Reuben Peace SMITH (ID #I14838)
(male)- TITLES/'DIT' NAMES/OCCUPATIONS: farmer, miner, Civil War soldier
- BIRTH: 22 JUL 1823, Adams Co., Ohio [5343]
- DEATH: 7 FEB 1907, Alameda Co., CA [5344]
Mother: Elizabeth CHAPMAN (b. 3 DEC 1797, d. 30 SEP 1853)
Family 1 : Mary ABERNATHY (b. 1824, d. BEF 1856)
- MARRIAGE: 25 JUL 1844, Rush Co., IN
- Rebecca SMITH (b. 1846)
- MARRIAGE: 3 MAY 1852, Salt Lake City, Utah [14781]
Family 3 : Mary P. BOWERS (dates unknown)
- MARRIAGE: 10 JAN 1872, Alameda Co., CA
Family 4 : Augusta Henrietta BARTEL (b. 11 JUL 1833, d. 2 OCT 1918)
- MARRIAGE: 27 MAR 1874, North San Juan, Nevada Co., CA [14782]
- +Walter Otto SMITH (b. 16 MAR 1875, d. 13 MAR 1921)
Reuben was tall and thin, with dark curly hair. He met his second wife first while passing through St. Joseph, MO, then again in Utah, where they married. She was prevented, she told him, from escaping Utah with him, and it seemed that various people tried to make each of them believe that the other had remarried. The story continues that they finally figured out that this was not true, with the assistance of Reuben's brother Henry C. Smith, and Reuben arrived at Old Forge, Luzerne Co., PA the evening of 14 aug 1858, just in time for the death of his mother-in-law Mary Coray three days later. By 28 aug 1858, Reuben and his wife were at Dansville, Livingston Co., NY, where Reuben dictated his part of the story to Nelson Winch Green, who wrote and published Mary Ettie's account of Fifteen Years among the Mormons. But there is much more to his story!
As a result of information gleaned from records of Davis Co., IA and elsewhere, there is now enough information to attempt a chronology of his life.
He was born in Adams Co., OH, or possibly adjacent Highland Co. His family moved to Rush Co., IN along with their Chapman in-laws. The family was still living in Rush Co. when he married Mary Abernathy, probably the daughter of James Abernathy and sister of Hugh Abernathy, in 1844. The reasoning for the parentage of Mary Abernathy starts with the 1850 census: the 1850 census of Prairie Township, Davis Co., IA, lists Elizabeth Smith, Reuben's mother, with several of her children still living at home. The next family listed consists of James Abernathy, age 60, William T. Abernathy, age 21 (presumed to be the son of James), Mary Smith age 26, and Rebecca Smith, age 4 (presumed to be the daughter of Mary Smith). By 1856, Mary is gone, and Rebecca is living with the Henry C. Smith family. In 1860, the daughter has become Rebecca Abernathy and is living with the Hugh Abernathy family.
The Smith's and the Abernathy's moved to Iowa, probably a few at a time, beginning in 1839. They settled at "Stringtown" in Davis Co. On March 3, 1847, John B. Smith and his wife Elizabeth sold 50 acres to Reuben Smith. On May 7, 1849, when Reuben was about to set off for California from St. Joseph, Missouri, Reuben P. Smith and his wife Mary of Davis County sold the same land back to John B. Smith (Reuben's wife Mary's signature is not noted in the deed book, but her name appears in the deed). It seems likely that Reuben had become an adventurer by 1849, caught up in the California gold rush, and left his wife and daughter with relatives in Iowa while he attempted to get rich. This scenario casts new light on the events recounted in Fifteen Years among the Mormons. At first, Reuben's galantry in wishing to remove Mary Ettie from the Mormons while they were in Iowa might have had as its purpose something other than marriage. What is reported in the narrative is Mary Ettie's recollection of what he said and wrote, which might not be exactly what he meant. But by they time they met again in Salt Lake City, about 1851, his first wife may have been dead, and his words relating his intentions toward Mary Ettie at that time are thus very plain. That leaves the problem of the surviving daughter, Rebecca. She is last found on the census in 1860, age 13. She married in 1867, but we have no later reference. James Abernathy remained in Davis Co. In 1852 he was a referee for setting out Elizabeth Smith's dower land. Eventually, we found his gravestone dated 1853, under a hickory tree on his old farm.
