Obituary, newpaper not identified, copied from Find-a-Grave:
Mrs. Vena Ellen (Smith) Watkins, 79, died December 20, 1973 while residing in Fowler Nursing Home in Tulare. Ellen, as she was known by family and friends, was born November 12, 1894 in Famoso, Kern County, California to Ulysses S. and Ida May (Haney) Smith. The family lived for a short time in Napa County, California before moving to Tulare, California.
Ellen graduated from Tulare City High School in May, 1916 and married Chauncey C. Watkins in Tulare on December 24, 1916. She worked with her husband in the family owned laundries they owned in Tulare and Delano. After they retired from the laundry business they settled in a home they built in the outskirts of Tulare. After Chauncey died, Ellen lived in their home until her health required that she be moved to a nursing home.
Ellen is survived by her children; Dorothy Harriman, Evelyn Sachtjen and Ralph Watkins.
_Joseph SMITH _______+
| (1798 - 1867) m 1824
_William Theodore Freylinghuysen SMITH _|
| (1844 - 1917) m 1865 |
| |_Rebecca M. NEWMAN __+
| (1803 - 1875) m 1824
_Ulysses Simpson SMITH _|
| (1866 - 1951) m 1888 |
| | _James ANDERSON _____+
| | | (1796 - 1896) m 1831
| |_Elizabeth Anna ANDERSON _______________|
| (1839 - 1908) m 1865 |
| |_Mary BAIRD _________+
| m 1831
|
|--Vena Ellen SMITH
| (1894 - 1973)
| _____________________
| |
| ________________________________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Ida May HANEY _________|
(1868 - 1946) m 1888 |
| _____________________
| |
|________________________________________|
|
|_____________________
_Joseph SMITH _______+
| (1798 - 1867) m 1824
_John Foster SMITH ___|
| (1830 - 1917) m 1856 |
| |_Rebecca M. NEWMAN __+
| (1803 - 1875) m 1824
_Francis Marion SMITH _|
| (1859 - 1930) m 1893 |
| | _John WILLIAMS ______
| | | (1802 - 1868) m 1831
| |_Sarah Jane WILLIAMS _|
| (1832 - 1906) m 1856 |
| |_Nancy SMALLEY ______
| (1813 - 1874) m 1831
|
|--Verne Allen SMITH
| (1894 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
| ______________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Mary Ann LEISTER _____|
(1871 - 1930) m 1893 |
| _____________________
| |
|______________________|
|
|_____________________
_John Foster SMITH ___+
| (1830 - 1917) m 1856
_Francis Marion SMITH _|
| (1859 - 1930) m 1893 |
| |_Sarah Jane WILLIAMS _+
| (1832 - 1906) m 1856
_Verne Allen SMITH ___|
| (1894 - ....) m 1920 |
| | ______________________
| | |
| |_Mary Ann LEISTER _____|
| (1871 - 1930) m 1893 |
| |______________________
|
|
|--Verne Allen SMITH
| (1928 - 2000)
| ______________________
| |
| _______________________|
| | |
| | |______________________
| |
|_Gladys Mildred HAAS _|
(1896 - ....) m 1920 |
| ______________________
| |
|_______________________|
|
|______________________
In 1920 census, the family is in Fresno; Walter is listed as high school principal. By 1930, his widow Georgia is living with her daughter and son-in-law in San Francisco. A short article in the San Francisco Chronicle, December 19, 1908, includes his picture and says that he had served as head of the science department at Mission High School for the past 8 years, and had recently been appointed principal. By 1917, he had been principal at Petaluma for the past 6 years and was resigning, likely headed for Fresno.
[5374]
From Reuben P. Smith affidavit of Nov. 3, 1898 in regard to his pension.
[5375]
San Francisco Examiner 14 mar 1921 notes his death by accidental gunshot.
