San Joaquin
County
Biographies
DAVID H.
SMITH
For the past two years David H. Smith has occupied the position of principal of the Weber school in Stockton and has demonstrated his ability to
advance the standard of education in a marked degree. He is a native son of California, born at Los Banos, Merced County, June 8, 1896, a son of Oscar and Amy (Hunt) Smith, the former a native of Iowa and the latter of Minnesota. The paternal grandfather of our subject, Samuel Smith, crossed the plains to California via the Salt Lake route in 1851, unmolested by the Indians, although the party in advance and the one following had been cruelly massacred by them. Grandfather Smith settled near Merced and farmed there, and resided there until his death, January 5, 1923, at the advanced age of nearly ninety.
Oscar Smith, the father of our subject, is living retired on his ranch in Merced County. Eight children were born to them: Clarence is a contractor in
San Jose, Cal.; Letha now Mrs. D. A. Allen of Newman; Ruth is Mrs. Carroll of Merced; Jesse resides in Los Banos, during the World War he entered the aviation corps and was a flyer at Kelly Field, then was transferred to England, and later to France, serving as a sergeant; David the subject of this sketch; Wesley was an aviation student at the University of California and at the time of his examination he was the third highest among 500 men, he was sent to Rockwell Field where he became a flyer and was commissioned second lieutenant, but was held in the United States as an aviation instructor; he drove the De Haviland mail plane across the United States and is now inspector of mail planes in New York City; he is also a student of music in that city; Blythe is Mrs. Hancock of Los Banos; Lyle resides in San Jose and was in the infantry during the World War. David H. Smith began his education at the Los Banos grammar school then was graduated from the high school of that place in 1912, and then entered San Jose State Normal where he was graduated in 1914; he then spent one year at the University of California, after which he went to Fallon, Nev., where he taught for one year.
On November 3, 1917, at Fallon. Nev., Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Miss Gertrude Iva Drumm, a native of Santa Cruz, Cal., daughter of
Andrew D. and Luella (Kirkbride) Drumm, natives of Indiana and Illinois, respectively. Andrew D. Drumm came to California in 1894 and followed
contracting and carpentering at Redwood City; at the time of the gold excitement in Nevada he removed to Tonopah where he conducted a large dairy ranch. Four children were born to them: Margaret, Andrew, Mrs. Gertrude Smith, and Herman. Returning to California in 1917 Mr. Smith became the vice principal of the Jackson school in Stockton where he remained for six months, then entered upon his duties as vice principal of the Weber school, and in 1921 was appointed principal. Four years ago he purchased his home at 1203 North East Street, where he resides with his wife and two children, David H., Jr., and Randolph K.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham,
George H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages 1497-1498. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
©
2012 V. Gerald
Iaquinta.
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