The 1847 census of Davis Co., IA shows heads of households and the number of people in each household. We can identify Reuben's father John B. Smith, 7 people, his brother Henry ("H. C.") Smith, also 7 people, and the R. Smith with 3 people in the household could be Reuben. There are other Smith families in Prairie Township, however, so the identification cannot be confirmed.
But to return to the chronology: the narrative describes his first meeting with Mary Ettie in St. Joseph, Missouri. Mary Ettie had moved with her first husband to St. Joseph to run a boarding house catering to itinerant Mormons, probably during 1848. Most likely in the spring or summer of 1849, when "the weather was very warm", Reuben arrived at the boarding house looking for a room, and on his way to California "mostly on account of his health". The discovery of gold in California had only reached the midwest about September of 1848, too late in the year for travel across the mountains. Before the end of 1849, Mary Ettie had left St. Joseph and "Wallace" Henderson, her first husband, for good, and traveled to Kanesville, IA, where she stayed with her father-in-law, Samuel Henderson, Sr. It was there, probably in January, 1850, that Reuben Smith first advanced the notion of a life together. He intended to leave for California about March 1, 1850, and at that time mentioned the prospect of working in the gold mines. Reuben intended to be gold miner, though he still hoped the climate would improve his health. (The chronology proposed here is based in part on the realization that Mary Ettie's trek to Utah must have been in 1850 rather than 1849.)
When he next saw Mary Ettie, "about two years" later, it must have been in 1851, probably late enough in the year to be considered winter. He had returned from California in fine health, without striking it rich, but with sufficient resources to begin farming. He farmed in Pleasant Grove ward, Utah County, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City, and worked to establish himself with the local bishop, so that he would be allowed to marry Mary Ettie.
Mary Ettie's published account includes a "certificate of tithing", showing that Reuben was living in Pleasant Grove ward, Utah Co., UT in at least September 1851 – April 1852. The certificate was preserved because it legitimized Reuben as a Mormon in good standing, for long enough to be married to Mary Ettie. Reuben P. Smith is also shown in Utah Co., Utah in the "1850" census, which appears to have been taken in 1851. Mary Ettie reports he farmed there from about 1850 until they were married. By the end of 1852, after their marriage, R. P. Smith is shown on the Bishops' membership lists in the 15th ward of Salt Lake City, again corroborated by Mary Ettie's account. The narrative says that Reuben left for California just 15 days after his marriage, confirmed by a number of newspaper articles that coincide nicely with Mary Ettie's account. However, Mary Ettie is mistaken in saying that their marriage took place after Nathaniel V. Jones had been sent to Hindoostan (his appointment to that mission is given as August 28-29, 1852, also in the Deseret News).
Reuben's movements in 1851-1853 can be reconstructed by combining reports in the Deseret News with the information in the narrative:
The arrival of Major Holeman, the new Indian Agent, was noted in the Deseret News, August 19, 1851 (vol. 1, no. 39). Jacob H. Holeman, from Kentucky, had been nominated by President Millard Fillmore on March 7, 1851, and confirmed quickly by the US Senate. The Deseret News reported, "Mr. Holman, Indian Agent, has visited this place and returned to Laramie, to attend the great convention of Indians, with the Government agents, which is to take place Sept. 1st." While the Major was thus occupied, we can be sure Reuben was based in the area, as letters waiting for him at the Salt Lake City post office are advertised in the Deseret News as of September 30, 1851 (2 letters), June 30, 1852 (he was with Holeman in California at this time), March 31, 1853, and June 30, 1853 (2 letters, but he had already departed again for California by that date).
