James Bergey Smull Family: Jesse McGarvey Smull

UNK SMULL > JESSE SMULL > JAMES BERGEY SMULL > JESSE MCGARVEY SMULL m
Mary Etta "Etta" Robison

Jesse's father James was the son of one of the original Brothers Smull of Brush Valley, Centre County, Pennsylvania. We covered Jesse M Smull's brother Judson previously.

Jesse McGarvey Smull was born to James Bergey Smull and Louise McGarvey on 26 Sep 1891 in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He married Etta Robison at Cumberland, Maryland on 23 Feb 1910. She was born 04 Aug 1891, also in Altoona. The couple had four daughters.

Jesse was a sign painter by trade and quite well known for being good at what he did. Their lives hummed along without much incident until August 1925, when Jesse was caught up in a tragedy.

William Heller, a retired tinsmith who resided on Juniata Gap Rd, was walking home from the store to his Point View cottage when he was struck by Jesse M. Smull's automobile at about 8 pm on 05 Aug 1925. Smull's address at the time was 1212 Seventeenth Ave in Altoona. He was reportedly on his way home to Altoona when he struck Heller. Smull loaded the injured man into his car to take him to the hospital and got only a few feet before he struck another car. Heller was seriously injured and did eventually get to the hospital. He held his own for some time before his injuries got the best of him and he died. The autopsy revealed he died of a cerebral hemorrhage.

There was no doubt from the outset of the investigation - Jesse M. Smull was intoxicated when he struck Heller. He was immediately placed under arrest. The Corner's inquest was called and witnesses testified about the victim and the driver. Many of the witnesses smelled liquor on Smull's breath, yet, the panel rendered a verdict absolving Smull of carelessness or reckless driving. Didn't matter to the district attorney though, he decided to pursue a charge of involuntary manslaughter against Smull. At his arrest, Smull had bailed at $3,000.He went to trial in January of 1926 and a jury was empaneled. He suddenly changed his plea to guilty. He was sentenced to no more than seven months in county jail, a $100 fine, and the costs of the trial.

Jesse, we presume, served his sentence and went on with his life. In 1936, he was arrested again - intoxicated - but this time was found sleeping in his car at 1 am with no keys in  the ignition, so the charge was just drunkenness.

Jesse died in an Altoona hospital after a brief illness on 05 Feb 1967. His wife and three daughters, Beatrice, Virginia, and Frances, survived him.

James Bergey Smull Family: Judson Gray Smull, Sr

JESSE SMULL > JAMES BERGEY SMULL > JUDSON GRAY SMULL, SR m Margaret Erwin

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Judson G Smull, Sr at Lehigh University

Judson Gray Smull was born 02 May 1882 to James Bergey Smull and Louise McGarvey. He was born and raised in Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania. He married Margaret Montgomery Erwin,who was born 23 Sep 1880 in Bethlehem in Blair County.

Judson attended Altoona High School and then got his bachelor's in chemistry from Lehigh University in 1906. He went on to get his master of science degree in 1921. He belonged to Tau Omega and was business manager of the student newspaper.

For many years, he worked as the chief chemist at the New Jersey Zinc Co in Franklin, New Jersey and worked as an investigator in the research laboratory of the National Lead Company. He conducted various studies in Linseed oil research. In 1919, he started on the faculty of Lehigh University, working his way up to professor.

He was a charter member of Sigma Xi at Lehigh and was affiliated with the American Chemical Society, the American Electro-Chemical Society and the American Association of University Professors. He also advised for Alph Rho chapter of ATO fraternity. He served on the board of the Moravian Prep school, was active in the Boy Scouts, and belonged to the Central Moravian church.

August Werft
Captain
Lacrosse Team at
Lehigh U 1931

Mrs. Smull died 16 Feb 1917 at her home in Richmond Hills, Long Island and was brought to Bethlehem for burial. She was 36 years old.

Professor Smull died 21 Apr 1978 at age 95 in Bethlehem.

The two children of this marriage were:

Louise Smull, born about 1908 in New Jersey. She was a graduate of Moravian College.  At some point, she became the second wife of US Steel coal operations executive and Lehigh-graduated mining engineer August Werft. They retired to Sarasota, Florida. She died 16 Aug 1992. August died 15 Jan 1987. If she was married previous to this, I've been unable to locate that information.

Judson Gray Smull, Jr. was born 03 Jul 1913 in New York. He married Gertrude Miller, born in 1914 in Bethlehem, on 04 Sep 1937 in Bethlehem. Judson also graduated from Lehigh. Judson died 18 Jun 1979 and Grace died 03 Feb 2015. They had five children.