present time.

The early education of Melbourne Smith was secured in the public schools of Farmington and he subsequently attended a number of well-known institutions. These were Elmwood Seminary and Carlton College of Farmington; Branham & Hughes School at Spring Hill, Tennessee; and Central College at Fayette, Missouri. He exhibited marked attainments in scholarship and in 1902 received the degree of A. B. from the last named institution. After his graduation he became connected in 1903 with the Republican of Cape Girardeau. About a year later, on June 9, 1904, he accepted a position on the St. Louis Republican and remained with that well-known newspaper for the following three years. When his father was sent to the National Assembly in Washington, D. C., Mr. Smith went with him as his secretary and he remained in the national capital during the session of 1907-1909. He subsequently became connected with the Federal Trust Company and remained with that organization until March, 1911, when he established himself upon a more independent footing, by becoming editor and publisher of the Lead Belt News, at Plat River. This paper represents the political principles for which the Messrs. Smith have ever maintained great loyalty,-the Democratic-and is a live and excellently conducted sheet.

On June 26, 1908, Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Helen Albert, daughter of L. J. Albert, president of the Bank of Cape Girardeau. This happy union was of brief duration, Mrs. Smith's demise occurring in March, 1909, at Farmington. She is survived by one son, Albert. Mr. Smith is an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South and holds membership in the Masonic lodge. He is widely and favorably known and stands as a valuable member of society.
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Melbourne Smith claimed to be related to Nancy Hanks -- Abraham Lincolyn's mother.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Alt. Birth: Alt. Birth, 9 Dec 1881. ²⁵⁸

2. Alt. Death: Alt. Death, Oct 1964. ²⁵⁸

3. Education: Central College, Fayette, Missouri.

4. Education: Branham & Hughes School, Spring Hill, Tennessee.

5. Education: Carlton College, Farmington, Missouri.

6. Education: Elmwood Seminary.

7. Education: Farmington H. S., Farmington, Missouri.

8. Degree: A. B., Central College, Fayette, Missouri, 1902.

9. Occupation: Editor/Publisher of Lead Belt News, Plat River, Missouri, Mar 1911.

10. Occupation: News Paper Editor, Republican of Cape Girardeau, 1903.

11. Occupation: St. Louis Republican, St. Louis, Missouri, 9 Jun 1904.

12. SSN: 240-16-7852. ²⁵⁸

13. SSN Residence Code: North Carolina. ²⁵⁸

14. SSN Issued in: North Carolina. ²⁵⁸

Melbourne married Helen Rosebrough Albert, daughter of Leon J. Albert and Clara Given Haydock, on 25 Jun 1908 in Cape Girardeau, Girardeau County, Missouri. (Helen Rosebrough Albert was born in 1887 in Cape Girardeau, Girardeau County, Missouri and died on 7 Mar 1909 in Cape Girardeau, Girardeau County, Missouri.)

Melbourne next married Gladys Whitaker in Jul 1914. (Gladys Whitaker was born on 29 Aug in England and died in Brevard, North Carolina ¹⁴⁶.)