Reuben was establishing himself as a proper Mormon, farming at Pleasant Grove ward, during this period. At this point in the narrative, a number of episodes are inserted. At one point (p. 180 ff.), Mary Ettie is requested to visit Brigham Young in his office for "counselling". She describes this incident vividly, because it ends with her being sealed for eternity to the ward bishop, Nathaniel V. Jones, whom she thought most unpleasant. The Leonard J. Arrington collection at the Utah State Archives contains a small folder of notes relating to an unsuccessful attempt to shed some light on Mary Ettie's account, circa 1970. The file notes an entry in the "Journal History" collection for March 8, 1852, "Pres. Young sealed two couples in the office and counselled Maryette Coray at nine..." It is extremely tempting to identify this journal entry with Mary Ettie's narrative, though Dr. Arrington seems not to have worked out enough of the chronology of the narrative to make the connection.
Reuben describes his two trips to California in this period. The first time, he was in the employ of Major Holeman. This expedition is described in the May 29, 1852 issue (vol. 2, no. 15) of the Deseret News:
"Major Holman, Indian Agent, left his city about two weeks since, with an official escort of 25 or 30 men, as rumor says, on an excursion to Mary's river or Carson valley, to treat with the Indians. Wishing to know the truth of rumors, we called at the office of the Superintendent of Indian affairs for this Territory, when we were informed that no report of Major Holman's movements or designs had been received at that office. The station assigned the Major by the Superintendent was in the south part of the Territory, as we had supposed, that being the only vacancy, according to the proclamation of the Governor on that subject previous to the arrival of the Major in the Territory. We cannot put that and that together, i.e., how the Major can be on official duty, as Indian Agent, while he is several hundred miles from his post and going still further. So we are obliged to serve our readers as we are served, and leave the subject where we found it."
Major Holeman's party returned to Salt Lake City in the fall of 1852. Reuben was entrusted with the care of some of the Major's horses and mules while the Major was away. He took them south, to Pleasant Grove Ward, where he had been farming (tithing certificate shown in the narrative, and the 1851 census listing). Reuben's statement describes an incident involving stolen mules. (p. 398-400 of the 1870 edition:) "It was in the fall of 1852 that Major Hollman's party returned to the city. The major, immediately after this, went on to Fort Bridger, to look after something connected with his offical duties; and having been delayed unavoidably, he was overtaken by the snows, and was obliged to pass the winter there.
"He had left his horses and mules in my charge, and in order to procure good grass, I took them to Utah, forty miles south of the city. I left a man to look after them, and returned to Salt Lake City; and soon after, two of the mules were stolen.
"The mules were missed about the time of the passage of the Mormon train from the city to San Bernardino, in charge, I think, of Charles C. Rich and Amasy Lyman, by whom I have always believed they were taken. I advertised for them in the 'Deseret News', but the only thing that ever came of it was, the knowing laugh it occasioned among the Mormons. This was one of the many things that opened my eyes to the real state of things in Utah, and more fully determined me to leave the Territory.
"As will be seen by the beginning of chap. 23 of the foregoing Narrative, I had made arrangements to go to California with Mr. Mac. He could not delay; and although Major Hollman had not returned, I went on to Bear River leaving the horses in the care of John Hammer, a Mormon", [footnote from the narrative: "This Hammer is the brother-in-law of John Norton, the 'Danite'; whether he is himself a 'Danite' I never knew. As to Norton, see Chap. XXIV and XXV of this Narrative."] expecting Mac would join me there, and bring my wife. But it appears that after I had left the city, some horses, and other mules were stolen, and when Major Hollman returned, late in the spring, he was told by the Mormons that I had taken them.
"The major, after some trouble, found them all, except the two mules first mentioned, in the possession of the Mormons, who claimed they had bought them of me before I left, which I afterwards heard Major Hollman at first believed, but I am well satisfied he finally understood how it was, for he afterwards came to California, and passed within two miles of where he knew I was stopping; and although he spoke of me, and expressed a wish to see me, he said nothing that indicated a loss of confidence. Had I been informed of his being there at that time, I should have taken all pains to have met him; and I know I could have shown him that the hand of Mormonism was at the bottom of it. Indeed, I have since learned by my wife and others, that the mystery of the disappearance of Major Hollman's stock, was a standing joke among the Mormons at the city for a long time afterward. He is now in the States, as I understand, and I should be glad to have this statement meet his eye. My relations with him in Utah were of the most pleasant and agreeable character."
