In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1873, Pike Township
From 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908)
ARTHUR Z. SMITH, one of the enterprising and successful farmers of Pike Township, who ably operates his father's farm of 200 acres, which is situated thirteen miles northwest of Springfield, was born July 15, 1873, on the farm in Pike Township, Clark County, Ohio, which is now the property of William Sturgeon. His parents were Christian and Mary Jane (Zinn) Smith.
This Smith family came to Ohio from Virginia and it was the great-grandfather of Arthur Z. Smith who brought the family first to Pike Township. The parents of Arthur Z. Smith were born in Clark County, where the father lives retired, having long been one of Pike Township's most substantial citizens. The mother of Mr. Smith was a daughter of Daniel R. and Matilda (Sturgeon) Zinn, and she died March 21, 1883. There were eight children born to Christian Smith and his first wife, as follows: Marcellus Z!, Albert Z., Matilda A., Orren Z., Delia May, Arthur Z., Clarence Z. and Alice E., the last named being the wife of Cassius SchatTner. The second marriage of Christian Smith was to Carolina D. Tener, who died in the following year, and his third marriage was to Wilhelmina Dresher. To this last union were born the following children: Margaret, Cynthia, Helen, Vernon, Gilbert and Luther. Helen and Vernon are deceased.
Arthur Z. Smith was three years old when the family moved to the present farm and he attended the old Yale School in this district. He assisted in clearing this farm and has devoted himself to its cultivation and improvement ever since boyhood. He engaged in a general agricultural line, raising fine stock and growing grain.
On December 2, 1900, Mr. Smith was married to Bertha Jordan, who is a daughter of Samuel and Rebecca (Myers) Jorcjan, old pioneers of Pike Township. Mr. Jordan still survives. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have two sons, Harold C. and Lloyd Parker. In politics Mr. Smith is a Democrat and in January, 1908, his party elected him a member of the School Board of Pike Township. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias, the Junior Order of American Mechanics and to the National Protective Legion.
As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1908. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.