My Great-Grandfather "Punka" Smith

 

My great-grandfather was born Julius Clifford Smith, but went by Clifford Smith as he disliked the name Julius.   He signed as either J.C. Smith or J. Clifford Smith on most legal documents.  But my family refers to him as "Punka."  He received this name from his oldest granddaughter, Hilma Smith, who as child could not pronounce "Papa” which came out as Punka.  The name stuck and all the grandchildren and his descendants have referred to him as Punka ever since.  Many of the neighbors also used the nickname of Punka as well. 

 

Punka 1894 Graduation

Punka attended schools in Corinna at that time and graduated from Corinna Union Academy in 1889.  At the age of sixteen he took up the trade of painting and made it his lifelong occupation.  He married his first wife, Emily Mower in 1894.  Emmie had been a classmate of Punka's at Corinna Union Academy.  It is not know if they were sweethearts in school or if Clifford started courting Emmie after they both left school.

 

Painting of Emmie (Mower) Smith
in 1900 Corinna, Maine

In 1900, Julius C. Smith, age 30, b. Sep. 1869, m. 5yrs, a farmer, was living in Corinna, Maine with his wife, Emmie M. Smith, age 29, b May 1871, mother of 3 children, 3 children living, and his daughter, Leona G. Smith, age 4, b May 1895; his son, Donald C. Smith, age 3, b. March 1897; his daughter Alta b. Smith, age 1, b Apr 1899; as well as a servant, Leila M. Proctor, age 20, b Apr 1880, and James Devereaux, age 19, b. March 1881, a farmer laborer and a cousin on Clifford's mother's side of the family. Punka first rented a house called the "Tasker Fam" after his marriage, which is where the above potrait of Emmie was labeled as painted at.

In 1903, Joseph Smith sold to his son, J. Clifford Smith of Corinna, for the sum of $200, Lot 3, 3rd range, on deed as "near Corinna Union Academy."  The land had originally been owned by Frank and Sadie Metcalf who had moved to Hennepin, Michigan and had sold the land to Joseph in 1899. 

 

Smith Family Farm 1897, Corinna, Maine
In front are Punka's wife Emmie Smith holding son, Donald, Punka's mother 
Arminda Smith and Punka's sister, Jennie with his daughter, Leona.

In 1905, His wife, Emmie was taken to the Moosehead Sanitarium in Greenville, Maine where she was thought to have tuberculosis.  The medical thinking at the time was that cold Mountain fresh air was best patients who were suffering from TB.  In letters home, Emmie and Clifford wrote to the children of how much she missed her children.  Clifford was able to find work at the sanitarium painting to be near his wife.  In one letter, Clifford wrote to his daughter, Leona, who was only ten years old at the time, that Emmie felt they were abusing her at the sanitarium and was unsure what to do, quite a story to share with his young daughter.  Emmie died in April 1905 at the sanitarium.  A surviving telegram from Clifford sent home to his father in Corinna, simply stated "Emmie passed away this morning."  His daughter, Leona said her father took the loss of her mother hard and never really forgave himself as he worried, he didn't do more for her.

 

Moosehead Sanitarium where Emmie died which later became an Inn in Greenville, Maine

 Clifford also had a maple syrup business which began from the tapping trees on the family property.  He built a large sap camp in the woods behind his home to make the syrup.  There is no exact date of when the camp was built, but it was in use by the 1900 and last used in the 1950s when it was torn down.  The syrup was sold under the State of Maine brand label and used the name of J.C. Smith and son for his bottles.  Later his son, Donald took over the making of the syrup.  There is a family story that the camp was sometimes used for making moonshine during the prohibition years and afterwards.  There is no proof, but a family story that has been retold.

 

Smith sap camp in Corinna, Maine
Donald and Ethelyn Smith on the roof

 

Clifford was also a trustee of Corinna Union Academy from 1893 to 1915.  He was at one time, President of the Board of Trustees.  He was also a member of the Methodist Church on Center Street in Corinna.

 In 1910, J. Clifford Smith, age 45, widower, farmer, was living in Corinna with his father, Joseph Smith, age 74, widower; his daughter, Leona G. Smith, age 14; his daughter, Alta B. Smith, age 10 and his son, Donald C. Smith, age 13.  Also living with them was Isora Morgan, age 49, listed as a servant, m. 26 yrs, mother of 1 child and 1 child living and her occupation was listed as a nurse, as well as Mary Curtis, age 56, mother of 3 children, 23 children living, house keeper and Everett Curtis, a servant, age 17, a farm laborer.  Isora Morgan was hired by Clifford to help raise his children after his wife's death.  She was called "Morg" by the children.  It is not know how many years she remained with the children, but it was for several years.  Clifford's granddaughter, Lorene often wondered why Clifford didn't marry Isora, but it was said they differed in opinion on most subjects as he was a staunch Republican and she was a staunch Democrat.  And at times, Punka didn't like they way she ordered the children around and yet he never let her go.