That the Major was delayed until spring is noted in the Deseret News, January 22, 1853 (vol. 3, no. 5): "Major Holeman is at Weber with animals and will not be able to come in until Spring." Shortly after Reuben left for California to sell his cattle and spirit his wife out of Utah (April 17, 1853), the Major returned and discovered some of the animals in Reuben's care had disappeared. The Utah State Archives preserves an "Affidavit of J. H. Holeman, I. A. [Indian Agent] vs. Reuben P. Smith, filed April 23, 1853":
Territory of Utah
Great Salt Lake County
Personally appeared before me, J. W. Cummings, Clerke of the Probate Court in and for the aforesaid County in the Territory of Utah, J. H. Holeman, I. A., who upon his oath deposeth and saith that sometime during the fall or winter of Eighteen hundred and fifty two or winter of Eighteen hundred and fifty three, one Reuben P. Smith did, without any permission from me, J. H. Holeman, I. A., sell and fraudulently convert to his own use thre[e] mules, the property of the U. S. Government, value three hundred Dollars. Said mules were plased in the care of the said Reuben P. Smith for him to herd, in the fall of One thousand Eight-hundred and fifty two.
I therefore pray the Probate Court in and for Great Salt Lake County to take such measures as shall bring the said Reuben P. Smith to Justice, and further deponent saith not.
Sworn to and subscribed before me, J. W. Cummings, Clerk of the aforesaid Court this 23d Day of April, A. D. 1853.
Now, Reuben says that he advertised for the two stolen mules as soon as they disappeared. The notice appeared in the Deseret News, March 19, 1853 (vol. 3, nos. 9-10): "$10 REWARD. Strayed or stolen from Utah County, Pleasant Grove ward, two dark brown Mules, branded i. A. on the left thigh. Any person returning said Mules to the subscriber in the 15th Ward or at Holliday and Warner's store shall receive the above reward. R. P. Smith." (Holliday may be the merchant identified in the narrative as Hockiday. This and similar errors may simply reflect the printer's difficulty in working from a handwritten manuscript. On the other hand, there is at least one mention of a real Hockaday in Bancroft's History of Utah.)
Reuben's account mentions several locations in California where he either mined or farmed from 1853 to 1858. So far, no documentation from this period has been found. The chronology of this period is still very tentative. He arrived probably about June or July, 1853 at Cosumnes, Sacramento Co., where he sold his cattle and then worked for about 8 months for Solomon Mizer. Solomon Mizer or Miser and his family are well documented there, and Solomon (b. 06 sep 1823, Putnam Co., OH, d. 30 sep 1876 near Cosumnes) is buried at a small cemetery in the modern development of Rancho Murieta. Next Reuben spent about 4 months mining at Spanish Camp. That brings us approximately to the fall of 1854, when Reuben says he spent 6 months at Sacramento City. Next, his brother William J. Smith came to Sacramento from Iowa, likely about May, 1854. They went to Live Oak City and bought a mining claim, which they worked for about 3 months without success. The next venture, probably in the fall of 1854, was a farm purchased on Cache Creek (Yolo County), which they kept for about 2 years, until they were dispossessed by a court order in favor of other parties, "claiming under a Spanish title". That would be in 1856, about the time a number of Mexican land claims were being settled. Finally, they moved to Suisun Valley, Solano Co., where they bought a "rancho", where they stayed until Reuben got word that Mary Ettie was still waiting for him in Pennsylvania. (Deed indexes for Solano Co. seem not to contain any record of this sojourn.)
