Percy was born in Marmet, West Virginia, on April 17th, 1879. Marmet was, at the time, called Brownstown. He was the seventh of eight children born to James and Lizzie Reynolds Smith. James ran a general store in Brownstown, but he died when Percy was just a child. Percy's oldest brother James was a conductor for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad and Percy would ride on James' train, selling sandwiches and newspapers to the passengers. He also helped out in the store after his father died. As soon as he was old enough, Percy got a job with the railroad, as a brakeman. Percy only attended school through the eighth grade, but he educated himself by reading the dictionary and encyclopedia. Sometime before 1900, Percy left West Virginia and came to Minneapolis, Minnesota to visit his sister Geneva. While in Minnesota, he landed a job with the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad. Percy's first assignment was a run from St. Paul to Mankato. While laying over in Mankato, he stayed at a rooming house in Kasota, which is just north of Mankato. The rooming house was run by his aunt, Catherine Smith Rowe, a sister of his father. It was at Aunt Kit's rooming house that he met his future bride, Angeline Middaugh.
Angie had attended business school and was a clerk in a dry goods store in Mankato. Her parents farmed near Waseca, Minnesota, which was far enough from Mankato so that she too, was rooming at Aunt Kit's. Two of Percy's sisters, Minnie and Carrie, also met their husbands there, so it seems that Aunt Kit must have been quite a matchmaker.
Percy & Angie were married in St. Paul, Minnesota on September 3rd, 1902. The witnesses were Angie's brother Luther and Percy's sister Geneva Imlah. After their honeymoon, they lived in St. Paul for a while, at 425 St. Clair. Then they moved back to Mankato, where Avanalle and Raymond were born. Percy was moving up in the railroad, and his promotions brought the family back to St. Paul, where they lived at 391 Goodrich from 1906 to 1912. James and Kenneth were born while they lived on Goodrich. They moved to 705 Jefferson for a year, then another promotion brought the Smiths to Minneapolis, where they lived at 965-14th Av. SE. When Percy was named yardmaster of the Rollins yard, they bought a larger home at 1047-17th Av. SE.
Percy moved to the Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railroad in 1920. He retired in the late 1930's as General Superintendent of that railroad. About the time of his retirement, Percy & Angie had purchased a resort near Mcgregor, Minnesota, on Lake Minnewawa, named Greenwood Lodge. Their plan was that their three sons would take over the resort. Jim did work at Greenwood Lodge for several years, but Ray and Kenny weren't interested. In 1935, Kenny was killed when his car overturned while driving to Greenwood Lodge from Minneapolis. Jim's fiance, Melba Fetzer, was riding with him, but was not seriously injured.
The resort business was very different back in the 30's and 40's. In the 30's, there was no electricity. There were outhouses and water was pumped from a well. During the winter, blocks of ice would be cut out of the lake and put in sawdust in an ice house, for use in the summer. The 40's brought electricity, and the large windowed porch on the main house was turned into a small store on one end where groceries, ice cream, pop and beer were sold.
Percy and Angie sold gas and rented boats as well as cabins. During the tourist season, Percy would rise early to cut ice and fill the ice boxes in the cabins and house. Yes, even after the introduction of electricity, there were ice boxes in the cabins. Angie kept the books and cleaned the cabins. For the first few years, Percy & Angie moved back to Minneapolis during the winter. Later they sold their house in the city and moved to the resort year around. They usually had a couple live at the resort during the season to help. Greenwood Lodge had a large, screened, dance gazebo, which was equipped with a juke box. Until a reform governor put an end to quasi-legal gambling in northern Minnesota, there were even slot machines in the gazebo. Sometime in the early 50's, Percy & Angie sold Greenwood Lodge and bought a home in Osseo, Minnesota, where they both lived out their days. Percy died on July 22nd, 1960. Angie only lived three more years. They were both buried in Sunset Memorial Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, next to Kenny.
Angie had attended business school and was a clerk in a dry goods store in Mankato. Her parents farmed near Waseca, Minnesota, which was far enough from Mankato so that she too, was rooming at Aunt Kit's. Two of Percy's sisters, Minnie and Carrie, also met their husbands there, so it seems that Aunt Kit must have been quite a matchmaker.
