The Smith Families of Portage County, Ohio

ISAAC W. SMITH, P. O. Deerfield, was born in Deerfield Township, this county, July 11, 1832; a son of Joseph and Margaret (Wilson) Smith, the latter a native of Wilmington, Del.; the former a native of Beaver County, Penn,, was a grandson of Isaac Wilson, a native of Ireland, who started Joseph, subject's father, in mercantile trade in Deerfield, which he "followed to the close of his life. He also engaged in milling, and was one of the enterprising spirits of the early times. He reared a family of four children, three of whom are now living-: Sarah A., wife of John Day; Isaac W., and Susan, wife of Friend Whittlesey. The subject of this sketch was married, December 25, 1855, to Miss Cornelia A Betts, a native of Conaecticut. To this union three children were born, all of whom are now living: Charles, married to Miss Lizzie Card (have one sou — Eddie); Joseph M., a resident of Huron, Dak.; and Jessie M. Mr. Smith has spent the most of his life in Deerfield Township. In April, 1880, he obtained a contract with the Government for carrying the mails from the C, Y. & P. R. R. to Deerfield, which duties he has faithfully performed and has never missed a mail. He has been mostly engaged in stock dealing, and has crossed the Allegheny Mountains fourteen times with stock. He was a traveling salesman for the Champion Machine Company, of Springfield, Ohio, for five years. At present he carries on the only livery in Deerfield, and also attends to his mail contract. His services on the road in the latter capacity have made for him many friends, and by the children he is well and favorably known as "Uncle Ike." Mr. Smith has served as Constable of Deerfield Township.

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

WILLIAM SMITH (deceased), son of Capt. Jonathan Smith, a soldier in the Revolutionary war, was born at Mount Holly, N. J., February 8, 1809, and when nine years of age he came, with his parents, to Youngstown, Ohio, and there married, November 29, 1832, Miss Jane Trotter, by whom he had the following children: Jonathan S., Mary (Mrs. Day), Alvin T., Isaac W. and Frank, residing in this county; Judson, Chester and Edgar H. in Peabody, Kan.; Charles M., killed in Kansas in 1877 by a boiler explosion, Zenas K., died in this city, January 27, 1878, and William, died in infancy. Four of the sons fought in their country's defense during the late war of the Rebellion, making an aggregate of twelve years' service, and all returned home safe. Charles M. served four years in an Illinois regiment; Alvin T., a member of the Nineteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, also a veteran, served four years and three months, and was mustered out as Sergeant; Zenas K., of the Seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, served over three years, and Judson served three years in the One Hundred and Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. In 1843 Mr. Smith and family came to Deerfield Township, this county. Our subject, while in the midst of preparations for voting for Garfield, November 4, 1880, was stricken by the hand of death on the morning of that day. His widow survived him until November 16, 1884. They were a worthy couple, highly respected by all who knew them. Jonathan S. Smith in 1857 located in Ravenna, where he married Miss Lillian L. I'freeman, October 31, 1861. He engaged in the dry goods business with H. L. Day in 1864, and in 1865 formed a partnership with his brother, Zenas K., which lasted until 1871, and Jonathan S. then carried on the business until 1878. He established his present grocery and provision store in 1880, having as partner his only son — Henry F. Alvin T. Smith married, September 12, 1867, Miss Lucy H. Harris, daughter of S. D. Harris, and they have one daughter — Nellie. He established in 1878 a dry goods and carpet store, which he still carries on.