_Reuben SMITH _______
| (1767 - 1840) m 1788
_John B. SMITH _________|
| (1792 - 1849) m 1815 |
| |_Sarah Beach CLARK __
| (1773 - 1834) m 1788
_Reuben Peace SMITH _______|
| (1823 - 1907) m 1874 |
| | _John CHAPMAN _______
| | | (1763 - 1850) m 1788
| |_Elizabeth CHAPMAN _____|
| (1797 - 1853) m 1815 |
| |_Rebecca PEACE ______
| (1767 - ....) m 1788
|
|--Walter Otto SMITH
| (1875 - 1921)
| _____________________
| |
| _Johann Wilhelm BARTEL _|
| | (.... - 1855) |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Augusta Henrietta BARTEL _|
(1833 - 1918) m 1874 |
| _____________________
| |
|_Amelia _____ __________|
(.... - 1843) |
|_____________________
_Reuben SMITH _______
| (1767 - 1840) m 1788
_Joel SMITH ________________|
| (1794 - 1876) m 1814 |
| |_Sarah Beach CLARK __
| (1773 - 1834) m 1788
_John M. SMITH _________|
| (1817 - 1907) m 1845 |
| | _____________________
| | |
| |_Isabelle A. MCADOW ________|
| (1792 - 1875) m 1814 |
| |_____________________
|
|
|--Wealthy Ann SMITH
| (1857 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
| _William NESBITT ___________|
| | (1798 - 1877) |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Elizabeth Ann NESBITT _|
(1825 - 1904) m 1845 |
| _____________________
| |
|_Dorcas (Dorothy) SPURGEON _|
(1808 - 1875) |
|_____________________
_Joel SMITH _________+
| (1794 - 1876) m 1814
_Joseph A. SMITH ____|
| (1825 - 1913) m 1849|
| |_Isabelle A. MCADOW _
| (1792 - 1875) m 1814
_Joel B. SMITH ___________________|
| (1852 - 1899) |
| | _____________________
| | |
| |_Martha Ann HOGGATT _|
| (1828 - 1887) m 1849|
| |_____________________
|
|
|--Wilbert SMITH
| (1878 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
| _____________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Margaret A. "Angeline" WILLIAMS _|
(1860 - 1891) |
| _____________________
| |
|_____________________|
|
|_____________________
[11462] J. H. Harrison, compiler, Settlers of the Long Grey Trail (Dayton, VA: J. K. Ruebush, 1965) — Pg 199 : Will dtd 1753 named several children who must have died before the final will of John Smith was made in 1779.
__
|
__|
| |
| |__
|
_John SMITH _________|
| (1698 - 1779) m 1719|
| | __
| | |
| |__|
| |
| |__
|
|
|--William SMITH
|
| __
| |
| __|
| | |
| | |__
| |
|_Margaret CLARK _____|
m 1719 |
| __
| |
|__|
|
|__
_______________________________________
|
_William Archer SMITH _|
| (1875 - ....) m 1898 |
| |_______________________________________
|
_William Lewis SMITH _|
| (1898 - ....) |
| | _Charles Louis MARCELL ________________+
| | | (1847 - 1926) m 1866
| |_Etta Isadore MARCELL _|
| (1871 - 1956) m 1898 |
| |_Martha (Mattie) Josephine BURCHFIELD _
| (1850 - ....) m 1866
|
|--William SMITH
|
| _______________________________________
| |
| _______________________|
| | |
| | |_______________________________________
| |
|_Laura _____ _________|
|
| _______________________________________
| |
|_______________________|
|
|_______________________________________
_Reuben SMITH _______
| (1767 - 1840) m 1788
_John B. SMITH ______|
| (1792 - 1849) m 1815|
| |_Sarah Beach CLARK __
| (1773 - 1834) m 1788
_Henry C. SMITH _____|
| (1819 - 1878) m 1839|
| | _John CHAPMAN _______
| | | (1763 - 1850) m 1788
| |_Elizabeth CHAPMAN __|
| (1797 - 1853) m 1815|
| |_Rebecca PEACE ______
| (1767 - ....) m 1788
|
|--William SMITH
| (1845 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
| _____________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Sarah Ann JUNKINS __|
(1821 - 1856) m 1839|
| _____________________
| |
|_____________________|
|
|_____________________
_____________________
|
_______________________|
| |
| |_____________________
|
_James Polk SMITH ___________|
| (1844 - 1923) m 1866 |
| | _____________________
| | |
| |_______________________|
| |
| |_____________________
|
|
|--William A. SMITH
| (1876 - ....)
