City: Memphis
SMITH, James Hammond, banker; born Shelbyville, Ky., July 6, 1835; German descent; son of Abram and Margaret (Campbell) SMITH; his father was a member of Capt. Ford’s company under Gen. Andrew Jackson, and was in the battle of New Orleans during war of 1812; his paternal grandparents were Daniel and Abigail de la Saint Moir SMITH, who immigrated to the United States from near Frankfort on the Main, Germany, in 1790, settling in Virginia; educated at Shelby College under Rev. William I. Waller; after his school days were over he served as deputy clerk under W.A. Jones, clerk of the Circuit Court, for six years, and in 1857 removed to Memphis, Tenn., and served as deputy sheriff of Shelby Co., Tenn., four years under James E. Felts; he was assistant provost marshal under Gen. Bragg at Memphis until that city was captured by the United States forces; after close of war he was engaged in the grocery and cotton business for some years; served as member of the city council during 1871-1872-1873 and was secretary and treasurer of the Howard Assn. during the terrible yellow fever epidemic of 1878, during which time more than six thousand of the citizens of Memphis died; the Howard Association had at the commencement of the epidemic thirty-three members during the epidemic eleven of their number died, and every member but four was stricken down with the fever, Major Smith being the last one; as treasurer he received in donations over four hundred thousand dollars, in addition to a large number of cars of supplies of all kinds; in Keating’s history of the yellow fever epidemic of 1878 is published a full and complete list of the donations received by him, giving name, date and amount by state, also a list of the dead, giving name and date of death; in 1879 he was elected as one of the members of the State legislature, serving as such during 1879, 1880, 1881 and 1882; in 1882 he was elected secretary and treasurer of the Pratt Coal and Iron Co., Birmingham, Ala., at that time the largest coal mining plant in the South; during 1882 he was appointed postmaster of Memphis, Tenn., which position he held during Arthur’s administration and the early part of Cleveland’s; in 1887 he organized and was cashier for some eight years of the Memphis National Bank, and also the Memphis Savings Bank; in 1889 he organized the People’s Savings Bank and Trust Company, and has been the active manager of same up to the present time; he has been prominently connected with the Republican party since 1870, represent his party as delegate both to State and National conventions from his county and congressional district, for more than thirty-five years he has been deacon of the Linden Street Christian church of Memphis, Tenn; married Emma J. WRIGHT in June, 1870.
