Family

Alva Edward Smoot and Verna Viola Linscott

Married 23-Apr-1916

Husband:   Alva Edward Smoot

Born: 25-Oct-1892
Died: 10-Mar-1959
Father: Robert Ames Smoot
Mother: Emma Adeline Grauel

Occupation: Farmer
Alva grew up in a Baptist church in Nebraska. Verna grew up in the
Christian Church.
Alva came to the Galt area in California from Nebraska in his teens and met Verna.
Alva & Verna were married in Hastings, Nebraska at his parents home.
Alva returned to help run Verna's parents ranch near Galt that he eventually bought and ran until his death.

Both active (from teens to death) in Galt Christian Church, held offices in
Church, worked all capacities.

Active in Four H Clubs and any local community affairs. Well known and
liked to break horses in younger day. Liked all farm animals and work. Had several special horses one was "Turvey".

Verna active in all church affairs, ladies aid, Colony Aid, 4-H leader for
Neighboring schools and area. A school mom to all kids.

A hard labor only farming cattle, horses, farm crops, bought & sold hay
land leveling, plowed fire guards around local railroads with a horse drawn plough.

Both loved everyone and loved by everyone. Always had time for anyone, friends, family, and neighbors, less fortunate. Never turned anyone away who needed a bed or food, whether they had jobs for them to do or not.

Neither had vacations- No money or transportation.
Alva never served in the military. He did haul hay.

They had chickens, rabbits, goats, horses, dogs, and cats on the farm. Mother horse's name was "Tippy" who was very gentle with all the kids.

Christmas Eve was special, cause Verna (grandma) always made something for all the grandkids, and Santa Claus would deliver and hand out the gifts for all of us. A couple of times she didn't make the gifts, I remember we all received a clown doll.

Verna love to sew, you show her a pattern in the Sears catalog and she could make the outfit, making a pattern out of newspaper! She crocheted, knitted, and love doing crafts from !iule ot'nothing. She was an excellent seamstress, liked to do quilts.
A good cook, could make a dinner out of nothing, and stretch foods further than anyone.

The bathroom was an outhouse outside or a pee can under the bed. If you spent the night, before breakfast Alva (grandpa) had you run around the house.

The corn patch was beside the house and when the ears were ready to pick the stocks were taller than us kids, but we loved going in the patch with grandma and picking the corn.

Clothes were washed in the wringer washer, first the whites, then colored, all in the same water until all the laundry was done.

No fancy home, but livable and family close knit, growing up. Every child taught respect, and to work at whatever needed doing. Family wore hand-me-down clothes, no money to buy.

Wife:   Verna Viola Linscott

Born: 22-Jan-1896
Died: 5-Feb-1984
Father: Joseph M. Linscott
Mother: Bertha A. Tilton


Verna Smoot was an early settler in the Gait, California area (Twin Cities)
coming with her parents, Joseph & Bertha Linscott, from Filley, Nebraska,
in 1911,

She attended Gait High School. April 23, 1916 she married Alva Smoot who was also from Nebraska. The family home was on one of the early acreages sold in the Twin Cities colony No.3, east of Twin Cities...on the map of Twin Cities Colony #3 the promoters to sell the property boasted.
No waste land, No alkali, No floods, No drought, No malaria, No zero weather, No hot summers, No blizzards, No danger of lighting, No sunstrokes, No mad dogs, Perfect Health, purest soft water, Inexhaustible wells $6.00. Every farmer his own caual company.
My how times have changed?

Verna and her husband kept the family home until 1976. Her husband
died in 1959. They raised a family of 9 children, with 17 grandchildren and
10 Great-Grandchildren.
She was active in community affairs including but not limited to:
School activities where her children attended, a 4-H leader, Gait community fair, Alta Mesa Colony Aid, Gait Kitchen Kuties. A devoted member of the Gait Christian Church, serving the Church both on local and state level. She was instrumental for many years in keeping the Gait Christian Church and its programs open. She was a leader in the Christian Women's Fellowship and youth leader for Christian Endeavors.
She worked at & retired from the Sacramento County Hospital. She loved working with the youth and older folks, doing for anyone in need even though the family was poor, she never turned anyone away whether they needed a meal or a place to sleep. It was not uncommon for her to walk 2 or 3 miles taking food to a neighbor who had an emergency or need.
After her husbands death, due to poor health, she moved to Sacramento to be nearer her children, but GALT was always home and she continued as she could in activities at Gait and added more activities to her list including, Christian Women's Fellowship, Fruitridge Christian Church, Senior Citizen group she helped to establish at the Church which still meets.
YMCA Guild and Pasetempo, National Grandmothers of Sacramento, VFW Auxiliary, Affiliated Council of Veterans of Sacramento, D.A.V. Auxiliary president, Summer Relief Corp, GPAR #11 of Sacramento, Companions of the Forest #1002, AARP, as well as keeping in touch with a host of friends.
She was liked by everyone who knew her. She knew everyone and could tell you history galore! Never forgot a name or face.
Verna Smoot joined her husband in death February 5, 1984 with services held at the Gait Christian church with many of her friends in attendance. She was 88 years old yet still young at heart.
This was told by her daughter Maijorie.

Nationality Scotch- Irish
Verna Viola Linscott was adopted by wonderful folks Joseph M. Linscott
and Bertha A (Tilton) Linscott.

Verna had 2 brothers and 1 sister. William B. Linscott 1874-1935
buried in Filley, Nebraska. Charles B. Linscott buried in Sacramento, California. Berdie Linscott May 19, 1881-April 4,1982 buried in Filley, Nebraska.


Grandma always had to have white shirts ironed for grandpa and Sons for church on Sunday mornings.

Male  Child 1:   Joseph Robert Smoot

Born: 24-Nov-1917
Died: 5-Jan-1973
Spouse: Reba Woods Delany, Velma  Cooper Sobbe
Children:

Occupation: laborer - truck driver
 

Female  Child 2:   Living Smoot

Born: 1919
Spouse:
Children:


 

Male  Child 3:   Richard Alva Smoot

Born: 13-Mar-1930
Died: 13-Jan-1990
Spouse:
Children:


 

Female  Child 4:   Patricia EmmAdell Smoot

Born: 1933
Died: 31-Dec-1993
Spouse:
Children:


 

Male  Child 5:   Kenneth Wayne Smoot

Born: 21-Dec-1934
Died: 2-Oct-2000
Spouse: Living Ehresman
Children: Living Smoot, Living Smoot

Occupation: Warehouse worker McClellan AFB, Sacramento, CA

4 yrs US Navy
 

Male  Child 6:   Merle Edward Smoot

Born: 28-Aug-1937
Died: 2-Aug-1996
Spouse:
Children:


 

Male  Child 7:   Donald Leroy Smoot

Born: 26-Nov-1940
Died: 4-Mar-1944
Spouse:
Children:


 

Female  Child 8:   Living Smoot

Spouse:
Children:


 

Female  Child 9:   Living Smoot

Spouse:
Children: