Samuel Smith

As printed in 1894

AMUEL SMITH, who for many years was one of Butler County’s most prominent agriculturists, traced his ancestry to Ireland, whence his grandfather, Robert Smith, emigrated to America about 1720, and made settlement in Franklin County, Pa. There he married Catherine Wallace, who bore him seven children. His death occurred at Chambersburg, Pa., at the age of sixty, and his wife died at Camden, Ohio, when eighty years old.

Oliver, our subject’s father, was the second son of Robert and Catherine Smith, and was born near Chambersburg, Pa. In Franklin County, that state, he married Miss Ann Bolton in 1794, and two children, Sallie and Robert, were born to them there. Thence they went to Scott County, Ky., where two sons, John and Bolton, were born. In 1802 they came to Butler County, Ohio, where the subject of this sketch was born, July 15, 1803. Oliver Smith entered from the Government the west half of section 30, Wayne Township, and one hundred and sixty acres comprising the northwest quarter of section 31, in the same township. Ilis wife died of asthma in 1832, aged sixty-five years, and her body was interred in the Collinsville Cemetery. He passed away when seventy-nine years old, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Sallie Burns, near Indianapolis.

The maternal grandfather of our subject, William Bolton, came from England to Pennsylvania about 1700. He learned the trade of a weaver, but afterward entered the mercantile business and carried on a store in Philadelphia. During the Revolutionary War he loaned the Government $1,500, which amount was never repaid. He was united in marriage with Sallie Grimes, and they became the parents of two sons and four daughters, one of the latter being Ann, our subject’s mother.

Our subject had one sister and three brothers, who settled in Indiana, and there died. He remained in Wayne Township, and there, May 14, 1835, was united in marriage with Miss Ann Wilson. Their union was blessed by the birth of two daughters and two sons: Mary A., Sarah J., John B. and Wilson B. Mary, the eldest, was born September 4, 1838, and died of scarlet fever April 1, 1851. Sarah J., who was born in 1840, was married May 31, 1859, to R. S. McClintock, of Bourbon County, Ky. John B., whose birth occurred in 1842, married Rachel Paullen near Middletown, Ohio, May 7, 1872. Wilson B., born in 1844, married Anna J. Patten near Millersburg, Bourbon County, Ky., June 11, 1873.

Upon the farm where they settled at the time of their marriage in 1835, Samuel Smith and his good wife continued to reside until 1873. They then retired from farm labors and removed to Seven Mile, where Mrs. Smith died July 30, 1884. Her body was laid to rest in the Collinsville Cemetery. After her death, our subject made his home with his daughter, Mrs. McClintock, and there died of paralysis, January 11, 1891, when nearly eighty-eight years of age. He and his wife had shared their joys and sorrows through nearly fifty years of wedded life, and they now lie side byr side, awaiting their final reward. When about seventeen years of age, he united with the Presbyterian Church, which had been the religious faith of his ancestors as far back as the record extends; he lived a consistent Christian life, and for more than sixty years served as a Ruling Elder in the same church.

Of the genealogical history of Mrs. Smith we note the following: Thomas Burns, of Ireland, was the father of Anthony Burns, who in that country was united in marriage with Margaret McBride. They came to America about 1775, their only child dying during the voyage across the Atlantic. They settled in Wayne Township, Butler County, where, at the age of eighty-five years, they died and were buried in the Collinsville Cemetery. After coming to this country they became the parents of eight children. Mary, the youngest of the family, was married about 1807 to Brown Wilson, who in 1800 came from England to Butler County. The third of their eight children was a daughter, Ann, who was married to our subject Mayr 14, 1835. The wife of Anthony Burns, the grandmother of Mrs. Smith, had two brothers who came to America November 5, 1775, and both served in the Revolution, being seven years under the command of George Washington. Brown Wilson was born in Knaresboro, England, February 7, 1774, and died of consumption when forty-eight mars old. His wife died near Collinsville, at the home of their daughter Margaret, when seventy-six. For more than twenty years she had suffered with cancer of the eye, and the disease finally resulted fatally.

The father of Brown Wilson spent his entire life in England, but his mother came with him to America in 1800, and here died in October, 1816. In their former home they were members of the Church of England, but united with the Presbyterian Church after settling in Butler County. Mrs. Ann Smith had five brothers and two sisters. Anthony, who died in Seven Mile in 1864, at the age of fifty-six, was married and had two children, one deceased, the other a resident of Indiana. Mathew was born m 1810 and died in 1827. Margaret, who was born in 1814 and died in 1876, left a daughter, who is now the wife of Robert Mc- Mechan, of Oxford, Ohio. Maiy, who was born in 1816, and died in January, 1868, left two sons and four daughters, all of whom established homes of their own. Brown was born in 1818 and died in 1828. Bilton, whose birth took place in 1821, passed from earth in October, 1884, in Clinton County, Ind., leaving six children. Burns was born in 1823, and departed this life April 7, 1884, leaving eight children.

Both the paternal and material ancestors of our subject were, as will be seen from the above, early settlers of Butler County. They aided in developing the agricultural resources of Wayne Township, and were people universally esteemed for upright conduct and many character.

As printed in Memorial record of Butler County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of representative citizens of the county together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States (1894). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.