The Smith Families of Buchanan County, Missouri

FREDERICK W. SMITH, was born in Prussia, October 3, 181 5. He received his early education in his native town, and afterwards entered a military academy, where he was engaged as a civil engineer. When eighteen years of age he emigrated to America. Landing in New York in 1833, he remained there almost a year, and then removed to New Orleans, where he was employed in a cotton press. Owing to the breaking out of yellow fever in that city, he embarked on the Mississippi River, and came to St. Louis, where soon after his arrival he was appointed Deputy City Surveyor. In 1838, or 1839, he left St. Louis for the Platte Purchase, and settled at Blacksnake Hills (now St. Joseph). Here he engaged in farming and surveying, having made the original maps of St. Joseph, and named it after the founder of the city, Joseph Robidoux. Mr. Smith pre-empted 160 acres of land, upon which the city now stands, and which has been divided and subdivided and sold at different times.,Mr. Smith was a Captain of the militia for a number of years, and was afterwards made a Major of the State Volunteers. He was appointed the first Postmaster of the City of St. Joseph. In 1861, he was elected Mayor of the City. His last office was that of Judge of the Buchanan County Court, his term ending in 1876. He married Miss Jane Tolin, of Davis County, Missouri, in 1843. They have three children, Frederick, Augustus M., and a daughter, the wife of John A. Duncan, of Kansas City.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

DR. J. FRANCIS SMITH, the only living male descendant of Major Fred W. Smith, an illustrious pioneer, who made the plat of the original town of

St. Joseph and who gave Smith Park to the city. Mr. Smith was born in St. Joseph, December 22, 1846 and this has been his home ever since. He studied medicine and graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia in 1869, but has not practiced his profession for many years, devoting his time to the management of his estate and to real estate generally.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

, farmer and stock raiser, section 12, postoffice St. Joseph, was born July 8, 1829, in what is now Boyle County, Kentucky, where she was reared until eleven years of age. She was deprived of the care of a mother when quite young, and accompanied her father west in 1840. They settled in Jackson County, Missouri, where her father died in 1842. She came to St. Joseph about 1846, and here became acquainted with and married Henry Smith, on the nth of April, 1849, a native of Garrett County, Kentucky, and was born November 12, 18 19. He was among the early pioneers, and took an active part in building up and improving the county. He served in the Mexican war, and held the position of captain. During the late war he served for three years, and participated in many of the hard-fought battles, and held the position of captain. He died January 1, 1876, leaving a large circle of friends to mourn his loss. The attendance at his funeral was one of the largest ever witnessed in the county. He was a member of the Masonic order, also of the Grangers, and was buried with the honors of these orders. He left three children — Posy N., born April 21, 1850; Ann E., born January 30, 1852, now Mrs. J. W. Fogg; and Price, born March 28, 1866. The eldest son, Posy N. Smith, is one of the rising young men of this county, and was educated at Central College. Is a member of the Masonic fraternity,.and also belongs to the Methodist Church.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CAPTAIN JOHN N. SMITH, farmer and stock raiser, section 2, postoffice Garrettsburg, was born June 22, 1827, in Lee County, Virginia, and came west with his parents in the fall of 1838, settling in Buchanan County, Missouri. His father took up a claim, built a cabin, and commenced farming. This claim is now known as the Waller Grove farm. Mr. Smith, during his life-time, did his share towards making the county what it now is. He died September 9, 1849. John N. spent his boyhood days on the farm, and received his education in the schools of those days. In 1849, he commenced raising hemp, and thus continued until the war broke out in 1861. In July,

1 86 1, he joined what was known as the Buchanan Rangers, and was elected second lieutenant. He went South with Bogard's battalion, and took part in the battle of Lexington. Returned home, and remained there until October, 1863, when he joined the home militia on the 21st of November. Was elected captain of Company H, Twenty-first Regiment Enrolled Missouri militia, and was put on duty at the Block House, on the Platte River, there remaining until May, 1864, when the company were relieved and sent home. They were again called into service in July, and were disbanded in November, 1864. In the fall of 1865, he took a trip across the plains as "wagon boss," and returned that winter. Since that time he has given his attention to agricultural pursuits. Owns a fine farm of lOO acres, well stocked, and a good vineyard. Filled the position of road overseer for five years and school director three terms, and is noted for always being on the jury. Captain S. was married October 23, 185 1, to Miss Elizabeth Hamner, a native of Indiana, born February 5, 1834. They have had eight children, five of whom are living— James N., William T., Jefferson D., Alexander S. and Charles G.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