Percy & Angie were married in St. Paul, Minnesota on September 3rd, 1902. The witnesses were Angie's brother Luther and Percy's sister Geneva Imlah. After their honeymoon, they lived in St. Paul for a while, at 425 St. Clair. Then they moved back to Mankato, where Avanalle and Raymond were born. Percy was moving up in the railroad, and his promotions brought the family back to St. Paul, where they lived at 391 Goodrich from 1906 to 1912. James and Kenneth were born while they lived on Goodrich. They moved to 705 Jefferson for a year, then another promotion brought the Smiths to Minneapolis, where they lived at 965-14th Av. SE. When Percy was named yardmaster of the Rollins yard, they bought a larger home at 1047-17th Av. SE.
Percy moved to the Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railroad in 1920. He retired in the late 1930's as General Superintendent of that railroad. About the time of his retirement, Percy & Angie had purchased a resort near Mcgregor, Minnesota, on Lake Minnewawa, named Greenwood Lodge. Their plan was that their three sons would take over the resort. Jim did work at Greenwood Lodge for several years, but Ray and Kenny weren't interested. In 1935, Kenny was killed when his car overturned while driving to Greenwood Lodge from Minneapolis. Jim's fiance, Melba Fetzer, was riding with him, but was not seriously injured.
The resort business was very different back in the 30's and 40's. In the 30's, there was no electricity. There were outhouses and water was pumped from a well. During the winter, blocks of ice would be cut out of the lake and put in sawdust in an ice house, for use in the summer. The 40's brought electricity, and the large windowed porch on the main house was turned into a small store on one end where groceries, ice cream, pop and beer were sold.
Percy and Angie sold gas and rented boats as well as cabins. During the tourist season, Percy would rise early to cut ice and fill the ice boxes in the cabins and house. Yes, even after the introduction of electricity, there were ice boxes in the cabins. Angie kept the books and cleaned the cabins. For the first few years, Percy & Angie moved back to Minneapolis during the winter. Later they sold their house in the city and moved to the resort year around. They usually had a couple live at the resort during the season to help. Greenwood Lodge had a large, screened, dance gazebo, which was equipped with a juke box. Until a reform governor put an end to quasi-legal gambling in northern Minnesota, there were even slot machines in the gazebo. Sometime in the early 50's, Percy & Angie sold Greenwood Lodge and bought a home in Osseo, Minnesota, where they both lived out their days. Percy died on July 22nd, 1960. Angie only lived three more years. They were both buried in Sunset Memorial Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, next to Kenny.
Percy was born in Marmet, West Virginia, on April 17th, 1879. Marmet was, at the time, called Brownstown. He was the seventh of eight children born to James and Lizzie Reynolds Smith. James ran a general store in Brownstown, but he died when Percy was just a child. Percy's oldest brother James was a conductor for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad and Percy would ride on James' train, selling sandwiches and newspapers to the passengers. He also helped out in the store after his father died. As soon as he was old enough, Percy got a job with the railroad, as a brakeman. Percy only attended school through the eighth grade, but he educated himself by reading the dictionary and encyclopedia. Sometime before 1900, Percy left West Virginia and came to Minneapolis, Minnesota to visit his sister Geneva. While in Minnesota, he landed a job with the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad. Percy's first assignment was a run from St. Paul to Mankato. While laying over in Mankato, he stayed at a rooming house in Kasota, which is just north of Mankato. The rooming house was run by his aunt, Catherine Smith Rowe, a sister of his father. It was at Aunt Kit's rooming house that he met his future bride, Angeline Middaugh.
Angie had attended business school and was a clerk in a dry goods store in Mankato. Her parents farmed near Waseca, Minnesota, which was far enough from Mankato so that she too, was rooming at Aunt Kit's. Two of Percy's sisters, Minnie and Carrie, also met their husbands there, so it seems that Aunt Kit must have been quite a matchmaker.
Percy & Angie were married in St. Paul, Minnesota on September 3rd, 1902. The witnesses were Angie's brother Luther and Percy's sister Geneva Imlah. After their honeymoon, they lived in St. Paul for a while, at 425 St. Clair. Then they moved back to Mankato, where Avanalle and Raymond were born. Percy was moving up in the railroad, and his promotions brought the family back to St. Paul, where they lived at 391 Goodrich from 1906 to 1912. James and Kenneth were born while they lived on Goodrich. They moved to 705 Jefferson for a year, then another promotion brought the Smiths to Minneapolis, where they lived at 965-14th Av. SE. When Percy was named yardmaster of the Rollins yard, they bought a larger home at 1047-17th Av. SE.
