Dear friends and subscribers of Casey Co. Digest, TONIGHT ON THE EVE OF MY FATHERS 100TH BIRTHDAY I SEND ALONG MY THANKS TO THE GREAT STATE OF KENTUCKY, AND TO THE COUNTY OF CASEY IN GRATEFUL APPRECIATION FOR ONE OF HER NATIVE SONS. MY FATHER WAS BORN IN CASEY COUNTY JANUARY 29TH, 1899. ESTES GOODE SMITH WAS BORN TO LORENZO AND BELLE HALEY SMITH ON THIS DATE . TODAY I CELEBRATE HIS LIFE, THE WONDERFUL FATHER THAT HE WAS AND FOR THE LIFE THAT I ENJOY TODAY DUE TO THE VALUES THAT HE INSTILED IN ME. hE MARRIED MY BEAUTIFUL MOTHER, THE BELLE OF GARRARD COUNTY ON JANUARY 31ST,1924. HE ATTENDED A ONE ROOM SCHOOL HOUSE UNTIL THE THIRD GRADE WHEN HE BECAME SMARTER THAN THE TEACHER, SO HE LOVED TO TELL.HE GREW UP THERE AND OH THE FUNNY STORIES THAT I HEARD AS I WAS GROWING UP. HE WORKED THE L&N RAILROAD UNTIL HE AND MY MOTHER, THE FORMER CARRIE LEE YATER MOVED TO MICHIGAN IN 1925 I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO TRACE MUCH OF MY HERITAGE IN CASEY COUNTY. I DO KNOW THAT MY GRANDFATHER WAS THE LAST TOLLGATE KEEPER IN THE STATE. SMITH IS A TOUGH NAME TO TRACE, AND TIME AND DISTANCE HINDER ME FROM PROPER RESEARCH. SO I SEND MY HEARTFELT THANKS TO THOSE IN CASEY COUNTY, THE PAST AND THE PRESENT, AS I REMEMBER THIS GREAT MAN TODAY. I PRAY THAT YOU ARE STILL TURNING OUT MORE OF ESTES GOODE SMITH'S. I LOVE TO THINK THAT YOUR ANCESTORS KNEW MY ANCESTORS, THAT WE ARE ALL CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR NATIVE SON,MY FATHER ESTES SMITH. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, PLEASE SAY A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL DADS FROM CASEY COUNTY. GLO RYB NEW BOSTON, MI .