William J. Smith

As printed in 1881

WILLIAM J. SMITH.

This gentleman was born in Carroll county, Missouri, on the loth day of September, 1829. His grandfather, on the material side, Mr. Barnes was a native of Germany, who settled, at an early day, in Boonslick, Virginia, and lived there during the war of American independence. Mr. Barnes was the brother-in-law of Daniel Boone, the great Kentucky pioneer. The father of the subject of this sketch, George Smith, was a farmer of Carroll county, Missouri. He was accidentally drowned while on a bee hunt in Livingston county. William J. Smith was educated in the schools of his native county, and at the age of twenty-one years commenced teaming in the town of Dewitt, and followed that business for ten years. In September, 1850, he was married to Miss Minerva Smith, daughter of Mr. Moses Smith, of Carroll county. Though this lady had the same name, she was not connected by blood relationship to Mr. Smith. He removed to Tarrant county, Texas, in the autumn of 1853, and farmer there for about four years, and then came back to Dewitt. Soon after his return, in 1858, his wife died, and he was married again to Mrs. N. A. Adkins, a widow. Mr. Smith is the father of four children, whose mother was his first wife. Three of them are living and married. Six months after his second marriage, Mr. Smith removed to Ray county, and bought the farm upon which he lives. It now includes two hundred and twenty-seven acres of rich and productive land. Mr. Smith's favorite occupation is dealing in live stock, but his health has been so poor of late, as to prevent his engaging in that business. He is a successful farmer and a sharp, shrewd and experienced trade. He is also a good neighbor and a valuable citizen.

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.