WALTER F. SMITH PAPERS
1842-1976
(Predominantly 1944-1960)

East Tennessee State University
Archives of Appalachia
Box 70295
Johnson City, Tennessee 37614

E-mail: archives@etsu.edu
Telephone: (423) 439-4338

INTRODUCTION

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Provenance: The papers of Walter F. Smith were donated to the Archives of Appalachia on July 28, 1982 by Mr. George A. Smith, son of Walter F. Smith.

Access: The collection is open for research

Restriction: Materials related to Press Management, Inc. or Kingsport Press, Inc. (primarily box #2) may not be used without the permission of the director of the Archives of Appalachia.

Processing Information: Norma Myers completed processing and the collection was open for research in 1982

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Walter Forrest Smith was born on October 31, 1890 in Gardner, Illinois. His parents were William L. and Harriet Martin Smith.

Smith attended elementary and high school in Gardner, Illinois. In 1914 he received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Knox College. During the next two summers, he was engaged in graduate study at the University of Wisconsin. In 1963 Knox College awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

After his graduation from Knox College, Smith began his career as a teacher of physics and mathematics at Marshfield, Wisconsin. In 1916 he left Marshfield to teach chemistry at Steven's Point Normal at Steven's Point, Wisconsin. In 1917 Smith ended his career in education and entered the industrial field. From 1917 until 1922, he worked as a chemist for E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. While at du Pont, Smith worked on a project to develop smokeless powder. Due to this work he was exempt from military service during World War I.

In 1923 Smith moved to Kingsport, Tennessee and was employed as a chemist for Clinchfield Paper Company, which made bindings for the Kingsport Press, Inc. When the two companies merged, he became the General Superintendent. After that time he served the company as Vice-president, Treasurer, President, Chairman of the Board, and Chief Executive Officer.

While living in Kingsport, Smith was active in community groups including the Kingsport Housing Authority, the Community Chest, the Kiwanis Club, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Holston Valley Community Hospital. He was also a member of a number of state and national associations. Smith remained in Kingsport until his death in 1982.

Walter F. Smith met Isla G. Stockley while he was teaching at Steven's Point. They were married on November 29, 1917 and had two children, Charlotte Smith Shouse and George A. Smith.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The Walter F. Smith Papers contain agreements, meeting minutes, financial statements, correspondence, news clippings, and memorabilia reflecting Mr. Smith's studies at Knox College, early career and activities during World War I, civic activities in Kingsport, and career with Kingsport Press, Inc. Most of the papers were created by Mr. Smith and his interaction with his business associates. Some material concerning his wife Isla and his children, George and Charlotte, are included in the collection.

The papers date from 1842 to 1976. The bulk of the material is clustered around two periods: 1915 to 1929 and 1944 to 1960.

The collection is divided into two series: Series I, Subject files, 1842-1976 and Series II, Press Management, Inc. files, 1944-1971. The first series contains papers concerning Mr. Smith's family, education, early career, and later community involvement in Kingsport. Series II consists of documents related to Press Management, Inc. or Kingsport Press, Inc. This series is open only with the permission of the Director of the Archives of Appalachia.

Important subjects covered in the collection include:

Adams, Louis M.
City planning--Tennessee--Kingsport
Dennis, John B. (John Bartlett), 1866-1947
E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company
Gallop, M. Robert
Holston Valley Community Hospital
Housing authorities--Tennessee--Kingsport
Hursh, Richard S.
Industries--Tennessee--Kingsport
Johnson, J. Fred (John Frederick), 1874-1944
Kingsport Housing Authority (Kingsport, Tenn.)
Kingsport Press, Inc.
Kingsport (Tenn.)--Commerce
Palmer, Elbridge Woodman, 1886-
Science--Study and teaching
Smith, Isla Stockley
Smith Walter F. (Walter Forrest), 1890-1980
Triebe, Edward J.
Wilhelm, Curlett H., d. 1970

SERIES DESCRIPTION

*Click on the link to go to that series or subseries in the Box and Folder List.

This series consists of correspondence, news clippings, certificates, receipts, tax returns, and speeches reflecting Mr. Smith's early professional career and community involvement. Series I also contains family papers, including his son's, George Smith's, childhood diary and certificates, a program, and a grade card of Mrs. Isla Smith. The files are arranged alphabetically by subject.

This series consists of stockholder's agreements, annual reports, board of directors meeting minutes, correspondence, and financial statements relating to Press Management, Inc. The arrangement is alphabetical by type of document.

Photos: fifty-eight photographs of Mr. Smith and friends during his time at Knox College; thirty-four photographs of Mr. Smith and his business associates in Kingsport; three photographs of Appalachian rural scenes; and one unidentified portrait have been placed in the archives special environment storage area. Boxes 3 and 4 (photo storage area).
Other Printed Material: memorials; brochures; programs; and news clippings concerning the businesses and citizen's of Kingsport, Tennessee have been placed in the vertical file under the city name.
Artifacts: including an initial press; a seal; a Liberty Loan medal; election matches; a bookplate; and a Kiwanis medal have been placed in the Archives artifacts collection.

BOX AND FOLDER LIST

*Click on the link to go that series or subseries in the Series Description.