| _Samuel MCCOY _______+
| | (1797 - 1882) m 1819
| _John Alexander MCCOY _|
| | (1825 - 1880) m 1845 |
| | |_Sally PILSON _______+
| | (1796 - 1835) m 1819
|_Elmina (Emily?) Jane MCCOY _|
(1846 - 1911) m 1866 |
| _Edward PERRY _______+
| | (1800 - 1875) m 1821
|_Nancy PERRY __________|
(1822 - 1903) m 1845 |
|_Lucy HARPER ________
(1802 - 1851) m 1821
Possibly this is the William A. Smith who m. May M. Moore in 1907.
_Joel SMITH ________________+
| (1794 - 1876) m 1814
_John M. SMITH _________|
| (1817 - 1907) m 1845 |
| |_Isabelle A. MCADOW ________
| (1792 - 1875) m 1814
_Joel L. SMITH ______|
| (1845 - 1928) m 1865|
| | _William NESBITT ___________
| | | (1798 - 1877)
| |_Elizabeth Ann NESBITT _|
| (1825 - 1904) m 1845 |
| |_Dorcas (Dorothy) SPURGEON _
| (1808 - 1875)
|
|--William A. SMITH
| (1887 - 1914)
| ____________________________
| |
| ________________________|
| | |
| | |____________________________
| |
|_Martha A. MILLER ___|
(1848 - 1936) m 1865|
| ____________________________
| |
|________________________|
|
|____________________________
__________________________
|
______________________|
| |
| |__________________________
|
_A. E. SMITH ______________________|
| (1836 - ....) m 1868 |
| | __________________________
| | |
| |______________________|
| |
| |__________________________
|
|
|--William Alexander SMITH
| (1874 - ....)
| _James MCDOUGALL _________+
| | (1783 - 1862) m 1805
| _Alexander MCDOUGALL _|
| | (1815 - 1874) m 1847 |
| | |_Jennet (Jane) ROBERTSON _
| | (1783 - 1856) m 1805
|_Jane (Jennie) Crawford MCDOUGALL _|
(1848 - ....) m 1868 |
| __________________________
| |
|_Martha Jane NELSON __|
(1826 - 1894) m 1847 |
|__________________________
Evidently the son of James H. Smith b. ?? may 1852 PA who was living next to this family in the 1900 census, Iowa Tp., Doniphan Co., KS, ED 40, p. 11. By 1910, William Smith's family had relocated to Neosho Co., KS, where he is listed as "stillman, oil refining". In 1920, they are living at 1731 Sargent Ave., Joplin, Jasper Co., MO.
[6091] Reuben P. Smith pension application, 22 mar 1915.
