~ Biographical Sketch ~

     Charles Smith was born on Wednesday, September 14, 1853, son of Leeson A. Smith Sr. and Mary A..¹

According to the US census of 1856, Charles was living at home with his parents in Millville, Clayton County, Iowa. He was recorded as age three and having been born in Iowa.²

Charles appeared on the Millville Township, Clayton County, Iowa, census of July 23, 1860 in the household of his parents. He was recorded as five years old.³

Charles was a young child 8 years old when his mother, Mary, died on February 9, 1862.⁴

Charles appeared on the Millville Township census of June 21, 1870 living at home with his father and stepmother. He was 16 and was working on the farm.⁵

Charles married Sarah C..⁶ Charles and Sarah were blessed with only one child.

The June 1, 1880 census of Millville Township shows Charles as head of household. He was a farmer aged 27. His mother [step-mother] was born in Ohio and his father in Ireland. Sarah was 24 years old, born in Iowa and keeping house. (Her parents were both born in New York.) Their son, Bert, had been born the previous November and his given age was eight months old. Bert was born in Iowa. Also living with the family was James Patterson. James was 18 years old. He was the son of Charles' sister, Jane. He had been born in Iowa, his father in North Carolina, and his mother in Missouri. James had been recorded as living at home with his divorced mother, and also in the home of another maternal uncle; William. The three previous neighbors on the list were Charles' parents, Leeson and Elizabeth Smith, and family; and his brother, William, and Mary Smith, and the family, and Charles (age 75) and Sarah Smith. (age 52).⁶

He became a widower at age 27 when his wife, Sarah, died on December 22, 1880.^7,8,9 Charles Smith married Helen E. Cooper(?).¹⁰

Five children were born to Charles and his second wife; Effie, Jessie, Esther, Carrie, and an infant who died early.¹¹

He became a widower for a second time at age 44 when his second wife, Helen, died on February 12, 1898.^10,11

At approximately 46 years old, Charles married a third time. The bride was Amanda Husenetter. They married about 1899.¹⁰

Charles appeared in the Platte Township, Butler County, Nebraska, census of June 9, 1900 as head of household. He was 47 years old. He farmed on farm schedule 19 and owned his own farm which was mortgage free.. The household also included Amanda, his third wife. She was 42 years old and was a school teacher. But she had been unemployed for the last nine months. Her parents were born in Germany. She and Charles had been married for one year and she had no children of her own. Charles' son, Bert, from his first marriage, was 20 years old and living at home. He was an insurance salesman by trade, but had been unemployed for the last five months. Charles' four daughters from his second marriage were also living at home; Effie was age 14; Jessie was nine years old; Esther was seven years old; and Carrie was four years old. All four had been born in Nebraska and had attended school in the last nine months. Also in the household were Frank Sink and Mary Stanley. Frank was helping as a farm laborer. He was 18 years old and single. He had been born in Virginia as were his parents. Mary was helping with house work. She was also 18 years old and single. She and her father were born in Iowa and her mother was born in Missouri.¹⁰

The April 28, 1910 census of Platte Township shows Charles as head of household. He was 56 years old and was farming in a general manner. He owned his own farm (mortgage free) and employed farm laborers.. Amanda was 52 years old and still had no children of her own. They had been married for ten years. Charles' four daughters were still living at home. They were Effie age 24, Jessie age 19, Esther age 17, and Carrie who was 14 years old. One of Charles' mother-in-laws was living with the family. Her name was Mary A. Browning. She was 81 years old and was the mother of four children, of whom only three were still living. She had been born in New York and her parents had both been born in the United States. It is possible that she was the mother of Charles' first or even possibly his second wife, as his third wife's parents are recorded as having been born in Germany. A young 19 year old girl named Flora Grover was living with the family. She was doing farm chores and was paid wages. She had been born in Virginia, as were her parents.¹²

Charles Smith listed as the next of kin on the World War I draft card of his son, Bert S. Smith. Charles was living at 1406 North Broad, in Fremont, Dodge County, Nebraska.^13,14

Charles was 74 years old when his step-mother, Elizabeth, died on July 22, 1928.¹⁵

He became a widower once again at age 84 when his third wife, Amanda, died on August 1, 1938.¹¹

Charles died on Thursday, September 11, 1941 in Snowflake, Manitoba, Canada, at age 87 (according to his obituary). In conflict, his gravestone shows September 11, 1940 as his date of death.¹⁶ He was laid to rest in the Edholm Cemetery in Edholm, Butler County, Nebraska.¹⁶

His obituary clipping from an unidentified Nebraska newspaper, reads ~

Charles Smith Death ~ Passed away in Canada. Interment was in Edholm Cemetery Wednesday Afternoon.

The remains of Charles Smith, who passed away Wednesday, September 11, at the home of a nephew, F. F. Smith, at Snowflake, Manitoba, Canada, were laid to rest in the Edholm cemetery Wednesday afternoon, with short service at the grave.

Charles Smith, who lacked only three days of being 87 years of age, was born at Millville, Clayton County, Iowa, September 14, 1853. Interested in agriculture and ranching, he came to Butler County in 1881 and bought a farm near Linwood, where he resided until selling out in 1916. During that time he engaged in raising pure bred stock, Aberdeen Angus cattle and Belgian horses. After disposing of his Butler county interests he invested in farm lands in Canada, where he spent most of the summers and sojourned to the warmer climate of the south in the winters.

He became interested in religion when a young man and joined the Linwood Congregational church in 1882, retaining that membership until time of his death. He freely commented about passing on to a new and better existence, where he would meet his loved ones gone before and await the arrival of those left behind.

Mr. Smith spent many of his last years in travel by automobile. As was his custom, he drove his car alone from Texas to his destination in Canada this spring.

Mr. Smith is survived by four sisters, Mrs. Ellen Bradt of Alexandria, Nebraska, Mrs. Hanna Smith of Bridgeport, Mrs. Nettie Graybill and Mrs. Effie Butters, both of Turkey River, Iowa; two brothers, John Smith of Turkey River, Iowa, and Leeson (Jr.) Smith of Adrian, North Dakota; four daughters, Miss Effie C. Smith of Glendale, California, Miss Jessie Smith of Wichita Falls, Texas, Miss Esther B. Smith of Denver, Colorado, and Mrs. Carrie Tibbs of Houston, Texas, and one son, Bert S. Smith of Lincoln, Nebraska.

Charles Smith retained many early friendships in Butler county where he was a highly respected resident for many years.¹⁶