Dr. Smith & Mrs. Smith
Dr. E. Sanborn Smith was the son of Edward S. and Eunie Webster S. Smith. He was born in Salina, Kansas where his parents owned a clothing store. In 1883, the family moved to Macon, Missouri so that E. Sanborn could attend the St. James Academy.
After graduating from St. James, Dr. Smith was “reading medicine” with Macon doctor E.R. Clement, who suggested Smith attend Medical School.
Since the family was originally from the Washington-Baltimore area, he enrolled and earned his medical degree at the University of Maryland in 1900. He did graduate work at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Cook County Hospital in Chicago and the Harvard School of Medicine.
While Smith was in the Washington-Baltimore area, he met and married Emily Frey, a native of the Georgetown area in 1902. Emily Frey’s parents John and Emma Wilson Frey were both east coast natives.
After practicing in Massachusetts and serving in the US Army Medical Corps during World War I, he returned to Macon, Missouri. On May 21, 1912, the Smith’s only daughter, Emily, was born.
In 1924 when Dr. Smith was approached by the Grim Brothers to join them in expanding their Kirksville hospital, he moved his family to Kirksville and entered a partnership. Smith bought two lots directly across the street from the hospital. The Smith House was constructed as part of the Grim-Smith medical complex, a collection of six medical and residential buildings built by three M.D.s: Drs. Edward and Ezra Grim and Dr. Smith.
Throughout his career, Dr. Smith was a member of the Missouri State Board of Health from 1929 to 1940 and served as its president for many years.
Dr. Smith lived in the house until his death in 1950. Mrs. Emily Frey Smith was in the house until 1968. Upon Mrs. Smith’s death in 1969, the house passed to her daughter, Emily Smith King.