Jeremiah C. Smith

As printed in 1910

JEREMIAH C. SMITH.

One of the sterling pioneer citizens of Nodaway county and a man who sought rather than shunned hardships and dangers — fearless alike of both — was Jeremiah C. Smith, who was born in Madison county, Kentucky, in 1814 and who has now joined the “innumerable caravan.” He remained in his native community until he was twenty-three years old, then came to Boone county, Missouri, and settled in Nashville where he turned his attention to merchandising, remaining there until 1848 and enjoying a good trade. In

1849 he took to steamboating on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers and in those picturesque days became well known among rivermen. In 1851 he began merchandising in Claysville, Missouri. He came to Nodaway county in 1856 and soon located on a farm in the edge of Clearmont where he farmer until his death, February 15, 1901, having reached the advanced age of eighty-six years. He became well known in this community and was respected and honored by all for his many virtues, being a man whom his neighbors trusted explicitly and delighted to associate with. He was very successful as a farmer and trade, being a good manager and making few mistakes in his business life. He finally became the owner of twelve hundred and seventy acres, on which he carried on general farming and stock raising. When he first came here St. Joseph was the principal trading point and there Mr. Smith frequently drove his stock to market, the trip requiring seven days. It was interesting to hear him relate incidents of the early days here and in Boone county.

In 1841 Mr. Smith bought a slave woman, “Eliza,” paying nine hundred dollars for her, in Boone county, Missouri, of a Mr. Duncan, who hailed from the state of Kentucky. She accompanied the Smith family to Atchison township, Nodaway county, in 1855, and the family located just west of where Clearmont now stands, later moving to a place on the south edge of the town. “Eliza,” who is the only slave ever in Atchison township, still resides in Clearmont.

Mr. Smith joined the Masonic order at Quitman in 1865; later he transferred his membership to LeMar Station and later was charter member of Lodge No. 507 at Clearmont. He was always interested in church affairs. He owned the farm on which the town is located and he laid out the place. He was liberal to all charitable enterprises, giving freely of his means to all worthy causes. He donated a lot for the school building, and in many ways was helpful to the community in general,— in fact, the most influential man in the vicinity of Clearmont for years. Politically he was a Democrat and never lost an opportunity to further the interests of his party. He was at one time township collector.

Mr. Smith married Nancy F. Jones, of Boone county, Missouri, on January 22, 1856. and this union resulted in the birth of three children, Jeremiah M., born November 21, 1856; William F., born May 22, 1858, and Jerome T., born June 7 1860. A sketch of the latter appears on another page of this work. The mother of these children was called to her rest March 23, 1880, at the age of forty-five years, having been born April 8, 1835.

As printed in Past and present of Nodaway County, Missouri (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.