Smith, Hubert Sidney, M. D.

Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 401-402.  Edited by Alcee Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.

Smith, Hubert Sidney, M. D., of Thibodaux, parish of Lafourche, was born Nov.  10, 1864, at New Orleans; the son of George Smith, native of Wexford, Ireland, who came to New Orleans in his youth in search of a means of livelihood, and rose, from modest beginnings to prominence in business. The Smiths of Wexford are an old and honorable family, related by marriage to the O'Donovans and others who can trace their lineage back to the earliest days of Irish nobility.  Mrs. O'Donovan, mother of Mary O'Hea, wife of Augustus Smith (the father of Hubert Sidney Smith), was a descendant of the ancient family of Irish chieftains whose ancestor was Eber Finn, eldest son of Miledh of Spain, kin to Gaelic and Norman French families, and the warlike clans of Erin.  George Smith, born at Wexford, March 26, 1830, ran away from home in his boyhood, and embarked on a ship bound for New Orleans.  Soon after landing, the resolute youth obtained employment as a yard clerk in a cotton press, working by day and at night attending Blackmar 's night school.  From one position to another he steadily advanced until he became part owner of the Commercial press, one of the most important in New Orleans. 

From his marriage with Miss Josephine Catherine Busquet, (born in New Orleans Jan. 2, 1835; died at Thibodaux), 5 children were born:  Hubert Sidney, at present located in Thibodaux, and prominent as a medical practitioner;  Marie Josephine, who became Mrs. James Washington Blount of Pensacola, Fla.;  Walter Joseph Smith, who married Miss Mary Amelia Hall, and died leaving 3 children. Two members of George Smith's family died in infancy.  His death occurred at his summer home in Biloxi, Miss., May 9, 1908. 

Dr. Hubert Sidney Smith was educated at the Jesuit's college, New Orleans, and at Spring Hill college, near Mobile, Ala., graduating from the latter institution in 1884.  After engaging in the cotton and sugar business, he began the study of  medicine at Tulane university, but had to abandon his classes on account of impaired eyesight.  He was one of the bounty clerks in the employ of the United States government, and was next a sugar chemist for the American Sugar Refining Co., until 1895, when he again entered the medical department of Tulane, graduating as M. D. in 1898.  Dr. Smith had charge of one of the wards of the Charity hospital, and of an outdoor clinic.  During the yellow fever epidemic in 1898, he was with the United States Marine hospital service, and given charge of the Louisville & Nashville R. R. 's freight depot.  In 1900, the doctor went to Thibodaux, where he has been practicing his profession to the present time.  For 2 years he was secretary of the Lafourche parish Medical association; and in 1905 had charge of the yellow fever situation at Lafourche Crossing. 

Before frost came he had succeeded in stamping out the disease.  Dr. Smith is a member of the Lafourche parish and State Medical societies, and of the Knights of Columbus.  At this writing he is health officer of the town of Thibodaux.  A careful student of hygiene, he has recently designed a modification of the Stiles system, and perfected a fly-proof sanitary closet, which has been approved by the state board of health.  In April, 1908 occurred the marriage of Dr. Smith and Miss Effie Mary Munson, a daughter of Alonzo Randolph Munson, of Assumption parish, La.  From their union 1 daughter, Alice Ann Smith, was born.