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

E. C. SMITH, hardware merchant, Garrettsville, was born October 19, 1829, in Hart's Grove, Ashtabula County, Ohio. His father*, Norman Smith, was born in 1801 in Sherburne, Yt, and came to Parkman, Ohio, in 1818, and later to Nelson Township, this county, where he died in iSoO. His wife, the mother of our subject, was Sallie M. Hickok, born in New York State, and who came to Ohio in 1820. She is now living in Manchester, Ill., with a daughter. She is the mother of the following children: E. C.; M. H., a physician in Manchester, Ill.; Maria L., wife of H. C. Crawford, and living at Troy, Ohio; Ellen, wife of S. C. Bates, in Clinton, Iowa; Mary A., widow of James Guthrie; George D., residing in Garrettsville; Sarah, wife of Jefferson McConnell, residing in Manchester, Ill. Our subject, who was educated in the country schools and township academy, began teaching when twenty years old at $16 per month. He farmer for a while, and later clerked in a drug store at Garrettsville. January 27, 1852, he, in company with Ebenezer Earl and others, went to the gold mines in California, remaining there five years. He was married, August 27, 1857, to Marion B. McClintock, born July 4, 1829, in Trumbull County, Ohio, daughter of William McClintock, born in Whitehall, N. Y., in 1793, and Chloe (Ferry) McCbntock, born in 1798 in Brooktield, Orange Co., Vt., and came with her parents to Trumbull County, Ohio, in 1814. They came to this county in 1832, settling in Garrettsville, where they died, the father August 7, 1873, and the mother June 17, 1878. They were members of the Baptist Church. The father had been a teamster in the war of 1812. They were parents of nine children, of whom six are now living: Polly, Sallie, Marion B., Helen, John C. and William W. In 1858 Mr. Smith engaged in the hardware business in Garrettsville under the firm name of Barber & Smith, and has been very successful. He began his career in life with a willing heart and strong hands, and of the large amount of property which he possesses in hardware, mines, bank stock, etc., he is certainly the artificer. He has served as Mayor and Councilman of Garrettsville, and has been put forward at times by his friends for the Legislature, a position he may yet cover, and one he would surely fill with honor to himself and credit to his constituents He has been Vice President of the First National Bank of Garrettsville since 1870, and is also a Director in the same. In politics he is a Kepublican. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and is a K. T. Portage County has but few, if any, more substantial, upright and honest citizens than him whose name heads this biography, and whose portrait appears elsewhere.

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

WILLIAM A. SMITH, proprietor of saw-mill, tub and bucket manufacturer and lumber dealer, Mantua, was born April 13, 1832, in Litchfield, Litchfield Co., Conn., son of Minus and Emma (Blakeman) Smith, who came to Kavenna Township, this county, in 1833, thence removed to the northeast part of Shalersville, where Mr. Smith operated a saw-mill for about twelve years. Our subject, the second in a family of five children, was married, September 4, 1861, to Martha, daughter of Seth and Nancy (Perkins) Sanford, who were the parents of four children: Mary J., married to H. S. Granger (they reside in Phillips County, Kan. Sarah, wife of S. L. Peck, in Elkader, Iowa; Mrs. Smith; and Delos C., a soldier under Garfield, serving in Company A, Forty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and who was wounded, from the effects of which he died at forty years of age. The Sanfords are of English origin, and trace their genealogy back through ten generations. The grandfather of Mrs. Smith enlisted when sixteen years of age in the war of 1812, and at his death, when ninety-three years of age, he was buried with military honors befitting the last soldier of that struggle. Mrs. Smith is carrying on a millinery and fancy notion trade in one of the finest business houses in the village, in the Smith & Bowen Block, which she built in 1883. Our subject and wife have no children of their own, but have adopted a daughter named Clara.

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

FRANKLIN SMITH, retired farmer, P. O. Garrettsville, was born in Ben ington County, Vt., October 26, 1804. He was married to Alvira White, a native of Connecticut, who bore him two sons and two daughters: Harriet (deceased), Warren, Albert J. and Eleanor, wife of George Combs. Mr. Smith immigrated to Geauga County, Ohio, in.1818, and is one of the oldest pioneers now living of that county. In 1825 he removed to Michigan for four years, and then returned to (jeauga County, Ohio, purchased a large f arm upon which he resided for seventeen years, and then came to this county. His wife died, in September, 1880, and be has disposed of his farm and retired from the labors of an active life. He has been an energetic, enterprising man, and was ever considered one of the substantial, practical farmers of Nelson Township. At an early day Mr. Smith became a F. & A. M.

