Rey E. Smythe

REY E. SMYTHE
Died
Mar. 20, 1896
Aged 20 yrs.,
6 mos., 17 days

Rey E. Smythe Headstone

Photo Credit: Rosa G. Gonzales

Biography

Rey Earl Smythe is the son of Peyton and Othelia P. Smythe and the brother of Thomas Stribling Smythe who also rests in Old Bayview Cemetery. Rey Earl appears in the 1880 federal census of Nueces County along with his parents and numerous siblings. Rey is listed as 5 years old and a native of Texas. His father is Peyton Smythe who was born in Tennessee on December 15, 1826 (Dec. 5, 1829 by another record), the son of John F. Smythe and Lucinda Peyton. His wife Otilia (by death records her name is given as Othelia) was a native of Bremen, and the couple have 8 children living at the time of the 1880 census (Nueces County 1880 census, ED 116, p. 4). Young Rey was only 20 years old when he died on March 20, 1896. Early death records at the Corpus Christi Vital Statistics office report that he died as the result of an accident (vol. 1, p. 92 #1312). Later his father Peyton (who died in 1897) and his brother Thomas Stribling (who died of an accidental gunshot wound in 1902) were put to rest at his side.

Research and transcription: Michael A. Howell