James Leonard Smith was born in Bonneville, OR on January 21st, 1895. He was the son of John Nelson Smith and Martha Elizabeth (McClelland) Smith. James Leonard Smith did not have much schooling but worked in a variety of professions such as millwork, shipfitting, chauffeuring, and logging. He split his time between California and Oregon where he worked for several years at the Azusa Lumber Company. He developed a close friendship with Private First Class Robert Fields and the two exchanged many letters and telegrams back and forth. Smith donated these letters and other ephemera to Reed Professor Dorothy Johansen. He died in CA in 1962.