Rev. James Cumming "Cumming" Smith

1858 - 1904  (45 years)

• Name	James Cumming "Cumming" Smith
  Prefix	Rev.
  Born	1 Sep 1858	Brockville, Leeds & Grenville Co's., Ontario   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Name	Cumming Smith
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-421832
  Died	7 Jul 1904	Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, United States   [1]
  Buried	Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  Person ID	I421832	Generations
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Rev. James Kidd "Kidd" Smith,   b. 11 Apr 1827, Aberdeen, , Aberdeen, Scotland ,   d. 2 Feb 1905, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 77 years)
  Mother	Christina Cumming,   b. 1837, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. 6 Nov 1917  (Age 80 years)
  Married	20 Oct 1857	Williamstown, Glengarry, Ontario, Canada
  Family ID	F271869	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Rev James Cumming Smith

  
  

• Notes

  Mrs. J. Cummings Smith landed in New York Monday and arrived in Indianapolis Tuesday. It will be remembered that she was in Europe when Dr. Smith was stricken with his fatal illness. The body of Dr. Smith will probably be sent to his Canada home for interment. The Franklin Republican, Friday, 22 July 1904, pg 1 ______________________ DR. J. CUMMING SMITH DEAD AT ST. VINCENT'S WELL-KNOWN PASTOR VICTIM OF APPENDICITIS CAME TO TABERNACLE IN 1897 The Rev. J. Cumming Smith, D. D., pastor of the Tabernacle Presbyterian church, died this afternoon at 2:30 at St. Vincent's Hospital. On Friday, July 1, he was received at the hospital and operated upon by Drs Carleton B. McCulloch and George J. Cook for appendicitis. The operation was considered successful, though from the first it was feared that complications might arise. This fear proved but too fell founded, and this forenoon he was reported to be sinking rapidly. A cablegram was sent to Mrs. Smith advising her of the serious condition of her husband, in answer to which she cabled today that she would sail for home Saturday. She is at present in England. It has been erroneously reported that her friends in this city did not know of her whereabouts. CANADIAN BY BIRTH J. Cumming Smith was born forty-three years ago, at Brockville, Canada, where he spent the first ten years of his life. His father, the Rev. J. R. Smith, was pastor of the largest Presbyterian church in Canada for twenty-five years, and was moderator of the General Assembly of the church in 1887. The son was early intended for the church. He took his university course in Toronto, where he studied science and philosophy, and took first class honors at his graduation from that institution. He studied theology at Knox College, Toronto, and while a student was at the same time professor of classics in the college. He took the scholarship in systematic theology, and also in apologetics. In 1887 he went to California as a licentiate. He was asked to assist temporarily at the Howard street Presbyterian church, San Francisco, and the parish was so pleased with him that he received a permanent call. He was then ordained so that he might accept the call and enter upon the duties of the pastorate. He immediately set about the work of erecting a new church building, which is known as the Trinity Presbyterian church, and cost more than $65,000. CALL TO TABERNACLE CHURCH. He remained with that church until January 1897, when, having received a call to the Tabernacle Presbyterian church of this city, he entered upon his duties here, succeeding the Rev. J. Albert Rondthaler, who had resigned after having been pastor for thirteen years. His degree of doctor of divinity was conferred by Butler College. He never held other than the two pastorates, the one in San Francisco and the other in this city. Soon after his coming here he took prominent place among the Protestant clergymen of this city, as it was at once recognized that he was a man of great preaching force and administrative ability. At the monthly meetings of ministers he took part in the discussions and his words on such occasions always carried much weight. His popularity with his congregation remained through all the years of his pastorate and the Tabernacle church under his charge enjoyed the greatest prosperity, assuming a place in the first rank of the leading churches. His great interest in the education of girls led to the establishment of the school known as Tudor Hall. IN GOOD HEALTH WHEN MRS. SMITH LEFT Mrs. Smith, to whom he was married in 1895, went abroad a short time ago and is now in England. At the time she left Dr. Smith was in excellent health, and there was no thought that he would be stricken with so dangerous an ailment as appendicitis. His bright and cheery temperament made friends of all that came in contact with him. Dr. Smith was remarked as a picture of stalwart manhood and perfect health \endash six feet two inches tall and weighing about 225 pounds. Outdoor sports always appealed to him, especially golf, in which he held the championship among Indianapolis players. He, Dr. M. L. Haines, of the First Presbyterian church, and the Rev. Owen Davies Odell, of the Second Presbyterian church, were called the Presbyterian golfers and together were frequent visitors to the golf grounds at the Country Club and Riverside Park. The Indianapolis News, 7 July 1904, Thur, pg 8 _________________ SIGNS OF MOURNING ARE NOT VISIBLE Flowers Only Emblems Where Body of the Rev. Dr. Smith Lies in State. WISHES OF DEAD PASTOR FAITHFULLY CARRIED OUT Friends May Look Their Last Today and Tomorrow \endash Funeral This Afternoon. The body of the Rev. J. Cumming Smith lies in state at the Tabernacle Presbyterian Church, Eleventh and Meridian streets, where it was taken from C. E. Kregelo's chapel to remain until tomorrow morning at 10:00. Heavy festoons of oak leaves hang from the top of the pipe organ and extend to the sides of the pulpit and wind about the pillars. Rows of palms and ferns and pots of lilies, carnations, sweet peas and wreaths of bright foliage decorate the pulpit from which he always preached not death, but life. There is no sign of mourning in the decorations except the black covering of the casket. Such was according to the often expressed wishes of the Rev. Dr. Smith. Dr. Smith's mother, who has arrived from Galt, Ontario, and his twin brother, William A. Smith of New York, who are at the home of Elder William Dugdale, went to the side of the casket yesterday afternoon and the church was left to them and their grief. The widow of the Rev. Dr. Smith started yesterday from England and will arrive in ten days. Her sister, Miss Blanche Tisdale of Alameda, Cal., has left England for the United States and will not know of the death until her arrival…. The body will be placed in a vault at Crown Hill to await the arrival of the widow and will then probably be taken to Brockville, Canada, his birthplace. The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN) 10 Jul 1904, Sun. pg 4

  
  

• Sources

  [S2697] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge, Mount View Cemetery Internet Link. [E] Rev. J. Kidd SMITH D.D./ born April 11th 1827/ died Feb. 2nd 1905/ Christina CUMMING/ his wife/ died Nov. 6, 1917/ aged 80 years/ Rev. J. CUMMING SMITH/ born Sept. 1st 1858/ died July 7th 1904/ SMITH/

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 1 Sep 1858 - Brockville, Leeds & Grenville Co's., Ontario Died - 7 Jul 1904 - Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, United States Buried - - Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth