Townsend Smith Family

Willie Townsend was the sixth child of William and Rachel. According to Ancestry records, he was married to Eddie Good, and together they had nine children: Elwillie, Marvin, Leavon, Dock, Townsend Jr., Eddie E., Vivian, Georgia, and Monroe.

 

FAMILY PHOTOS

Pictured above are six children of Townsend Smith Sr. and Eddie Good-Smith.  In the back row left to right, the late Georgia Geraldine Smith-Good and the late Marvin Smith.  On the front row left to right, the late Dock Smith, Eddie Earlene Smith-Thompson, the late Vivian Smith-Glenn, and the late Townsend Smith Jr.  

Three sons of Townsend Smith Sr. and Eddie Good-Smith.  From left to right, Marvin Smith, Dock Smith, and Leavon Smith.

Monroe Smith was the baby boy of Townsend and Eddie.  He died at the early age of about 6 years old.

Pictured left is Geraldine Smith.  She currently lives in Pittsburg, PA.  In the center is an earlier photo of the late Marvin Smith with daughter Geraldine.  The late Marvin is the son of the late Townsend and Eddie Good-Smith.  Pictured on the right is Marvin's daughter Valerie Smith who currently resides in Jacksonville, FL.  

The cherished family of the late Townsend Smith Jr. stands together in love and unity. At the center is his beloved wife, Peggy. To her left and right are their wonderful children: son Michael Smith, daughter Sherina Smith, daughter Dr. Shawna Smith-Nesbitt, and son Dr. Townsend Smith III. Their roots and hearts remain deeply connected to their hometown of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania.

Georgia Gerldine Smith-Good — beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, healthcare advocate, and tireless rural and farm activist — passed away peacefully on Monday, July 29, 2024.

Born on June 23, 1942, in Union, South Carolina, Georgia was the tenth child of the late Townsend and Eddie Smith. Like her parents, she cultivated both the land and the spirit of community. A farmer at heart, Georgia never lost her passion for fairness, justice, and opportunity for those in need.

As Executive Director of the Rural Advancement Fund of the National Sharecroppers Fund (RAF), Georgia dedicated decades to assisting low-income families in the rural communities of South and North Carolina.

Her commitment to service extended far beyond agriculture. More than fifty years ago, following the passage of Community Medicine legislation, Georgia emerged as a leading voice in educating both local and national audiences about the importance and impact of community-based healthcare.

In 1970, she co-founded a local health clinic and organized the Orangeburg County Consumer Health Council to serve underprivileged families in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and surrounding areas. That clinic would later become the Family Health Center, Inc., which today has an annual economic impact exceeding $25 million. In 2017, the Family Health Center honored Georgia’s vision and leadership by dedicating a monument in her name.

As Executive Director of RAF and Vice President of the Rural Coalition in Washington, D.C., Georgia was instrumental in improving USDA services for all farmers, particularly African Americans. She helped pass the 1990 Farm Bill (Section 2501), establishing a program that strengthened economic development for small farmer groups. Over the years, her advocacy contributed to more than 30 pieces of agricultural legislation, including policies ensuring equitable treatment in USDA offices, requiring USDA receipts for services, and providing higher cost-share rates in conservation programs for historically disadvantaged farmers.

Georgia played a pivotal role in advancing the Pigford v. USDA settlement, which addressed decades of discrimination against Black farmers. This historic resolution provided $50,000 settlements to thousands of African American farmers — totaling more than $2 billion in restitution for those long excluded from USDA programs.

In 2015, USDA Rural Development selected Georgia to represent the United States at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), where she collaborated with European leaders on rural development initiatives. She also served as a board member of World Farmers, a Rural Coalition partner organization supporting over 275 refugee farmers cultivating 70 acres of land and selling produce at more than 40 farmers’ markets across Massachusetts.

Throughout her life, Georgia received numerous awards for her leadership and service, including:

  • Low Country Healthy Start Award

  • Concerned Citizen of Whittaker Heights Award

  • Ford Foundation Leadership Development Fellowship

  • Distinguished Community Service Award, Delta Beta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

  • Alpha Psi Fraternity Woman of the Year Award

  • Professional Agricultural Worker Award (2012 Farm Bill negotiations)

  • Tuskegee Lifetime Achievement Award (N. Juanita Coleman & Ruth Clement Board) for Community Service

  • South Carolina General Assembly Award

  • Massachusetts General Assembly Award

  • Boys & Girls Clubs of America Superior Service Award

  • Honorary Life Membership for her unwavering dedication to community youth.

Georgia was also a Lifetime Member of the NAACP and served on numerous boards nationwide, including the Medical University of South Carolina Community Prostate Outreach and the Southern Development Foundation.

Her leadership was recognized at the national level. She was personally selected by President Barack Obama to participate in the White House Policy and Action Leadership Conference and had previously served on President Jimmy Carter’s committees advocating for migrant and seasonal farm workers.

Georgia pursued higher education at Claflin University, the University of California–Berkeley, the New York Training Institute, New York City College, and completed a Fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She was a devoted member of Mount Pisgah Baptist Church in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

Georgia leaves to cherish her memory two sons, Michael (LaVerne) Byas-Smith and Eric Good; three grandchildren, David (Kyla) Byas-Smith, Erika (Jon) Smith-Goetz, and Robert (Makena) Byas-Smith; two great-grandchildren, Tatum and Harper Byas-Smith; one sister, Earlene Thompson; and a host of beloved nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends.

The late Eric Velvin Good was the beloved son of the late Essex and Georgia Smith-Good and the cherished grandson of the late Townsend and Eddie Smith Sr. Born on April 9, 1966, in Buffalo, New York, Eric received his heavenly wings on June 5, 2025.

Eric was educated in the Orangeburg County, South Carolina school system, where he developed a strong love for history, politics, science, and reading. As a child, he dreamed of becoming a farmer and driving a John Deere tractor—a vision that reflected his connection to the land and his family’s roots.

During his teenage years, Eric was an enthusiastic fan of The Jackson Five, and he delighted in seeing them perform live in concert. As a young man, his growing awareness of politics and healthcare deepened his commitment to community empowerment. One of the most memorable experiences of his life was meeting Fannie Lou Hamer, the renowned civil rights leader and advocate for women’s rights, who also championed access to quality healthcare for African Americans. This encounter inspired Eric’s enduring interest in holistic medicine and health equity.

Traveling alongside his mother, Eric gained firsthand experience in the fight for accessible healthcare, fair agricultural opportunities, and equitable farmer’s rights, particularly for African Americans. He possessed a natural gift for conversation and a hearty, infectious laugh that brightened every room. Truly, Eric never met a stranger.

Eric was preceded in death by his parents, Georgia Smith-Good and Essex Good. He leaves to cherish his memory: one brother, Michael Byas-Smith; one sister-in-law, LaVerne Byas-Smith; two nephews, David Smith (Kyla) and Robert Smith (Makena); one niece, Erika Smith-Goetz (Jon); one grandnephew, Tatum, grandniece Harper; one uncle, Jackson Glenn; two aunts, Earline Thompson and Peggy Smith; and a host of cousins, extended family, and dear friends.

Pictured above from left to right are: the late Marvin Smith, son of the late Townsend Smith Sr. and the late Eddie Good-Smith; the late Quita Smith, daughter of the late Leavon Smith (son of Townsend Smith Sr. and Eddie Good-Smith), who passed away at the young age of 23; and the late Margaret Gist, daughter of the late Hiawatha Smith-Gist (sister of Townsend Smith Sr.) and the late Dock Smith, also a son of Townsend Smith Sr. and Eddie Good-Smith.