By: Mary E. Mortimer
The William and Ethel Smith family played musical instruments together as the Smith Family Orchestra for over thirty years. Their motto was “Our Work is Play”.
William L. Smith, a native of Rushsylvania, was teaching at the Rushsylvania School when he married Ethel Gebby of Belle Center in 1902. The Smiths had five children, E. Lavone, R. Vaughn, R. Emory, R. Kaylor, and William P. The children started performing when they were as young as six years old. They played a variety of “songs, music, readings, and novelty numbers adapted to every taste.”
In about 1914, Mr. Smith became Principal at South School in Bellefontaine and moved his family to 800 S. Detroit St. Shortly after moving to Bellefontaine, Mr. Smith made a secret arrangement with the management of the Grand Opera House to present a “hobo act”. For the performance, he played a tin can xylophone, and no one knew his identity. His act was billed as “a famous “Big-Time” performer.” Several weeks passed before it was revealed that the “hobo” was Mr. Smith. He later became Superintendent at Iron City School.
Each member of the family played multiple instruments and sang. It was reported that the family had over 20 different musical instruments including the accordion, mandolin, banjo, guitar, cello, bass violin, ukulele, and piano. When they performed the family dressed in white uniforms and played a variety of traditional and non-traditional instruments.
In March 1936, William “Billy”, the youngest son, revived his father’s tin can xylophone that he used in his hobo performance. The unique instrument had 19 cans that were set up on a board. The cans were tied together and provided a range of two chromatic octaves starting on B flat below middle C in the musical scale. The instrument was played using xylophone sticks.
The Smith Family Orchestra played for many different groups, events, business and dinner meetings, graduations, and Veteran’s reunions. They often performed at the Logan Hotel in Bellefontaine for various meetings and events.
Mr. Smith also played in the Bellefontaine Methodist Church orchestra and worked as a meter reader for the Bellefontaine utilities department for twenty years.
The family continued to perform together until Mr. Smith became ill and passed away in 1942. After Mr. Smith’s death, and the children became adults, they moved from Bellefontaine. Lavone married George Weymouth and remained in Ohio, William moved to New Mexico, Emery to Texas, and Vaughn to Lima.
Kaylor “R. Kay” Smith moved to Oklahoma where he continued to be a musician his whole life. In August 1950, the Bartlesville Record newspaper interviewed him.
“Like father, like son. That’s the way it is with R. Kay Smith where music is concerned. Smith is one of those rare personalities who can actually get music out of a ukulele. His instrument collection includes a banjo, zither, mandolin, mandocello, and mando-bass.
His reputation in Bartlesville as a general all-around musician was an accident, Smith admitted. He used to play guitar with the Rythmaires, a local swing band. But one day at a Junior Chamber of Commerce luncheon, someone happened to mention the zither, which had been popularized by the song “Third Man Theme.” Smith said, “I have a zither” without giving the remark a second thought.
Less than a week later, the Jaycee program chairman drafted him for a concert. Realizing zither music might get boring, R Kay decided to give a demonstration of all his instruments. His program was more than a success.”
R Kay also spoke about the Smith Family Orchestra, “Mother and father played first and second mandolin, my sister played the piano, and brothers played the mandocello and mando-bass while I played the mandola.”
Vaughn Smith also played music his whole life. As a young man, he joined the big band era playing music on the east coast from Miami to Maine. In 1949, while working for the Kimball Piano Co., he joined Hank Armentrout in the Zender Music Store in Lima. R. Vaughn organized his own combo known as the Rhapsodiers which was very popular locally.
Music was always a big part of the Smith family’s life. Even though the Smith family did not live close by, they coordinated their vacations so they could all get together in Bellefontaine for a dedicated jam session. The neighbors for blocks around the Smith home would gather around when they discovered “the Smith kids are back in Bellefontaine” to once again enjoy their incredible musical talents.
The History Center is fortunate to have an organ that once belonged to the Smith family in our Music Room in the Orr Mansion.
Visit the Logan County History Center at 521 E. Columbus Ave., Bellefontaine, Ohio 43311, to learn more interesting aspects of Logan County History. The History Center is open for tours Wednesday – Sunday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