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

ROBERT SMITH, lumber dealer, Ravenna, was born June 19, 1833, in Ravenna Township, this county. His father, Moses D. Smith, of the neighborhood of Canandaigua, N. Y., a miller by trade, came to Ohio in very early times and married Miss Mary Reed at Parkman, Geauga County. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and served with distinction to the close of the struggle. One year after their marriage our subject's parents came to Ravenna Township, this county, where the father carried on for several years the mill on Mahoning Creek east of Ravenna, and after about two years' residence in Brimfield Township, this county, they finally located permanently in Ravenna. Moses D. Smith had learned the trade of carpenter while in his native State, which trade he followed here. He was an excellent mechanic, and many buildings now standing testify to his superior skill. He died here in November, 1853. His widow survived him until February, 1867. Of their six children, Robert is the second. Our subject married, May 2, 1855, Miss Elvira B. McMannus, daughter of Philip and Harriet McMannus, who came here from Erie County, Penn., when she was but seven years of age. They were well-known and highly respected residents of Ravenna, where they died, the mother December 8, 1863, and the father June 24, 1872. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith have been born three children: Frank F., Mrs. Addie E. Swain and Harriet E. Our subject learned his father's trade, that of carpenter, which he has followed about twenty years. He established a lumber yard in the place in 1873, and had as a partner, for about eight months, his brother-inlaw, Edwin Smith, who sold his interest to J. S. Marvin in July, 1874. The firm is now known as R. Smith & Co. They do a general trade in lumber, and manufacture the "Common-sense Wooden Bed Spring." Mr. Smith served seven months in 1865 in the One Hundred and Ninety-sixth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He is a Master Mason; a member of the A. L. of H., the R. A. and G. A. R.

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

L. C. SMITH, farmer, P. O. Rootstown, vas born in Franklin Township, this county, March 30, 1834, son of Nahum and Julia Smith, natives of Massachusetts, who came to this county in 1818 and here remained until their death, the mother dying in 1851, the father in 1863. Our subject was married August 23, 1871, to Adaline Betts, born in Deerfiold Township, this county, July 8, 1848. daughter of Matthew Betts. To this union have been born two children: Clyde C, born June 18, 1872, and Ray L., born August 24, 1874. Mr. Smith was engaged in farming until the war of the Rebellion, when he enlisted, August, 1862, in Company F, Forty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served till the close of the war. He participated in several severe engagements. After the war he embarked in mercantile business at New Milford, Ohio, then again engaged in farming. He now owns sixty-six acres of land, where he and his family reside.

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

NELSON C. SMITH, farmer, P. O. Windham, was born December 1, 1826, in North Becket, Mass., son of Champion and Achsah (Little) Smith, natives of Massachusetts, born in 1803 and 1806, respectively, parents of five children: Nelson C, Elmira, Martha, Mary (deceased) and Leona. They came to this county in 1834, and the original homestead tract consisted of seventy acres, to which they added until it contained 150 acres, and from a state of nature was gradually placed under a high state of cultivation. Champion Smith died June 6, 1881, his wife having preceded him January 2, 1879. Thesubject of this sketch was married December 10, 1857, to Mary E. Ford, born in Trumbull County, Ohio, March 2, 1831, daughter of Augustin and Susannah (Krahl) Ford, natives of New York and Pennsylvania, respectively, and early settlers of Trumbull County, Ohio. To this union was born one daughter— Alice Blanche, born November 8, 1863, and married, January 4, 1883, to Arthur Roper, of Nelson, Ohio, by whom she has one child — Esther Beuno, born January 4, 1884. The principal occupation of our subject has been farming, though for two or three years he peddled jewelry. He offered his services two or three times in his country's defense, but was not accepted on account of the loss of one of his eyes. He has filled the office of Constable three terms. For nearly twenty years he has been actively connected with the F. & A. M. and I. O. O. F. fraternities. As a rule the Smith family have been Republican in politics.

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

W. G. SMITH, M. D., Palmyra, was born in New Wilmington, Lawrence Co., Penn., July 11, 1854, and is the eldest son of Samuel and Sarah (;banks) Smith, who were the parents of eight children, all of whom are now living: W G., Robert, Ella S., Maggie E., Eddie, Edith, Ida and Samuel A. His father was a farmer and died at New Wilmington, Penn., in 1875. The subject of this sketch received his primary education in his native place, and there served as clerk in the postoffice, and also secured five years' experience in the drug business. During a greater portion of this time he studied medicine under the direction of Dr. A. C. Pettit. He was sober, industrious and frugal, securing means through his own exertions with which to educate himself. In September, 1875, he entered Miami Medical College, graduating in the class of 1877. In May of the same year he located in Palmyra. Though a stranger without means and in competition with old practitioners, from the first success attended his efforts, and his calls have been continuously increasing, until now he controls the largest practice in and about the township. He is a member of Portage County, Ohio State Medical Societies. Is connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Doctor was married, October 26, 1879, to Mary A. Force, born in Palmyra, this county, March 12, 1862, daughter of David and Abigail P. Force, latter of whom died of heart and lung trouble at her residence in Palmyra, February 24, 1885. One child — Willie — is the living issue of this union.

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