Velvet Smith
Ninety-year-old Velvet Smith joined the Tiller and Toiler as a
full time correspondent in 1968, but she had been writing for the
newspaper long before that. Born on her father’s homestead five miles
north of Rozel, she said she had never aspired to be a newspaper
correspondent.
The regular correspondent before Velvet was Mrs. Nora Smith (no
relation), but Nora Smith asked for Velvet’s assistance when she left
the area for vacations. Eventually Velvet took her place as the regular
correspondent.
Her neighbors write bits and pieces of Rozel news, or telephone
Velvet with the latest items. Velvet now lives at the city limits of
Rozel, in the house she moved in 1912 when her father died.
The youngest of seven children, all of her brothers and sisters
are now deceased. Arthritis of the spine keeps her close to home, with
local citizens making trips to the utility office, grocery store and so
on for her.
Velvet Smith never married. She spent her life in this area
attending the District 46 school. She graduated in Pawnee County in
1912, shortly before moving to town.
Velvet lives on the property that her father bought in 1909. The
old home was destroyed by a tornado in 1949, and rebuilt with salvaged
lumber.
The original home was built by Ed Norman, of Burdett. Velvet
worked in the post office and drug store, operated by Walt Christian,
in the telephone office for 20 years, in the school lunchroom, sold
Watkins products for 15 years and is correspondent for the Tiller and
Toiler for many years.
Note: They were written by an Aunt for Pawnee County 100 year old anniversary book. submitted by Barb Ziegenmeyer