_____________________
|
_Reuben SMITH _______|
| (1767 - 1840) |
| |_____________________
|
_Reuben Plummer SMITH _|
| (1837 - 1924) m 1859 |
| | _Frederick STARN ____+
| | |
| |_Maryann STARN ______|
| (1794 - 1850) |
| |_Mary Ann _____ _____
|
|
|--William C. SMITH
| (1862 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
| _O. HUFF ____________|
| | (1811 - 1860) |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Mary Ann HUFF ________|
(1841 - 1933) m 1859 |
| _____________________
| |
|_____________________|
|
|_____________________
_John B. SMITH ______+
| (1792 - 1849) m 1815
_Henry C. SMITH ______|
| (1819 - 1878) m 1839 |
| |_Elizabeth CHAPMAN __+
| (1797 - 1853) m 1815
_Guynn B. SMITH ________|
| (1854 - 1921) m 1874 |
| | _____________________
| | |
| |_Sarah Ann JUNKINS ___|
| (1821 - 1856) m 1839 |
| |_____________________
|
|
|--William H. SMITH
| (1876 - 1905)
| _____________________
| |
| _Bernard BLACKABY ____|
| | (1827 - 1862) m 1853 |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Anna Melissa BLACKABY _|
(1857 - 1925) m 1874 |
| _William HUMMEL _____
| | (1811 - ....) m 1834
|_Mary Emeline HUMMEL _|
(1835 - 1913) m 1853 |
|_Nancy M. WILCOXEN __
(1811 - 1883) m 1834
If the William Smith age 31 b. Ohio on the Civil War draft register of 1863 in Solano Co., CA is him, that would make his birthdate about 1832. Last known in Solano Co., CA about 1858. William's guardian Josiah I. Earhart, former probate judge of Davis Co., IA, was released 01 mar 1854, implying that William had recently reached the age of 21. His brother Reuben's stepson William B. Synon recalled meeting Reuben's brother "Joseph", so perhaps that was William J. Smith's middle name. Where he was born is still uncertain, as the family must have moved from Ohio to Rush Co., Indiana sometime between about 1830 and 1835.
The William J. Smith who appears in some of the early records of Solano Co. obtained a homestead patent in the NW 1/4 of section 19, T7N, R2E of the Mt. Diablo Meridian. He had occupied the land since September, 1857, apparently before the land was offered for sale at the San Francisco Land Office, and applied for the homstead in 1863. As a final step in obtaining the patent, the Western Pacific Railroad, which had been granted most of the odd-numbered sections in that area as payment for constructing the railroad, waived its claim to his land on July 14, 1868. The application and affidavits show that William had a wife and three children as of that date (see below, at least this information matches the family of a William Jasper Smith on the 1880 census), and had built a house and two barns, fenced the property, and made about $1,000 worth of improvements. Unfortunately, there seems to be no information in the homestead application that could prove his relationship to Reuben P. Smith. The only Smith that could be same man in the 1860 census seems not to be ours.
Another possibility is the William Jasper Smith who appears on the voter registration records. As of 23 jun 1879, he was at Salt Point, Sonoma County, CA, age 44, born in Ohio. He is on the 1880 census at Salt Point with wife Delila, age 33, born in Missouri, and children George (born about 1863, possibly the George Morgan Smith on the 1930 census of San Benito, San Benito Co., CA, widower), Belle (born about 1866), James (born about 1868), and Lilly (born about 1877), all born in California. The same William J. Smith on the 1900 census of Washington Township, Alameda Co., CA, born in November 1833, age 66, with wife Delila. They had been married for 39 years (thus married about 1861) and Delila was the mother of 5 children, 4 still living. In 1920, William and Delila are in San Francisco, living with their daughter Lilian and her husband Theodore Ruge. Delilah died 24 mar 1927, age 80, and William J. died 16 apr 1927, age 93, both in San Benito Co. Whether this might be the brother of Reuben P. Smith is a complicated question. There were at least two other men named William Jasper Smith, both about the same time (one born in Virginia, the other in Missouri), who settled in California, the second (wife Elizabeth) in Sonoma Co.
However, we now know that this William Jasper Smith was in fact born in Rush Co., Indiana, as stated on the Great Register for 1892 (13 aug 1892, at Irvington, Alameda Co., California, age 58, thus born about 1834).
[5385]
last known location: went to live with Reuben P. Smith at a rancho in Suisun Valley, CA, from which Reuben P. departed to relocate his wife on July 19, 1858.