Reuben's statement says that he left Suisun Valley, CA in July 19, 1858, two days after receiving news from Mary Ettie, and sailed to New York via the Isthmus of Panama, arriving at the residence of Mary Ettie's sister Mrs. Phebe Knapp in Old Forge,PA at dusk on August 14. His voyage is confirmed by the passenger list of the Steamship "Star of the West", arriving in New York August 13 from Aspinwall (modern Colón), Panama. If the ship arrived early on the 13th, he might really have been able to reach his destination late on the 14th. The passenger list identifies him as "R. P. Smith", age 39, laborer. The age is a few years too old, but we have come to expect that no one's age in this story is reported correctly! Most of the other passengers are listed as miners, presumably unsuccessful ones.
What happened to Reuben and Mary Ettie after they returned to Pennsylvania and New York in 1858 is not clear. No record of them has yet been found in Steuben Co., NY, where her relatives were living at the time her book was written, nor in Livingston Co., NY. Luzerne Co., PA has not been investigated, nor Pike Co., IL, though the narrative gives the names of relatives in these places. Reuben P. Smith has been found on the muster roll of the 1st Regiment of California Cavalry in the Civil War, enlisting as a Private on Jaunary 20, 1864 at Sacramento, and discharged December 31, 1866 with the rank of Sergeant, and his movements after that can be traced.
The edition of 1870 continues with a history of the Mormon religion and information about the recent developments in the struggle of the United States to enforce the rule of law in Utah. No further contact of Nelson Green with the Smith's is mentioned. We are left to assume that the couple retired from public view, as they both professed to fear retribution by the Danites.
The Reuben P. Smith who served in Company H, 1st Regiment, California Cavalry, is found on three successive censuses and other records. The directory records seem to be at least a year behind reality, as can be seen by comparison with the 1880 census. Additional records are gleaned from the Great Registers (voters' registration records for each county in California).
1867: Sacramento Township, Sacramento Co., CA: voter registration record for Reuben Peace Smith, age 43, born in Ohio.
1868: San Francisco, voter registration record for Ruben Peace Smith, age 44, born in Ohio, address Clementina between 5th and 6th.
1870: San Francisco, NARA microfilm reel 85, p. 826. R. P. Smith, age 43, teamster, born in Ohio, living with Van Dyke family from Pennsylvania.
1871: San Francisco, CA: Reuben applies for homestead at San Francisco Land Office.
1872: Alameda Co., CA: marriage of Reuben P. Smith and Mary P. Bowers, January 10.
1873: Alameda Co., CA: patent issued June 20 to Reuben P. Smith for land in section 22, T 3 S, R 1 W. Reuben was eligible for cheap land as a result of his Civil War service, when the Homestead Act was liberalized in 1872 in such a way that the timehe spent in the military, just short of 3 years, would be subtracted from the number of years he would have to work the land in order to obtain title. The property was acquired almost immediately by Charles McLaughlin, San Francisco tycoon and "railroad baron", for $1,000 in "gold coins" (10 sep 1873). The homestead application shows Reuben claimed to have a wife and "children" and had resided on the land since January, 1871.
1876-1877 directory: Reuben P. Smith, 502 Fell St.
1877-1878 directory: Reuben P. Smith, teamster, 502 Fell St.
1879: Salt Point, Sonoma Co., CA: voter registration record for Reuben P. Smith, 23 jun 1879, age 52, born in Ohio.
1880: San Francisco, 857 Harrison St., Enumeration District 104, p. 1.
- Peace Smith, age 50, born in Ohio, parents born in Ohio, works in a mill
- Augusta, wife, age 38, born in Germany
- William, son, age 15, born in California, parents born in Ohio and Germany
- Walter, son, age 5, born in California, parents born in Ohio and Germany
1880-1881 directory: Reuben P. Smith, farmer, NE corner of Gough and Grove.
1881-1882 directory: Reuben P. Smith, teamster, SW corner of Fifth and Bryant, resides 857 1/4 Harrison St.
1888: San Francisco, voter registration for Ruben Peace Smith, age 69, born in Ohio, address 6 De Hone St..
1889 affidavit for pension: 6 De Hone St., San Francisco.
