The Smith Family

"In this history, I want to relate some of the events, experiences, and hardships that our ancestors endured, so that the future generations may know of their struggles." So began the introduction to Elmer Smith's "The Ellis County Smiths" written in 1965.

The first ancestor, John Smith, born November 13, 1790 in Georgia, migrated to Alabama before 1819, and to Louisiana between 1839 and 1842 where he died September 12, 1870, in Union Parish. He married Fannie (last name unknown) ca 1817, in Alabama. She was born Feb. 16, 1798, in Georgia; and died December 12, 1864, Union Parish, La. Both are buried in Liberty Cemetery, Union Parish. Issue:

5. John A. Smith born 1826 Ala; died June 13, 1877; buried Liberty Cemetery, Union Parish, La;. married Matilda Hewitt Oct. 19, 1850. No issue recorded.

6. William C. Smith, born November 6, 1828, in Ala.; died and buried in Farmerville, Union Parish, La.; married Elizabeth A. Manning March 21, 1856. No issue recorded.

7. Harriett Smith, born 1830; died and probably buried in La.. She married William H. Plummer.

9. Benjamin F. Smith, born July 17, 1833; died Aug. 11, 1868; buried Liberty Cemetery, Union Parish, La.; married Ann Glosson. No issue.

10. Oliver Perry Smith, born 1839, Alabama; died Aug. 11, 1868, buried Liberty Cemetery, Union Parish, La.; mar. Ann Glosson. No issue recorded.

Joseph W. Smith was born March 13, 1819, in Alabama, and died December 21, 1890, in Avalon. He married Mary Jane Kelley about 1842 in Union Parish, La. She was born October 3, 1825, and died May 6, 1906 in Avalon. Both are buried in Hughes Cemetery. This family came to Texas in 1867 in wagons drawn by oxen, and (as told by his grandson, Elmer), some of these were "really mean ‘critters'." "They could only make a few miles in a day, on account of the slow ‘critters', mud and deep ruts. Often they would have to cut new roads when the ruts were too deep for the wagons. Sometimes they would camp two or three days to graze their animals, repair their equipment, hunt and fish for meat, and gather berries and other edible plants." When they came to the prairie land of Ellis County, they fell in love with its deep, black, fertile soil, and its climate. Joseph W. and his son, John W. A. Smith, were in the Confederate Army, but did not get into the great battles; thus they were able to return to their families after the War. Issue: (all but Eugenia b. La.):

