Beloved historian W.J. Smith dies at 86

Anderson County lost the man many regarded as the county's resident historian when William Johnson "W.J." Smith died last Wednesday.

"I've known him for 50 years," said Helen Shryock, a longtime friend and neighbor of both W.J. and his late wife Nancy. "We met when I moved to Lawrenceburg with my first husband in 1957.

"W.J. knew every newcomer who came to town. He was very intelligent and remembered everything. He was the best historian we ever had."

Shryock said Smith was also an extremely kind and considerate man, sentiments that were echoed by others.

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