The Reverend William D. Smart
Story furnished by Clarence Crocker
The Reverend W.D. Smart came to Glendale in 1929 to preach in a tent meeting for one week. The tent was located in the wooded area just to the right of my Grandpa and Grandma Crocker’s house where the Baptist Church office is located today. Grandpa had died and we were staying with grandma at the time. Rev. Smart and Rev. Davis Wiggins, this writer’s uncle, continued the revival for six weeks out of which the Glendale Pentecostal Holiness Church was organized. Rev. Smart became the first Pastor of the newly organized church which continues today. See Church Stories.
Excerpts from the Obituary of Rev. W. D. Smart as published Sunday, October 13, 1940; “The Rev. William D. Smart, 57, a retired Pentecostal Holiness Minister died on Saturday, October 12, 1940 at his residence on Haynes Street, Greer, S. C. Rev. Smart was stricken with a heart attack two hours before his death.
The Rev. Mr. Smart was Pastor of Pentecostal Holiness Churches in Greenville County 30 years before he retired five years ago. He was a native of Greenville County, the son of the late John and Mrs. Lizzie D. Smart.
The retired Minister who had been a resident of Greer 13 years, is survived by his wife, the former Miss. Fannie Carr of the Greer Mill village; two daughters, Mrs. Ruth Dairity of Greer, Mrs. Nellie Trammell of Spartanburg; three sons, Thurman, John and Paul Smart of Greer; four grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted Sunday at the Greer Pentecostal Holiness Church of which he was a member by Revs. B. R. Nichols, R.M. Brewer and J.V. Ellenberg. Interment will follow in the Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery at Greenville, S.C.”
Excerpts from the Obituary of Mrs. W. D. Smart as published October 9, 1958; “Mrs. Fannie Carr Smart, 78, widow of the Reverend W.D. Smart of Greer, died Wednesday at a Spartanburg Rest Home after a long illness. Born and reared at Gainesville, Ga., she had been a resident of Greer 31 years and was a member of the Pentecostal Holiness Church.
Survivors were; daughters, Mrs. Ruth Moon of Greer and Mrs. Nell Haney of Inverness, Fla.,
Funeral services are to be held at the Greer Pentecostal Holiness Church conducted by Revs. B. R. Nichols, W.T. Cook and T. C. Riddle. Burial in the Woodlawn Memorial Park.”
----------------Writer’s comments; Rev. and Mrs. Smart were dear friends of my parents, Albert and Ella Crocker and ate at our house on many different occasions. They were wonderful people.
All Census and Obituaries records, courtesy of the Spartanburg Country Library.
Written September 2013
Clarence E. Crocker
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