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 1856, Springfield Township
From Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens (1908)
JAMES ALBERT SMITH, who owns 104 acres of some of the best land in Bath Township, which is situated in School District No. 12, one-half mile north of the Smith or Medina road, has owned and resided on this property since 1896. He was born in Springfield Township, Summit County, Ohio, March 22, 1856, and is a son of Housel and Susan (Moore) Smith.
When James Albert Smith was an infant, his father moved first to Bath Township, purchasing a farm of ninety-four acres, in its eastern part, on which the family lived for a short time and then went back to Springfield Township. James Albert was twelve years old when his father returned to Bath Township and settled on the farm he now owns, which he subsequently purchased from the other heirs. Both parents died on this farm, the mother surviving until April 17, 1907. They had eight children, two daughters and six sons, as follows: Emanuel C. and John Newton, both residing at Akron; James Albert of Bath Township; Robert, residing at Montrose; Sarah L., who married James Edgar; Charles Henry, residing at Peninsula; George, residing in Coshocton County; and Maggie L., who married Cyrus Fields, of Detroit, Michigan.
Until he was twenty-one years of age, James Albert Smith resided at home and then learned the stone-mason trade, at which he worked for seventeen years, during thirteen of this period, living at Copley. For the past eleven years he has engaged in general farming and is numbered with the successful men of this section.
On December 28, 1882, Mr. Smith was married to Elta Barber, who is a daughter of Solomon and Harriet (Wright) Bajber. Solomon Barber was born in Stark County, Ohio, and accompanied his father in boyhood to the farm in Bath Township, on which Newton Hackett lives. The mother of Mrs. Smith was born at Lima, New York, and in her widowhood, lives with Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Her parents were Richmond and Betsey (Egbert) Wright. They came to Akron when Mrs. Barber was a babe and became well-known residents. Mr. and Mrs. Barber were married at Independence, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and they had twelve children, eight of whom survive: William, residing at Minneapolis; Leonard, residing in Oregon; Sylvenes, deceased at the age of twenty-five years; Elta; Belmont, who is deceased; Belle, residing at Youngstown, is the wife of DeForest Richards; Theron, residing at Brown Valley, Minnesota; Minnie, deceased, married Peter Hanson; James, residing at Youngstown; Emily, deceased, married Louis Molton, residing at Warner, South Dakota; Thomas, residing at Rochester, Minnesota, and Paul, residing in South Dakota. The father of Mrs. Smith died August 29, 1901.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith have four children: Pearl, who married Harry Robinson, has three children, Albert, Victor and Jessie; Bessie, who married Ervin Snyder, has one child, Celesta; and Ethel and Ruth.
Mr. Smith belongs to the beneficiary organization known as the Knights of the Protective Legion.
As printed in Centennial history of Summit 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.
Named in this biography: Charles Henry (b. 1847)
The printed record stops around 1908. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.