O. M. SMITH, merchant, was born in Maryland, September, 1836, and came to St. Joseph in 1860, where he at once engaged in mercantile business. He was very successful, gaining the confidence and good will of the people by his fair dealing and affable manners. He continued in business for seventeen years, being one of the few who did so uninterruptedly through the war. He sold out his business in 1878, since which period he has devoted his time to real estate transactions, the settling of states, as administrator, and various other kinds of business. He has accumulated a competency, has a fine house, hosts of friends, and enjoys the confidence and respect of his neighbors. He married Miss Jane E. Ivery, in St. Joseph, May 27, 1862. She was from Cambria County, Pennsylvania. They have one daughter, Mary C., born September 13, 1864.

was born in Virginia, April 22, 1807, and emigrated to Boonville, Cooper County, Missouri, in 1838, where he worked at tanning for two years. He then moved to the neighborhood of Otterville, where he carried on tanning, making a new and complete tan yard, which he operated for about twelve years. In 1856 he quit the tanning business and went to farming. He remained on a farm until 1869, when he sold out and moved to Otterville, where he lived with his son-in-law, Mr. T. V. Ellis, nearly twelve years. During 1861 he took to his bed with chronic rheumatism, and was not out of bed for three years. Ever since he has walked on crutches. He sustained loss by the war, in negroes and stock, to the amount of about $2,000. His son, C. Q. Smith, was in the Confederate service about two years, and was under General Cockerel, and taken prisoner and put in prison at St. Lous. His sister, Mrs. Ellis, secured his release. Mr. Smith was married November, 1835, to Miss Mary A. Thompson, a native of Virginia. She had seven children, one died in infancy. The others are alive and doing well, and all married except the youngest daughter. He is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and has donated toward building several churches. He has never regretted moving to Missouri, where he has had nothing to encounter except that which is incident to pioneer life. Mr. Smith, although a cripple, is cheerful and happy, truly resigned to his condition, and does not utter a single complaint.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

A. T. SMITH, of the firm of Smith, Frazer & Co., wholesale dealers in boots and shoes, was born August 14, 1839, Cooper County, Missouri. Up to the age of fifteen he worked on a farm and in a tanyard. In 1866, he commenced clerking for H. K. Judd & Co., and in 1869 engaged in the wholesale boot and shoe business. Mr, Smith married Miss Louise Wise, a native of Missouri, May 13, 1873. She was born in St. Louis, December 25,

1848, and was raised in San Francisco, California. They have one child — George A., born September 6, 1878. Mrs. S. is a member of the Episcopal Church. Mr. Smith has assisted liberally in building churches and school houses. He lost considerably by the late war. He has all through life extended a helping hand to the needy and unfortunate. Mr. Smith is one of the fortunate business men of St. Joseph, starting out in life a poor boy. He has achieved a success in business which ranks him financially with the representative wholesale merchants of the city.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

J. M. SMITH, of the firm of J. M. Smith & Co., dealers in staple and fancy groceries, foreign and domestic fruits and Dozier & Weyl Cracker Co. crackers and fancy biscuits, was born in Virginia in 1834, where he received good common school advantages. Emigrated to Indiana in 1854, locating in Perryville, Vermillion County. Here he followed general merchandising. From thence he moved to Terre Haute in 1876, and traveled for Hulman & Cox, wholesale grocers. In 1880, he emigrated to- St. Joseph and engaged in the above named business, in a room 22x140' feet, two stories high and cellar, giving employment to five men. At the breaking out of the civil war he enlisted in the One Hundred and. Fifteenth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel Lew Wallace. Entering the service as a private, he came out as first lieutenant on General Smith's staff. Was in the service two and a half years. He has five children living and doing well: Harry A., Lewis W., Lenora, Doyne and Kate H. Is a Mason and Knight of Pythias.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ERNEST L. SMITH, machinist, was born in Charlottsville, Va., August 12, 1869. When a youth he came to Missouri and attended the Pilot Grove (Mo.) Collegiate Institute, from which he graduated in 1887. A year later he came to St. Joseph and learned the machinist trade. He has for many years been bookkeeper for the Bielhen Foundry and Machine Company. Mr. Smith was married April 18, 1890, to Miss Mary Salmon, who has borne him two children, a girl and a boy.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.