__
|
_Reuben SMITH _______|
| (1767 - 1840) m 1788|
| |__
|
_John B. SMITH ______|
| (1792 - 1849) m 1815|
| | __
| | |
| |_Sarah Beach CLARK __|
| (1773 - 1834) m 1788|
| |__
|
|
|--William J. SMITH
| (1832 - 1858)
| __
| |
| _John CHAPMAN _______|
| | (1763 - 1850) m 1788|
| | |__
| |
|_Elizabeth CHAPMAN __|
(1797 - 1853) m 1815|
| __
| |
|_Rebecca PEACE ______|
(1767 - ....) m 1788|
|__
____________________________
|
_______________________________________|
| |
| |____________________________
|
_William Archer SMITH _|
| (1875 - ....) m 1898 |
| | ____________________________
| | |
| |_______________________________________|
| |
| |____________________________
|
|
|--William Lewis SMITH
| (1898 - ....)
| _Charles Marc Louis MARCEL _+
| | (1803 - 1884) m 1827
| _Charles Louis MARCELL ________________|
| | (1847 - 1926) m 1866 |
| | |_Elizabeth Ann UTLEY _______
| | (1812 - 1893) m 1827
|_Etta Isadore MARCELL _|
(1871 - 1956) m 1898 |
| ____________________________
| |
|_Martha (Mattie) Josephine BURCHFIELD _|
(1850 - ....) m 1866 |
|____________________________
_____________________
|
_____________________|
| |
| |_____________________
|
_Harry SMITH ________|
| (1799 - 1872) m 1826|
| | _____________________
| | |
| |_____________________|
| |
| |_____________________
|
|
|--William N. SMITH
| (1838 - ....)
| _George URAN ________+
| | (.... - 1801)
| _Joseph URAN ________|
| | (1769 - 1862) m 1794|
| | |_Mary _____ _________
| | (.... - 1801)
|_Betsey URAN ________|
(1800 - 1839) m 1826|
| _____________________
| |
|_Lucy SHEPHERD ______|
(1769 - 1815) m 1794|
|_____________________
[14925] Bk 5, p 559.
_Reuben SMITH _______
| (1767 - 1840) m 1788
_Joel SMITH ________________|
| (1794 - 1876) m 1814 |
| |_Sarah Beach CLARK __
| (1773 - 1834) m 1788
_John M. SMITH _________|
| (1817 - 1907) m 1845 |
| | _____________________
| | |
| |_Isabelle A. MCADOW ________|
| (1792 - 1875) m 1814 |
| |_____________________
|
|
|--William N. SMITH
| (1855 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
| _William NESBITT ___________|
| | (1798 - 1877) |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Elizabeth Ann NESBITT _|
(1825 - 1904) m 1845 |
| _____________________
| |
|_Dorcas (Dorothy) SPURGEON _|
(1808 - 1875) |
|_____________________
_Reuben SMITH _______
| (1767 - 1840) m 1788
_Joseph SMITH _______|
| (1798 - 1867) m 1824|
| |_Sarah Beach CLARK __
| (1773 - 1834) m 1788
_William Theodore Freylinghuysen SMITH _|
| (1844 - 1917) m 1865 |
| | _John NEWMAN ________
| | |
| |_Rebecca M. NEWMAN __|
| (1803 - 1875) m 1824|
| |_Hanna FOSTER _______
|
|
|--William Owen SMITH
| (1878 - 1950)
| _Robert ANDERSON ____
| | (.... - 1859)
| _James ANDERSON _____|
| | (1796 - 1896) m 1831|
| | |_Elizabeth DICKEY ___
| | (.... - 1859)
|_Elizabeth Anna ANDERSON _______________|
(1839 - 1908) m 1865 |
| _James BAIRD ________
| |
|_Mary BAIRD _________|
m 1831 |
|_Mary ROBINSON ______
[6111] From bible records of several branches of the family. However, most of the documents relating to William S. Smith show 25 dec 1838.
