03/03/1996: Ephraim SMITH is my g-grandfather. Ephriam married Mary Jeseba SMITH-SMITH (maiden name was also SMITH). According to family lore one of these two SMITH lines is descendant of Captain John Smith. The one that helped established the Jamestown, VA, settlement. What little research I have done about this claim leads me to believe that John was a "ladies man" and played the part very well. To date, I have not uncovered any information that makes me believe that he ever settled down and attempted to raise a family. With his reported lifestyle I can quickly believe that he "planted" his seeds in many ports and with many women. However, I cannot completly dismiss this claim because it apparently was very important to my ancestors that we descendants remember this connection. Please, see my story in the Family Folk Lore Section. Any insight into this claim would be greatly appreciated. Also, I would like to hear from you should your family lore have a similar claim. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ephriam ?. SMITH was born on 4 Feb 1827 in Manchester, Maryland or Pennsylvania; died on 6 Jul 1907 in Wheatland, Knox County, IN; buried in Wheatland City Cemetery, Knox County, IN; occupation in 1900 in hotel keeping. He married Mary Jeseba SMITH on 4 Mar 1861 in place unknown. They had the following children: Eliza S. SMITH (Lida) (b. 27 Dec 1862), George A. SMITH (b. 28 Dec 1865), Omema E. SMITH (Oma) (b. 24 Oct 1867), Mary Josephine SMITH (b. 9 Jun 1871), Anna Rebecca SMITH (b. 25 Sep 1873), Thomas Ephriam SMITH (b. 28 Jul 1876), Sallie May SMITH (Sadie) (b. 19 Oct 1878), Eugene S. SMITH (b. 4 Jan 1881). Individual note: (1) The spelling of Ephriam's (Ephraim) name is in question. Since it appears as Ephriam in most official documents this is the assumed correct spelling. (2) Decendents of Ephriam and Mary obtained from Norma Louise (Williams) Ritter. (3) According to Norma Louise (Williams) Ritter, Smith family-lore has them as being decendents of Captain John Smith who helped establish the first permanent English settlement, Jamestown, VA, in 1607. (This is a very interesting claim for any family line -- I plan to investigate this claim.) (4) Obituary -- The Vincennes Sun, July 8, 1907: "OBITUARY -- Mr. Ephriam Smith one of the old pioneers of Steen township died at his home in Wheatland Saturday, July 6, 1907, aged 80 years, 5 months and 20 days. Deceased was born in Manchester, Maryland, February 4, 1827. He married Mary J. Smith of Dillsbury, Pa., March 4, 1861. To this union seven children were born, six of whom survive him. The two boys, George A. and Thomas E., are telegraph operators on the Sante Fe route, the former living at Liberty Hills, Texas, and the latter at Somerville, Texas. Mr. Smith's daughters are all married. They are Mrs. Lydia Weaver, Mrs. Oma Pennington, Mary J. Williams and Mr. Anna R. Hand, living, and Sadie May Smith, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Eph. Smith came to Knox county about thirty-five years ago and bought a farm two miles east of Wheatland. In 1890 they moved to Wheatland where the have resided ever since that time. During that time Mr. Smith was in the general merchandise business for a few years. He was always honest and upright in his dealings and was well thought of by all his customers. Mr. Smith was a faithful and valuable member of the Smyrna Presbyterian church. He loved to read his bible better than anything else, and during the last few years has read the New Testament through quite a number of times. He was an affectionate husband and father and will be missed among his relatives and many friends, but God's, and not ours, will, be done, as He knows what is best for all of us, and if we will believe and trust in Him as this man has done we will receive our great reward...........". (5) Obituary -- The Vincennes Morning Commercial, July 9, 1907: "SMITH -- Ephriam Smith, aged 80 years, 5 months and 20 days, died at his home near Wheatland Saturday. The funeral was held Monday morning and interment was made in the Wheatland cemetery. The deceased leaves a wife and six children, Mrs. Lyda Weaver, Mrs. Oma Pennington, Mrs. John Williams, Mrs. James Hand, and two sons, George and Thomas, who are telegraph operators in Texas." (6) INTV -- Michael Edward WICK, 26 Jun 1993, Ephriam ?. Smith is of Holland Dutch descent. Born note: (1) US Census of years 1870 and 1880 have Ephriam listed as being born in Pennsylvania, however, according to his obituary he was born in Manchester, Maryland. (2) KCDR -- Mary J. Smith, book H36, page 2, identifies John Smith's birthplace as Pennsylvania -- informant was Anna Hand. Died note: (1) 22 June 1993, according to Knox County Health employees death records book H33 was sent out to be indexed and was lost. Only the index of this book survives. CN: This is a sad note in that the death records many time mentions the names of the parents of the deceased. Individual source: (1) JVH1992. (2) 1870 US Census, Steen Township, Knox County, IN, page __. (3) 1880 US Census, Steen Township, Knox County, IN, pages 9 & 10. (4) 1900 US Census, Steen Township, Knox County, IN, page __. (5) NLW-Feb1993. (6) EES--Oct1994. (7) 1880 Knox County Census (reprint), page 71. (8) 1870 Knox County Census (reprint), page 167. Occupation source: (1) 1900 USCensus. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mary Jeseba SMITH was born on 30 Jan 1840 in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania; died on 4 Nov 1915 in Wheatland, Knox County, IN; buried on 7 Nov 1915 in Wheatland, Knox County, IN; occupation about 1900 in house keeping. She married Ephriam ?. SMITH on 4 Mar 1861 in place unknown. They had the following children: Eliza S. SMITH (Lida) (b. 27 Dec 1862), George A. SMITH (b. 28 Dec 1865), Omema E. SMITH (Oma) (b. 24 Oct 1867), Mary Josephine SMITH (b. 9 Jun 1871), Anna Rebecca SMITH (b. 25 Sep 1873), Thomas Ephriam SMITH (b. 28 Jul 1876), Sallie May SMITH (Sadie) (b. 19 Oct 1878), Eugene S. SMITH (b. 4 Jan 1881). Individual note: (1) Mary's maiden name was Smith also (ref: Family Bible, Anna Rebecca Smith; Letter from Norma Louise (Williams) Ritter). I have found Mary's middle name spelled two different ways, "Jeseba" and "Joseba" (ref: NLW--Feb1993); my tendacy is to believe the "Jeseba" spelling is more correct (ECH--Nov1993). (2) Obituary -- The Vincennes Sun (Daily), Nov 5, 1915: "SMITH -- Mary J. Smith, a well known lady in Wheatland, died this morning at the family residence. The deceased was born in Pennsylvania Jan 20, 1840. She is survived by four brothers who reside in Pennsylvania and three sisters Mrs. Oma Pennington, Mrs. Mary Williams and Mrs. Anna Hand. One daughter, Mrs. Lydia Weaver who preceeded her to the grave two years ago and is also survived by 30 grand children and 16 great grandchildren. No arrangements for the funeral have been made." NOTE: The "three sisters" mentioned in the above obituary are actually Mary's daughters (ref: overwhelming evidence to the contrary). (3) Obituary -- Vincennes Morning Commercial, Nov 6, 1915: "SMITH -- Mrs. Mary J. Smith, a well known and highly respected lady of Wheatland, widow of the late Ephriam Smith, prominent farmer and merchant whose death occurred about five years ago, died at the family residence Thursday night, following an illness of several months. The deceased was born in Pennsylvania Jan. 20th, 1840 and came to this county when quite young. The deceased is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Charles Pennington, Mrs James Head and Mrs. John Williams, of Wheatland, also two sons, George A., of Liberty Hills, Tex, and Thomas, of Fort Worth, Tex., four brothers who reside in Pennsylvania, also thirty grandchildren and sisteen great grand children. The deceased was a life long member of the Presbyterian church. Arrangements for the funeral have not as yet been announced." NOTE: "Mrs. James Head" as mentioned in the above obituary should read Mrs. James Hand (ref: Evan C. Hand -- her grandson). (4) INTV -- Michael Edward WICK, 26 Jun 1993, Mary Jeseba Smith is of Pennsylvania Dutch descent. (5) 01/11/1995, letter from Kenneth G. Hill, M.D. to Norma Louise Williams-Ritter states that Kenneth's mother told him that his grandmother, Mary J. Smith-Smith, was Pennsylvania Dutch and that their original name was spelled "Schmidt". Born note: (1) According to Ephriam Smith's obituary, Mary's husband, Mary was from Dillsbury (Dillsburg), PA. Thus, I have listed this as Mary's birth place. (2) Another birth date found; 20 Jan 1840. Died note: (1) Date obtained from Knox county death records. (2) Cause of death "Cancer of Colon". (3) EES--Oct1994; death date noted as 5 Nov 1915. Buried note: (1) Wheatland City Cemetery. Individual source: (1) JVH1992. (2) NLW-Feb1993. (3) NLW-May1993. (4) KCDR -- book H36, page 2. (5) EES--Oct1994. (6) 1880 Knox County Census (reprint), page 71. (7) 1870 Knox County Census (reprint), page 167. Born source: (1) FMLYRCRD -- Family records in my possession. (2) EES--Oct1994. Occupation source: (1) 1900 US Census.