Actually, Chris Craft Boats was founded by Christopher Columbus Smith.

As early as 1915, Chris Smith ran advertisements saying "Let me build you a
Smith boat" under the company name of Chris C. Smith Boat and Engine Co.

The accepted beginning of Chris Craft Boats was February 1922, when Chris
Smith started "Chris Smith and Sons Boat Company"

In April 1922, the Chris Smith and Sons Boat Company ran an advertisement
for a line of boats where the line Chris Smith Craft was included at the
bottom of the advertisement. Soon after this advertisement, the boat line
name was changed and the first boat of the new company was the Packard-Chris
Craft Racer



"Joseph Stachyra" wrote in message
...

In regards to your name, I knew a John Christopher Smith, in Ft.
Lauderdale, Fla. he was the Heir to the Chris craft boats. His father
named the boat line after him. John C Smith, died around 1970
basically
from old age.