_____________________
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_____________________|
| |
| |_____________________
|
_Reuben SMITH _______|
| (1767 - 1840) |
| | _____________________
| | |
| |_____________________|
| |
| |_____________________
|
|
|--William S. SMITH
| (1838 - 1909)
| _Joseph STARN _______
| |
| _Frederick STARN ____|
| | |
| | |_Catherine BONER ____+
| |
|_Maryann STARN ______|
(1794 - 1850) |
| _____________________
| |
|_Mary Ann _____ _____|
|
|_____________________
Various spellings of the middle name have survived; this one comes from Mrs. Evelyn D. Smith of Gettysburg, SD, widow of a descendant of his brother John Foster Smith. There are also at least two versions of the death date. The California death index has 2 possible matches among William T. Smiths who died in Los Angeles Co.: #15-030739 died 03 oct 1915, age 70, and #17-001513 died 27 jan 1917, age 72. A visit to Westwood veteran's cemetery did not resolve the problem, but revealed another possible date! The only William T. Smith on the computerized index there who is near the expected year is Wm. T. Smith, Co. D 30 IA INF, d. 16 sep 1919. This is evidently a different man, as the CA Death Index gives his age as 77, and our Wm. T. F. is supposed to have served in the IL Infantry. One possible explanation is that he may have died at the Sawtelle facility but was buried elsewhere, or that the biographical sketch at the Tulare Historical Society is simply the result of faulty research.
Chronology: 1864, 1866, 1869 - passed McLean Co., IL School Commissioners' test for teaching.
1870 - Lawndale Tp., McLean Co., IL
1872, December 10 - Lexington, McLean Co., IL, patented an improved Check-Row Corn Planter (Patent no. 133,808).
1875 - moved away to study medicine, then established practice at Bloomington, McLean Co., IL.
1879, February 25 - Granted M. D. from Rush Medical College (date given in list of licenses to practice medicine and surgery by Board of Medical Examiners for the tate of California, 08 mar 1892, as reported in Occidental Medical Times, 3:371, June, 1892).
1880 - Bloomington, McLean Co., IL
1880-1883 - Listed as physician, 93 Prairie Street, Bloomington, IL.
1887 - Tulare Co., CA (double wedding picture)
1892, March 8 - Tehachapi, CA, licensed to practice medicine and surgery by California Board of Medical Examiners.
1893 - Tehachapi, CA
1898 - left Tulare, probably moving to Napa
1900 - Napa, apparently physician at State Hospital there?
1914, July 23 - admitted to Pacific Branch, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (Sawtelle, Los Angeles, CA).
1917, January 27 - died at the Sawtelle facility, according to the register there. He died of lobar pneumonia.
Biographical sketch at Tulare Historical Society puts study of medicine at Rush Medical College prior to Civil War! This sketch also says that in 1872 he became a doctor with Southern Pacific Railroad. He established Smith College about 1885, closed in mid-1890's due to departure of the railroad. It is difficult to square this account with the chronology established above! Moreover, the chronology is also completely at variance with the account given by Evelyn Smith's branch of the family, which placed his practice on Market Street in San Francisco!
Research by family members has finally resolved the question, and added many details. Their notes reveal that Dr. Smith filed a petition 29 apr 1892 for a pension based on his service in Company B, 152d Illinois Infantry, and Company G, 69th Illinois Infantry. After the death of his first wife, he remarried in Los Angeles in 1909, and a copy of the certificate for this marriage was included in his pension file. And, at last, the location of his grave is identified: Section 33, Row G, Grave 9. in the Veteran's Cemetery in Los Angeles.
__
|
_Reuben SMITH _______|
| (1767 - 1840) m 1788|
| |__
|
_Joseph SMITH _______|
| (1798 - 1867) m 1824|
| | __
| | |
| |_Sarah Beach CLARK __|
| (1773 - 1834) m 1788|
| |__
|
|
|--William Theodore Freylinghuysen SMITH
| (1844 - 1917)
| __
| |
| _John NEWMAN ________|
| | |
| | |__
| |
|_Rebecca M. NEWMAN __|
(1803 - 1875) m 1824|
| __
| |
|_Hanna FOSTER _______|
|
|__