John Smith1

(March 19, 1819 - January 25, 1861)
John Smith|b. Mar 19, 1819\nd. Jan 25, 1861|p1322.htm|James Smyth||p1300.htm||||||||||||||||

Relationship=Brother of Leeson A. Smith Sr..
Relationship=Great-granduncle of Rev. Don Emmet (Sr.) Smith.
Charts on which this person appears:
Smith Family in Time
John Smith (m. Ann Laurence) Descendants Chart
     John Smith was born on Friday, March 19, 1819 in Ireland, son of James Smyth.1,2

At age 22, John married Anna Laurence on Tuesday, January 25, 1842 in Ireland. Anna was 23 years old.3,4,2

Family history gleaned from Majorie Black (Renton, Washington) states that Ann Lawrence came from a wealthy family in Wickum[sic] County, Ireland. Her husband John Smyth was from a poor family. John was adventuresome and so he and Ann came to America on limited means. Their first son James was smothered between his parents (probably infant death syndrome today). After his death the couple came to America. Their next son was christened Thomas, and the third son was again named James, and was the father of Viola Smith Ludovissy. Ann always said that she knew her first son or someone else in the family was going to die before it happened because the cuckoo bird sat on the house a few days before the death and there were also knocks on the stovepipe and that also was a sign of impending death. She was very superstitious, firmly believed there were ghosts in Ireland, but stated that she never believed there were ghosts in America.5

His child, James, died about 1848 in Ireland, as a baby. He was smothered between his parents (probably infant death syndrome today)..6

John appeared in the Millville Township, Clayton County, Iowa, US census of September 2, 1850 as head of household. He was 26 years old and was a farmer. His real estate was valued at $160.. The household also included Anna, his wife. She was 30 years old. Three children were in the family at the time: Thomas was age 6, Hannah was age 4, and James was 6 months old. The previous household in the 1850 census was that of Charles and Mary Smith. Charles was 29 years old. Both of them had been born in Ireland. Charles' real estate was valued at $320. Living with them was Thomas and Deborha Laurence with their one year old son named William. Thomas was a baker and both he and Deborha were born in Ireland and William was born in Missouri. It is possible that this Laurence family was related to Ann, as their last name was the same as her maiden name.7

The John Smith household was enumerated in the 1852 Iowa State Census in Millville Township. Three males and two females were living in the home. Of the residents, two were aliens.8

The John Smith household was enumerated in the 1854 Iowa State Census in Millville Township. Three men and three women were living in the home. Among the residents, findings indicated that there was one voter and one militia..9

John Smith appeared in the Millville Township census of July 23, 1860 as head of household. He was 45 years old and a was a still farming. His real estate was now valued at $600 and the value of his personal estate was $300.10

John died on Friday, January 25, 1861 at age 41. John died when his third son, James, was 12 years old. The story goes that he was chasing a hog for a long distance and was extremely hot when a cold shower came and he was drenched, he cooled off too quickly and was stricken and died as a result.11 He was laid to rest in the Goshen Church Cemetery on Pumpkin Ridge near Turkey River in Millville Township, Clayton County, Iowa.11,4,12

On August 11, 1880, his daughter, Susan, married George D. Wentworth.13,14,15

John Smith was the great grandfather of Viola Ludovissy and Alfred Borrett.1

Children of John Smith and Anna Laurence

Citations

  1. [S170] Letter from Dorothy Palmer to Family Historian Jerry Eberhardt, Jan 28, 1983; Digital image on file Susan Noyes' Research Compilation (Prescott, Yavapai County, Arizona, USA).
  2. [S132] 1860 US Census, US Census Search, Heritage Quest Online, 1860 Iowa, Clayton Co., Millville Twsp, Series: M653 Roll: 315 Page: 989.
  3. [S339] Marriage Certificate, John Smith & Ann Lawrence marriage, Jan 25 1842, Berdina Mary Ludovissy, 313 Elkader Street #112, Strawberry Point, Clayton County, Iowa.
  4. [S71] Clayton County Genealogical Society / Box 866 Elkader - Iowa 52043, 1984 History of Clayton County Iowa (Elkader, Iowa 52043: Griffith Press, 1984), p. 404, see entry for Thomas Edward and Melissa Smith Kolker. Hereinafter cited as 1984 History of Clayton Co.
  5. [S225] Interview with Berdina Putzier (Strawberry Point, IA), by Susan Noyes, June 20 2005.
  6. [S225] Interview with Berdina Putzier (Strawberry Point, IA), by Susan Noyes, June 20 2005, (Family Group Sheet compiled by Berdina, Nov 24 1975).
  7. [S127] 1850 US Census, US Census Search, Heritage Quest Online, 1850 Iowa, Clayton, Millville Twp, Series: M432 Roll: 182 Page: 133.
  8. [S419] 1852 Iowa State Census.
  9. [S418] 1854 Iowa State Census.
  10. [S132] 1860 US Census, US Census Search, Heritage Quest Online, 1860 Iowa, Clayton, Millville Twp, Series: M653 Roll: 315 Page: 989.
  11. [S173] Clayton County Genealogical Society / Box 866 Elkader - Iowa 52043, Our First One Hundred Sixty Years, The History of Millville 1833-1993 (Elkader, Iowa 52043: Compiled by Francis Behrend and Oakland Becker, 1993), Goshen Cemetery Record of Interments, p. 154. Hereinafter cited as The History of Millville 1833-1993.
  12. [S281] Goshen Cem List, Clayton Co. IA, online URL on file. Hereinafter cited as Goshen Cem List, Clayton Co. IA.
  13. [S126] 1900 US Census, US Census Search, Heritage Quest Online, 1900, Iowa, Clayton Co., Millville Twp, Series: T623 Roll: 425 Page: 24.
  14. [S124] 1880 US Census, www.FamilySearch.org, 1880, Iowa, Clayton Co, Millville Twp, Series: T9 Roll: 333 Page: 504D.
  15. [S122] This information needs to be confirmed (it has been added here as a temporary assumption by Susan Noyes).
 


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