1890-1891 directory: R. P. Smith, teamster, W. A. Meeker, res. 6 Dehon.
1890: San Francisco Co. "Great Register" (official list of voters), Reubin Peace Smith, age 60, born in Ohio, living at corner of Albion St. and Camp St.
1891-1892 directory: Reuben P. Smith, miller, 18 Albion Ave.
1892-1893 directory: Reuben Smith, farmer, 18 Albion.
1892: 26 Oak Grove Ave,San Francisco, California, voter registration record for Reuben Peace Smith, 18 oct 1892.
1893-1894 directory: Reuben P. Smith, expressman, 26 Oak Grove Ave. (The family was in Berkeley by then, and it is possible that Reuben was commuting to San Francisco to work.)
1898: Listed on Great Register of Alameda Co., Berkeley, First Precinct, age 75, 5'8" tall, light complexion, blue eyes, gray hair, working as teamster, address 1626 Oxford.
1900: Alameda Co., CA, Oakland Township, Berkeley, 1626 Oxford St., Enumeration District 395, p. 6.
- Reuben P. (or possibly B.) Smith, born May 1828 in Ohio, "collector", married 30 years, parents born Indiana
- Augusta H., born July 1845 in Germany, 2 children, both living
- William B., son born October 1873 in California, surveyor of mines
1900: Sale of lot at southwest corner of Albion Avenue and Camp Street, Augusta H. and Reuben P. Smith to Fannie R. Stowe, $10, reported in the San Francisco Call, 13 feb 1900.
Affidavit in Reuben P. Smith's hand,
from his pension file, 20 feb 1889.
He applied for a pension based on his Civil War service April 15, 1887 (application 606,456, certificate 540,083), and his widow Augusta H. applied for a pension April 23, 1907 (application 868,121, certificate 691,860). A marriage announcement for Reuben P. Smith and Mary Bowers appeared in the San Francisco Morning Call, 25 jan 1872, p. 4. col. 3., noting that the marriage had been celebrated at "Haywood" (Hayward), CA on January 10, 1872. (The son William is in fact a stepson.)
Proof of Reuben Peace Smith's parentage is provided by the mention in Mary Ettie's book, in Reuben's statement at the end of the narrative, that his mother Elizabeth Chapman was the sister of "Crowing" Joseph Chapman, newspaperman and politician from Indianapolis, who died while returning from the Mexican War. This person is easily identified as Joseph Peace Chapman, born in 1796, son of John Chapman and Rebecca Peace, early settlers in Adams Co., OH. Joseph's marriage to Jane Curry is recorded there (1821). It is now clear that Reuben Peace Smith must be Joseph Peace Chapman's nephew, and therefore, that we have found the right man.
Census estimates for his birthdate do not agree. His age at death is given as 83 (as of February 1907), which would suggest a birth year of 1823. Genealogist Bobby Phillips, from records of the Chapman family, gives exact date 22 jul 1823.
A more detailed discussion of our research on Fifteen Years Among the Mormons is available here.
[5343] Birthdate from Bobbye Phillips, from Chapman family records.
[5344] California Death Index.
[14781] Married by Andrew Cunningham, ward Bishop, according to Mary Ettie's narrative, and just before Reuben left for California. Official record (from Deseret News) differs somewhat.
[14782] As reported in the Reuben P. Smith pension file. They were married by an itinerant minister, and no official record has been found.
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_Reuben SMITH _______|
| (1767 - 1840) m 1788|
| |__
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_John B. SMITH ______|
| (1792 - 1849) m 1815|
| | __
| | |
| |_Sarah Beach CLARK __|
| (1773 - 1834) m 1788|
| |__
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|
|--Reuben Peace SMITH
| (1823 - 1907)
| __
| |
| _John CHAPMAN _______|
| | (1763 - 1850) m 1788|
| | |__
| |
|_Elizabeth CHAPMAN __|
(1797 - 1853) m 1815|
| __
| |
|_Rebecca PEACE ______|
(1767 - ....) m 1788|
|__