1.	Elizabeth Smith, born 1844; died 1870, probably La.; married Sam Love.
2.	John W. A. Smith, born Jan. 24, 1847; died March 13, 1935; bur. Italy Cemetery; married Charlotte Turner (b. Feb. 22, 1856; d. Dec. 9, 1937, Italy). All of the children listed below were born at Avalon.
	(1)	Mary E. Smith, born in 1875. (No other information)
	(2)	William B. (Willie) Smith, born August 25, 1877, in Avalon, died January 31, 1948; s buried Hughes Cemetery;.m/1 Lula Dodson. Issue:
		I.	Russell Smith, born August 25, 1901, married 1st Daisy McNorton, married 2nd Eileen Harper, no issue.
		II.	Ruby Dan Smith, born September 23, 1909.
		III.	William Sam Smith. born October 24, 1911.
		William B. Smith m/2 Grace ________ . (According to Elmer Smith in 1965, her name was then Mrs. Grace Clemens and she was in a rest home in Arlington, Texas.)
	(3)	Otis Smith, born in 1879.
	(4)	Pearl Smith, born September 26, 1884..
	(5)	Clyde Wilson Smith, born August 14, 1866.
	(6)	John F. Smith, born ca 1890/91, died in 1964; married ____ Brantley in Dallas, Texas.
3.	George Byron Smith, born 1849 Union Parish, La., married Mollie Harris of Italy, Texas. They died the same day in May, 1928, San Angelo, Tom Green County, Texa., and are buried in Miles Cemetery, Runnels County, Texas. Issue:
	(1)	Edna Earl Smith, born January 26, 1886.
	(2)	Roy Byron Smith , born 1887, Ellis County; never married and died 1929 in a VA Hospital, El Paso, Texas.
4.	Marcellus Augustus (Gus) Smith, born November 12, 1851, Union Parish, La.; moved to Ellis County in 1867 and to Shackelford County January 1, 1907. where he died May 12, 1932.; married Mary Jane Stovall November 12, 1885, Ellis County. (She born October 1, 1858, Hardin County, Kentucky; died May 3, 1950 Graham, Young County, Texas.) Both buried Albany Cemetery, Albany, Texas. Issue: (all born Ellis County):
	(1)	Eva Smith, born July 8, 1887, died July 25, 1925, Shackelford County; buried Albany Cemetery.
	(2)	Elmer Smith, born January 31, 1889.
	(3)	Jessie Blanche Smith, born March 7, 1891.
	(4)	Joseph Luther Smith, born November 7, 1893, died of influenza October 17, 1918, Camp Albert Mills, Hempstead, L. I., buried Albany Cemetery.
	(5)	Carroll Perry Smith, born October 1, 1895.
	(6)	Gussie Mary Mavis Smith, September 29, 1899.
	(7)	Effie Mae Smith, born September 6, 1901.
5.	Thomas F. Smith, born March 21, 1855, in Union Parish, La.; came with parents to Ellis County 1867, and lived in Avalon area until his death November 7, 1935. He owned about 600 acres of land, all of which were fenced, and 350 acres were conducted by tenants. He m/1 May 1882 Amanda I. Hughes, daughter of Jerry Hughes (who came to Texas about 1855 and settled near Avalon). Amanda was b. Sept. 23, 1850, Ellis County and died June 15, 1902. Both are buried in Hughes Cemetery. Issue: (all b. Avalon, Ellis County):
	(1)	Thomas William Franklin Smith , born December 5, 1884.
	(2)	Lallie Mae Smith, born June 10, 1887.
	(3)	Mary Kate Smith, born ca 1888/9, died at 6 months of age.
	(4)	Lorena Margaret Smith , born July 29, 1891.
	Thomas F. Smith m/2 Nora (Pafford) Comer. Issue:
	(1)	Anna Lois Smith , born July 5, 1906.
6.	Joseph Claiborne (Clabe) Smith, born March 21, 1857, Union Parish, La.; mar. Emma ______ Dec. 5, 1894 at Avalon. She was born April 18, 1878 and died July 7, 1941. Both died at Moran, Texas, and are buried in Albany Cemetery. They had five children, all but Mildred Edith born in Avalon. She was born in Stephens County, Texas. [other names not given]
7.	Francis Marion Smith, born September 2, 1859, Union Parish, La., died Ellis County. He married Sarah Jamima ______.
8.	Margaret E. Smith, born February 3, 1862; married ca 1885 John Boyles Hemphill. Their children born at Avalon. [names not given]
9.	James Henry Smith, born December 15, 1865, Union Parish, La.; died July 30, 1942, at Avalon; married Nov. 15, 1896 Lenora Maria Fuston ( born November 14, 1873; still living at Avalon when Elmer Smith wrote the Smith history in 1965.) Issue:
	(1)	Roger Glenn Smith, born September 19, 1897.
	(2)	Aubrey Delwin Smith, born April 15, 1899, married Ronnie Ward; lived McKinney, Texas. No issue.
	(3)	Cleo Vern Smith, born August 24, 1900.
	(4)	Lee Vogel Smith (twin), born and died August 24, 1900.
	(5)	Herschel Henry Smith, born March 16, 1910.
10.	Eugenia (Sis) Smith, born 1870, Avalon, Texas; died 1950 San Angelo, Tom Green County, Texas; buried in Miles Cemetery, Runnels County, Texas; m. ca 1888 Thomas Manning of Avalon. He died San Angelo, Tex. and is buried at Italy, Ellis County. All their children were born at Avalon except Thomas Olin who was born in Tom Green County, Tex. Issue:
	(1)	Eunice Smith, born May 2, 1890.
	(2)	Mamie Smith, born September 12, 1895.
	(3)	Rena Smith, born March 27, 1898.
	(4)	Thomas Olin Smith, born May 9, 1906.

George W. Smith was born February 27, 1831 in Alabama and died December 7, 1879. He had moved to Texas by 1850 and he and his brother, Joseph, settled in a section of land south and west of Avalon. Later, all seven sons of Joseph W. Smith, their families, and their great uncle, George W. Smith, lived on adjoining farms.

George Smith m/1 Abbey Pace (no issue) and m/2 in 1882 Amanda I. Hughes (Sept. 23, 1850-June 15, 1902 ) Both bur. Hughes Cemetery. (George was a nephew of Thomas F. Smith). Issue 2nd marriage:

Mrs. A. L. Feltenberger copied this Bible record in 1963. It was then in the possession of Berta Smith, Waxahachie, Texas.

At J. D. Martin on the 20th of Oct. In the year of our Lord One Thousand (Eight Hundred) and 95 in the presence of S. E. Kennon, Jim Hughes, Maud Moberly, W. S. McKinsie, Linnie Faucett.

1. "The Ellis County Smiths," compiled by Elmer Smith, 1965; located in vertical files at Sims Library, Waxahachie, Tex.

2. Memorial & Biographical History of Ellis County, Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, Ill. 1892.

Pioneers of Ellis County

The Smith Family