Samuel C. Smith was born in the Anco coal camp, he the son of Hiram "Shorty" Smith and Elizabeth Stamper Smith.  Sam was raised on the family farm at LittCarr which the family moved back to after leaving Anco.

Samuel married Geneva Cornett Smith, daughter of Harlen Cornett and Lonnie Smith Cornett.  They lived in Smithsboro until relocated to Burgey Creek.  Their children are: Harlen Gregory Stallard, Richard Dirk Smith, and Candace Smith.     

The first school Sam was educated in was the two room school located in the upstairs of the Old Carr Church.  He went to Carr Creek Hill for upper grades and graduated from Carr Creek High School, where he played basketball under Sprout Johnson and Morton Combs.  His college education was the result of basketball scholarships to Pikeville College and another to the University of  
South Carolina, receiving a degree in education  1956. He did additional work later at Eastern State University.

Sam Smith began his teaching career at Defeated Creek school, where he was the only teacher for grades 1-8, Consolidation took him to the Carr Creek Elementary School at Cody, where he taught, coached, and for a time was the assistant principal.  The relocation of the school to Litt Carr changed his career only with additional teaching and coaching now including girls' basketball.

He thoroughly enjoyed the many hours he spent after school and weekends working with the obis and girls for which he volunteered and received no salary.  He went to the middle school in Hindman to teach and coach boys' basketball. He was assigned to coach the Knott County High School Girls Varsity Basketball tram ht went to state in 1980.  In 1981 he taught the year at Jones Fork elementary, won his federal case, and resumed his former position. In February 1982, at  the time of his death, his team was again on the way to the girls'  "Sweet Sixteen."  

Some of his other contributions were:  He was a member of the Ky Coaches Association, a very active member of the Knott County Education Association and KEA a member of Carr Creek Lions Club, taught adult education classes at night, a US Civil Defense worker (during the atomic bomb scare) served on the Carr Fork Cemetery Board, and helped organize The Knott County Little League Baseball program and coached Smithsboro teams.

Sam Smith was a tall, quiet man who refused to permit his students to  "give up" who emphasized sportsmanship over winning, and a friend and neighbor.

Corbett Mullins
May 17, 2003