Curran C. Smith, eldest son of J. Speed and Eliza Smith, born Jun 12, 1822, entered into rest, August 13, 1896.  ‘And his children rise up and call him blessed.’  Richmond Cemetery, Madison County, Kentucky.

The Richmond Climax, Madison County, Kentucky

Wednesday, August 19, 1896

The fearfully sudden death on last Thursday, August 13^th, of Dr. Smith again demonstrates that in the midst of life we are in death.  Just before noon he was on the streets in apparently good health, but remarked that he felt a pain in his chest.  At dinner, he passed away without the slightest . . . the Second Presbyterian Church, the remains being deposited in the family lot in the cemetery.  Rev. Owsley Goodloe, brother-in-law of the deceased, and Rev. Dr. McCown, pastor of the Baptist Church, were the ministers.  A long procession followed the remains to the grave.

Sallie W. Goodloe, wife of Dr. Curran C. Smith, November 8, 1834 – December 18, 1909.

Curran Cassius Smith was born in Richmond, Kentucky, on June 12^th, 1822.  His father was a distinguished member of Congress and Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge of Kentucky.  His mother was a daughter of Brig. Gen. Green Clay, of the War of 1812, and a sister of Gen. Cassius M. Clay, Mr. Lincoln’s Minister to Russia.  Rev. Green Clay Smith, recently deceased, Ex-Governor of Montana and Brigadier General of the U.S. Volunteers, and Ex-Representative J. Speed Smith, this place, were brothers, Mrs. Goodloe, mother of the late William Cassius Goodloe, Minister to Belgium, and Major Green Clay Goodloe, U.S. Marines, was a sister.  Dr. Smith married in 1854 a daughter of Judge William Goodloe of the Madison Circuit Court, she survives.  Their six children survive him, never having lost one.  They are Mrs. Alma Rogers, of Ohio, Mrs. Bessie Benton, of Winchester, Misses Mary Spencer, Willie C. and Curraleen, of Richmond, and J. Speed Smith, of the U.S. Pension Service, now stationed at Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Smith graduated at St. Mary’s, then a noted school; thereafter from the Louisville Medical College of which faculty the subsequently celebrated Dr. Gross was a member.  He practiced 53 years, mostly in Madison County.  For a brief period he lived at Lebanon where he was Collector by appointment of Andrew Johnson, which was the only office he ever held, except when Pension Examiner by appointment of Harrison.

During the war, it was the effort of the Confederates to capture Dr. Smith and others to hold as hostages in lieu of several men who had been carried away to northern prisons.  The Federal commandant at Lexington sent an officer with men who rescued the men in hiding.  At the battle of Richmond, Dr. Smith volunteered on the staff of Gen. Manson, as surgeon, and placed in charge of the Mt. Zion Hospital.  Among the wounded, he found the captain who had rescued him.  Him, with two others, he took to his home and treated free of charge until able to go home.

Dr. Smith was utterly devoid of egotism and vanity.  He was a true man, courageous but quiet, and in every respect a good citizen.

To the memory of J. Speed Smith, born July 31, 1792, married July 31, 1815, died June 6, 1854.  Erected by his widow, Eliza L. Clay Smith, born March 29, 1798, died October 14, 1887.