John is the patriarch of the Smith family. He has built Smith's Emporium from its humble beginnings as a small grocery store.
He has a strong belief in the value of hard work, can be stern when he thinks it's necessary. He tends not to express his feelings, but he has a dry sense of humour and loves his family in his own reserved way. He and his wife, Hettie, have an amicable, if somewhat distant relationship