Series I, SUBJECT FILES, 1842-1976, Box 1.

Box 1

1. Autograph book and diary, George Smith, ND.
2. Biography, 1960.
3. Certificate, Community Chest, 1972.
4. Certificate, Daughters of the American Revolution, April 19, 1979.
5. Certificate, Order of the Eastern Star, January 14, 1924.
6. Correspondence, 1915-29, 1953.
7. Correspondence, health care, May 5-September 30, 1944.
8. Draft registration and classification, June 5 1917-August 1918.
9. Holston Valley Community Hospital, 1967-70.
10. Income tax returns, 1919-21.
11. "Kingsport Press, Inc. - Bookmakers to America," 1959.
12. Memorabilia, Abbotsford Public Schools, 1907-09.
13. Memorials - Charlotte Shouse, July 3, 1976.
14. News clippings, October 24, 1922-June 3, 1963.
15. News clippings, Housing Authority, April 14, 1939-October 12, 1940.
16. The People's Own Book by F. DeLa Mennais, 1842.
17. Quotations and speeches, 1952-60.
18. Receipts, 1922-33, 1955.
19. Receipts, medical, May 13, 1919-October 5, 1921.
20. Teaching, preparation, and employment, July 25-September 18, 1916.
21. Tennessee Citizens Commission on Compensation, 1966-69.
22. Trust fund, Charlotte L. Shouse, September 27, 1955-November 27, 1964.
23. Wedding announcement, November 29, 1917.

Series II, PRESS MANAGEMENT, INC. FILES, 1944-1971, Box 2.

Box 2

1. Agreement, stockholders, August 1, 1952-May 31, 1960.
2. Agreement, stockholders, August 15, 1945-March 1, 1951.
3. Agreement, Press Management, Inc. - Kingsport Press, Inc., October 3-December 5, 1960.
4. Agreement, Press Management, Inc. - Mead Sales Co., June 4, 1945.
5. Agreement, Walter Smith - Kingsport Press, Inc., ND.
6. Annual Report, 1954-56, 1967.
7. Board of Directors meeting minutes, February 3, 1950-August 22, 1960.
8. Board of Directors meeting minutes, September 21, 1944-August 18, 1949.
9. Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws, 1930-61.
10. Correspondence, March 16, 1956-October 15, 1962.
11. Correspondence, Lehman Brothers, December 8, 1960-January 4, 1971.
12. Financial Statements, March 31, 1945-January 31, 1955.
13. Indenture of Lease and Sale, May 31, 1922.
14. List of executives, ND.
15. Profit sharing thrift trust, August 1, 1953.

The following items have been removed from the collection and placed in oversized storage.

1. Photograph of Walter Smith. (Box 3 TD 4-3)

INDEX TO WALTER F. SMITH PAPERS*

Adams, L. M.: 1-6, 1-11.
Clinchfield Railroad Company: 1-17.
Dennis, John B.: 1-17, 2-8.
Draft, World War I: See military service exemption.
E. I. du Pont De Nemours Company: 1-6, 1-8, 1-10.

Gallop, M. Robert: 2-1, 2-2, 2-6 thru 2-8, 2-10.
Haon, H. J.: 1-6.
Holston Valley Community Hospital: 1-7, 1-9, 1-14.
Housing Authority, Kingsport: 1-15.
Hursh, Richard S.: 2-1, 2-3, 2-6 thru 2-8, 2-12.

Hursh, Phyllis M.: 2-1, 2-3, 2-10, 2-12.
Johnson, J. Fred: 1-14, 1-15, 1-17.
Kingsport, history of: 1-17.
Kingsport Press, Inc.: 1-6, 1-11, 1-14, 2-2, 2-5 thru 2-7, 2-9, 2-15. See also Press Management, Inc.
Kingsport Press, Inc., board of directors: 2-7, 2-8, 2-9.

Knox College: 1-14, 1-20. See also photographs removed from collection.
Lehman Brothers: 2-3, 2-7, 2-11.
Military service exemption: 1-8.
Palmer, Elbridge W., Colonel: 1-6, 1-11, 1-14, 2-2, 2-7, 2-8, 2-12, 2-14.
Palmer, Lillian W.: 2-1, 2-10, 2-12.

Press Management, Inc.: 2-1 thru 2-4, 2-7, 2-8, 2-12.
Sims, John F.: 1-6.
Shouse, Charlotte Smith: 1-2, 1-6, 1-13.
Slum Clearance Project: See Housing Authority.
Smith, Isla Stockley: 1-2, 1-4 thru 1-7, 1-12, 1-14, 1-19, 1-23, 2-1, 2-2,2-10 thru 2-12.

Smith, George A.: 1-1, 1-2.
Steven's Point Normal School: 1-6, 1-20.
Teaching career: 1-6, 1-14, 1-20.
Triebe, Edward J.: 1-14, 2-1, 2-2, 2-6, 2-7, 2-10, 2-14.
Triebe, Christine B.: 2-1, 2-2, 2-10.

Wilhelm, Curlett H.: 2-1 thru 2-3, 2-6 thru 2-8, 2-10, 2-12.
Wilhelm, Edith T.: 2-1 thru 2-3, 2-10, 2-12.

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- modified GKY 03/11/02