John Smart, father of Gladys Smart and grandfather to Doug, was featured in an article written in Thistledown magazine circa 1976. The article contains the transcripts of an interview conducted by high school student Pam Kerner only a few weeks before Doc's death. In it Doc talks about his childhood, the Great Depression and family.
Doc was born in 1880 in Virginia into a large family. His father worked tirelessly to bring home money working multiple jobs as a carpenter, a farmer that sheared sheep and split rails. Doc's father did whatever he could to make ends meet. Doc said of his father, "he didn't have good home raising. He worked for 50 cents a day to support two families." (p. 52)Doc described his mother, however, as "a religious woman who was a pretty good seamstress." (p.52)
He studied veterinary medicine at Ohio State which was then called 'University'. He said that his studies came easy because "...having handled so many cattle and horses and sheep, it just came natural. They called me, 'a pretty good vet'." (p.53)
Poverty taught Doc the value of living within his means and he said that the Great Depression "...wasn't a depression for me. It was a depression for a lot of people who didn't want to take the little things. The thing of it is, a lot of us have it in our mind that we've got to have this and we've got to have that."
Doc moved several times in his life. He states in the article:
"I've lived in [Ohio] since 1903 when my wife and I moved here. In 1919 we went to Pennsylvania and lived there till 1925. Then I came back [to Ohio]. I've been married three times and had 14 children." (p.55)
Doc passed away in a convalescent home at the age of 96 in 1976. Doc was able to recall his childhood and facts about American history that he lived with such accuracy that the interviewer was able to confirm Doc's assertions only by referencing history books. In his lifetime Doc had been a horse trainer, a preacher, a veterinarian and a generous friend to many. (p.52)
Information adapted from:
Kerner, Pam.""Doc" Smart." Thistledown. Nungesser, David. Vol. 3 No. 1. Pataskala: Watkins Memorial High School, 1976. 52-56.
Photographs of John "Doc" Smart taken by Steve Hunt (c)1976
Doc passed away in a convalescent home at the age of 96 in 1976. Doc was able to recall his childhood and facts about American history that he lived with such accuracy that the interviewer was able to confirm Doc's assertions only by referencing history books. In his lifetime Doc had been a horse trainer, a preacher, a veterinarian and a generous friend to many. (p.52)
Information adapted from:
Kerner, Pam.""Doc" Smart." Thistledown. Nungesser, David. Vol. 3 No. 1. Pataskala: Watkins Memorial High School, 1976. 52-56.
Photographs of John "Doc" Smart taken by Steve Hunt (c)1976
