Notes
Note N48 Index
John was in WWII as a glider pilot. He was killed D-Day, June 1944, on landing in a hedgerow in Europe.
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Note N54 Index
Census 1880 and 1900 located in Hays Co., TX
Family Legend said that "William" Smith had gone to Texas and died about 1900. A photocopy of the George R. Smith family bible records in 1987 from George Arthur Smith descendants in San Antonio, TX led to finding "Thomas" W. Smith in the 1880 and 1900 census in Hays Co., TX. Thomas William was named for his two grandfathers; Thomas Smith and William Gresham. Thomas fought in the Civil War from Oct 1863 to July 1865; Co. C 75th and Co C 22nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry. His Civil War Pension papers name his children and give their birthdays and his wife's death date. Thomas was a blacksmith and gunsmith. In 1877 he moved to San Marcos, TX. He and Nancy had eight children.
March 2001, relatives found his grave site in Menard, TX at the Pioneer Rest Cemetery. Someone has planted Iris around T.W.'s gravestone. Waiting for pictures and more information at the present.
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Note N55 Index
Notes
Note N60 Index
Research for the Boyd and Sellers Families of Southeastern NC by Midge Glor and Bob Goldsborough, 4 Jan. 2001.
William and Rebecca (Sellers) Boyd moved from South Carolina to Pike County, Alabama circa 1820.
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Note N62 Index
George and Bethsada lived on their farm near Lanesville, IN until he sold it in 1856 to George Ecksner and moved to Minnesota. The deed reads, "sold to George Ecksner for $1300.00, 80 acres, northeast 1/2 of section 30, Franklin twp. 23 Feb 1856." In September of that year they arrived at Swan Lake, Nicolet Co., Minnesota. The 1860 census shows that Bethsada's brother, William Gresham was with them. William stayed, became a Judge and a prominent citizen and died in St. Peter, MN in 1930. George and family stayed for seven years.
George's son Walter L. Smith was a boy of seven to fourteen at this time and remembered life in Minnesota with many romantic, Indian stories told to his grandchildren. "Swan Lake was a body of water, four to six miles wide and 16 miles long, east to west. Our home was near the east end, south side (about 20 yards north of present State Rt., 99, area is now a wildfowl preserve). The Minnesota River ran four miles to the South, no timber between, just a field of waving grass," remembers Walter Smith. The Smith Children played with the Indian children and gathered duck eggs from the water's edge and wild rice into a canoe. Several times, cold and hungry Indians were fed and spent the night beside their fireplace.
By 1861, the Civil War was raging in the South and Federal Treaty payments to the Minnesota Indians were delayed. Poor crop harvests left the Indians starving; and a full-scale uprising broke out. Some friendly Indians that they had been feeding warned the Smith family; so they gathered some of their personal belongings and fled to safety at the St. Peter settlement. As they left, they could see smoke rising in the distance; their neighbors' farms were already under attack. During this traumatic time, Bethsada lost an infant.
The family moved back to Crawford County, IN about 1862. Later, about 1884, the family moved again to St. Louis, MO. George and Bethsada had thirteen children.
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Reference: Newspaper notice of funeral.
"GEORGE R. SMITH DIES AT AGE OF 96
WAS PIONEER OF FRONTIER MINNESOTA
Escaped Last Great Indian Massacre And Returns to Indians With Wife And Children
George R. Smith, 96 years old, died late Monday night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. J. Gradwohl, 302 North St. Louis boulevard, death being due to the infirmities of old age. Mr. Smith was born in Lanesville, Harrison County, Indiana, April 29, 1825. He was one of the pioneers of frontier Minnesota, escaping from the last great Indian massacre there and returning with his wife and children to Indiana near the end of the civil war. He was the father of 12 children all of whom are living with the exception of one son.
Mr. Smith has several grandsons, son is serving in the navy. His father was a pensioner of the war of 1812. In 1846 he was married to Bethsada R. Gresham, of Lanesville, daughter of the late Col. William Gresham, and since her death he had made his home in this city with his daughter. The body was sent today to St. Louis, Mo., for funeral services and burial."
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Notes
Note N66 Index