Percy moved to the Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railroad in 1920. He retired in the late 1930's as General Superintendent of that railroad. About the time of his retirement, Percy & Angie had purchased a resort near Mcgregor, Minnesota, on Lake Minnewawa, named Greenwood Lodge. Their plan was that their three sons would take over the resort. Jim did work at Greenwood Lodge for several years, but Ray and Kenny weren't interested. In 1935, Kenny was killed when his car overturned while driving to Greenwood Lodge from Minneapolis. Jim's fiance, Melba Fetzer, was riding with him, but was not seriously injured.
The resort business was very different back in the 30's and 40's. In the 30's, there was no electricity. There were outhouses and water was pumped from a well. During the winter, blocks of ice would be cut out of the lake and put in sawdust in an ice house, for use in the summer. The 40's brought electricity, and the large windowed porch on the main house was turned into a small store on one end where groceries, ice cream, pop and beer were sold.
Percy and Angie sold gas and rented boats as well as cabins. During the tourist season, Percy would rise early to cut ice and fill the ice boxes in the cabins and house. Yes, even after the introduction of electricity, there were ice boxes in the cabins. Angie kept the books and cleaned the cabins. For the first few years, Percy & Angie moved back to Minneapolis during the winter. Later they sold their house in the city and moved to the resort year around. They usually had a couple live at the resort during the season to help. Greenwood Lodge had a large, screened, dance gazebo, which was equipped with a juke box. Until a reform governor put an end to quasi-legal gambling in northern Minnesota, there were even slot machines in the gazebo. Sometime in the early 50's, Percy & Angie sold Greenwood Lodge and bought a home in Osseo, Minnesota, where they both lived out their days. Percy died on July 22nd, 1960. Angie only lived three more years. They were both buried in Sunset Memorial Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, next to Kenny.
Angie had attended business school and was a clerk in a dry goods store in Mankato. Her parents farmed near Waseca, Minnesota, which was far enough from Mankato so that she too, was rooming at Aunt Kit's. Two of Percy's sisters, Minnie and Carrie, also met their husbands there, so it seems that Aunt Kit must have been quite a matchmaker.
Percy & Angie were married in St. Paul, Minnesota on September 3rd, 1902. The witnesses were Angie's brother Luther and Percy's sister Geneva Imlah. After their honeymoon, they lived in St. Paul for a while, at 425 St. Clair. Then they moved back to Mankato, where Avanalle and Raymond were born. Percy was moving up in the railroad, and his promotions brought the family back to St. Paul, where they lived at 391 Goodrich from 1906 to 1912. James and Kenneth were born while they lived on Goodrich. They moved to 705 Jefferson for a year, then another promotion brought the Smiths to Minneapolis, where they lived at 965-14th Av. SE. When Percy was named yardmaster of the Rollins yard, they bought a larger home at 1047-17th Av. SE.
Percy moved to the Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railroad in 1920. He retired in the late 1930's as General Superintendent of that railroad. About the time of his retirement, Percy & Angie had purchased a resort near Mcgregor, Minnesota, on Lake Minnewawa, named Greenwood Lodge. Their plan was that their three sons would take over the resort. Jim did work at Greenwood Lodge for several years, but Ray and Kenny weren't interested. In 1935, Kenny was killed when his car overturned while driving to Greenwood Lodge from Minneapolis. Jim's fiance, Melba Fetzer, was riding with him, but was not seriously injured.
The resort business was very different back in the 30's and 40's. In the 30's, there was no electricity. There were outhouses and water was pumped from a well. During the winter, blocks of ice would be cut out of the lake and put in sawdust in an ice house, for use in the summer. The 40's brought electricity, and the large windowed porch on the main house was turned into a small store on one end where groceries, ice cream, pop and beer were sold.
Percy and Angie sold gas and rented boats as well as cabins. During the tourist season, Percy would rise early to cut ice and fill the ice boxes in the cabins and house. Yes, even after the introduction of electricity, there were ice boxes in the cabins. Angie kept the books and cleaned the cabins. For the first few years, Percy & Angie moved back to Minneapolis during the winter. Later they sold their house in the city and moved to the resort year around. They usually had a couple live at the resort during the season to help. Greenwood Lodge had a large, screened, dance gazebo, which was equipped with a juke box. Until a reform governor put an end to quasi-legal gambling in northern Minnesota, there were even slot machines in the gazebo. Sometime in the early 50's, Percy & Angie sold Greenwood Lodge and bought a home in Osseo, Minnesota, where they both lived out their days. Percy died on July 22nd, 1960. Angie only lived three more years. They were both buried in Sunset Memorial Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, next to Kenny.
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