My Genealogy Hound

Dr. Richard Smyth was born in Ireland, April 28, 1830, and he had an Irishman’s wit and grit. He was one of fourteen children born to Thomas and Susan (Dudgem) Smyth, who came from the Emerald Isle in 1839. They located on a farm in Gibson county, where the father died a few years later. Dr. Smyth grew up on the home farm and secured a good education in the Princeton schools. When sixteen years old he went to Evansville and worked in a drug store for several years. He attended the Evansville Medical College and graduated in 1852. He located in Wadesville, Ind., and practiced his art until 1864, then removed to Princeton, Ind., and practiced his profession there till 1878, when, on account of failing health, he moved to Kansas. In 1881 he returned to Posey county and located in Mt. Vernon and practiced with marked success. He was married twice, first to Jane Hunter, in 1853, who died a year later; in 1854 he was married to Maria Pitts, who is still living. Having secured a competence and his health failing, he removed to Princeton, Ind., in 1898, where he lived in retirement until his death, which occurred in the year 1904. He was a member of the pension examining board, which met in his office at Mt. Vernon, Ind., during Harrison’s administration. “After life’s fitful fever, he sleeps well.”