 

Smith Farm in 1916, Punka with his children,
Leona, Alta and Donald

 By 1920, Julius Clifford Smith, age 51, house painter, was still living in Corinna with his youngest daughter, Alta Smith, age 20, saleswoman at a dry goods store,  as well as his daughter, Leona Judkins, age 24 and son-in-law, Wilbur N. Judkins, age 24, house painter .  His daughter Leona and family remained living with her father to help him with the running the farm and the painting business.  His daughter, Alta and husband also lived with Clifford after her marriage.  An apartment was made for Alta and her family above the kitchen in the farmhouse.  They only remained for a few years and moved out to their own house.

Punka poses with his aunt, Zoe (Devereaux) Brown, his daughter 
Alta (Smith) Hayden and holds his grandson, Lindley Hayden
1928

 On the 1930 census of Corinna, Maine, J. Clifford Smith, age 61, listed as the owner of his own home valued at $5500 and the owner of a radio set and a painter of house, was living with his son-in-law, Wilbur Judkins, age 34, who was his partner in the house painting business, and his daughter, Leona Judkins, age 34; his granddaughter, Alta L. Judkins, age 8. 

Punka and his wife, Alice

Punka married his second wife, Alice Mary Miller, 1 October 1931 at the Methodist parsonage in Corinna by the Rev. Chauncy D. Wentworth.  Their intentions published 21 September 1931.  A newspaper clipping from the Bangor Daily News states after the wedding, the couple went to their home on Pleasant street.  And that Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith esteemed, and both have hosts of friends who extend sincere wishes for the happiness and prosperity.  Alice was the widow of Frank Macomber of Corinna, who had died in 1925.  She was a school teacher and even taught some of Clifford grandchildren in school.  Clifford's granddaughter, Lorene remembers that on the same day, he married his wife, Alice, her family moved out of the house and into their own home just down the road.  Punka's granddaughter, Lorene, said at the time when her grandfather married, she thought he was just too old to get married.

Punka's grandchildren have fond memories growing up and spening Christmas with their grandfather.  The children would put on a Christmas pagent of songs and skits for their grandfather and parents.  Then Wilbur Judkins, who had married Punka's daughter Leona, would sneak upstairs and put on a Santa outfit and come down the backstairs giving gifts to the children and tossing candy out for them to scurry around and collect.  There was always a big family dinner afterwards and plenty of sweets and desserts.

Christmas 1939
Punka and his grandchildren
front: Gwen Smith, Dean Smith and Donald Smith
Middle: Lindley Hayden, Athalie Smith, Muriel Hayden, Lorene Judkins, Hilma Smith
Missing is grandson, Glenn who was born Dec 27, 1940

In 1940, Clifford Smith, age 71, listed as completing four years of high school, a master painter for the business of J.C. Smith and son Co., was living in Corinna, Maine on what was now called the Saint Albans Road with his wife, Alice Smith, age 68, also listed as completing four years of high school and was listed a teacher 

The family farm on Saint Albans Road burned on June 14, 1946.  Punka was away painting a house in Stetson, Maine and only his wife, Alice was at home. The fire started in the barn and thought to have started from wet hay and spread to the main house.  An insufficient supply of water from the well, prevented the firemen from saving the structure which was valued at the time at $10,000.  Neighbors and firemen were credited with saving most of the furniture, but the real cause was never determined.  His granddaughter, Lorene, remarked, can you imagine the shock Punka had when he returned home from work and saw that his house had burned to the ground?  After the fire, Punka moved in with his son, Donald's family.  A paint shop owned by Donald Smith stood on the old property until after his death, when the shop was torn down in the late 1960s.

Punka died in 1949 in Corinna, Maine.  Alice remained living with the Smiths until it became clear, she needed more help that Donald's wife could provide.  Alice's sister came and moved her to a nursing home in Dexter, Maine.

 

Punka and his second wife were buried in the Village Cemetery, Corinna, Maine.  His first wife, Emmie was buried in Weymouth Cemetery, Corinna near her parents.  Tradition said that Punka had planned to be buried with her, but later decided to be with his parents and his 2nd wife.  

All stories told to me by my aunts and uncles and their cousins was how much they loved their grandfather Punka and the time spent with him and his wife, Alice.  My Father always thought of Alice as his grandmother as he never knew his real grandmother.  As his grandparents were living with him as a child, he remembered more about he felt loved by his grandfather.  The legend of Punka will continue on with two short narratives written by his granddaughters, Lorene and Hilma of their memories of him.