John Edwin Smart

  General Notes:

Came to Camden, Arkansas in 1947 to work for a wholesale grocery house. Was drafted and spent two years in WWII in the Navy - at the time working for an aluminum company in Arkansas. Saw "every island from Pearl Harbor to South Korea". Was not in active combat, the ship he was on just moved occupation troops from the states.

One time rode a horse 16 miles to Pearl's house and had to cross a river - about in 1932. That was right down thru the woods. John did not own a car til about 1939-40.

"How John Smart met his future wife Pearl":
In 1931 his dad was a preacher at a little church and Pearl lived about a mile from that church. One Sunday John's dad was sick and asked a "preacher-boy", "...if John will drive you, will you preach for me?"

Well, the "preacher boy" agreed and John and he headed out.

The "preacher boy" preached and after the service a young lady asked if they would like to come over for lunch. That lady was friend of Pearl.

After lunch the lady said let's drive to Prescott. The trio fooled around in Prescott and then said, the lady then said, "...let's go out to Mrs. Ridgell's (Pearl's mother), she always has something to eat..." So, they went out to Mrs. Ridgell's.

At Mrs. Ridgell's, the "preacher boy" said he wanted to "brush up" on his sermon and went in a room and did just that. The lady that drove them there said she saw some turnips and wanted to pull them. That left John and Pearl alone, and the rest is history!

John married Pearl Ridgell on Nov 2, 1933.