Peyton T. Smith

As printed in 1881

PEYTON T. SMITH.

Peyton T. Smith, a native of Missouri, was born in St. Charles county, May 3, 1820. His parents, James W. and Lucy H., about the year lS'2-i, removed with their infant son, Peyton, to this county, locating about seven miles southwest of Richmond, on what is known as Rollins' Branch. Nearly two years later they again removed to the farm now owned and occupied by the subject of this sketch. Here, in later years, the elder Mr. Smith, assisted by his son, operated a tannery in connection with the farm. Peyton T. Smith was married January 19, 1843, to Miss Lucy H. Bates, a native of Virginia. The marriage ceremony was performed near where they now reside, by the Rev. Zachariah Quesenberry. This union was blessed by the birth of six children, five of whom still live. The other, born March 3, 1847, died in infancy. The names of the surviving children, with dates of birth, are as follows, viz: Cleopatra 3., born May 19, 1814; James W., born May 7, 1848; Mary S., born April 21, 1850; Nancy F., born May 22, 1852. Although Mr. Smith has met with severe reverses in business, great destruction and loss of property by fire, at different times during life, his well known industry and close attention to business, and his indomitable pluck in battling against adversity, have won for him an enviable position among his neighbors. He owns a highly improved farm of 172 acres. One hundred and sixty acres of it, comprising pasture lands, orchard and tillable fields, are in a high state of cultivation, well watered and stocked. Mr. Smith, despite the obstacles he has been obliged to combat, is to-day a successful business man, and as an evidence of the esteem in which he is held as a financier, he has been successively elected to the responsible position of director in the Ray County Savings Bank.

As printed in History of Ray County, Mo. (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.