Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2023 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Centennial History of Grant county, Indiana 1812-1912, Vol. II Compiled from the Records of the Grant county Historical Society, Archives of the county, Data of Personal Interviews, and Other Authentic Sources of Local Information pub. Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago and New York - 1914 Pg. 696-698 GEORGE W. SMITH Few families of Grant county, Indiana, are more widely or favorably known than that of SMITH, which traces its ancestry back for generations in this country, and numbers among its members men prominent in business and agriculture, in the professions and in civic life, and in military circles from the time of the struggle for American independence. A worthy repre- sentative of the name is found in GEORGE W. SMITH, the owner of a farm in section 3, Mill township, who has passed his entire career here and is known as a progressive and public spirited citizen. The great-grandfather of GEORGE W. SMITH was born in Virginia, and, at the outbreak of the Revolutionary war enlisted in the Continental army and continued to serve faithfully throughout the period of warfare, being with GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON at Valley Forge. He died in Halifax County, Virginia, at the remarkable age of one hundred and four years, and his widow subsequently moved to Fayette county, Ohio, in 1827, and died at the home of her son, JAMES SMITH. Like her husband, she reached phenomenal age, having reached one hundred and seven years at the time of her death, a short time previous to which she had walked over a mile. JAMES SMITH, the grandfather of GEORGE W. SMITH, was born in 1787, in Halifax county, Virginia, was there reared and educated, and when war was declared with England in 1812 enlisted in the American service and con- tinued to fight gallantly until peace was declared. He was married in his native county to a MISS HENDERSON, who was born there about 1789, and after the birth of several of their children they left Virginia, in 1820, and moved to Fayette county, Ohio, where MR. SMITH secured one hundred and sixty acres of military land, given him by the Government on account of his services, and located near Rattlesnake Creek. There the first MRS. SMITH died in 1856 or 1857, and MR. SMITH was afterward married to MISS ANNA TRACY, who died in 1890 or 1891, when seventy years of age, without issue. MR. SMITH was a steady and industrious farmer and when he died, in 1877, his community lost one of its good citizens and stalwart Democrats. He and his wife were the parents of quite a large family. CHARLES SMITH, the father of GEORGE W. SMITH, was born in Halifax county, Virginia, January 26, 1813, and died at his home in Mill township, Grant county, Indiana, March 4, 1879. He was reared and educated in the county of his nativity, and accompanied his parents to Fayette county, Ohio, from when, in 1852, he came to Grant county, Indiana, and purchased eighty acres of land in sections 2 and 3, Mill township, of JOSHUA CANNON, twelve acres of this property being improved. Here his first residence was a log cabin, but in 1859 he erected the home now owned and occupied by GEORGE W. SMITH. The father was a farmer all of his life, had an honorable and upright career, and fairly won the respect and esteem of his fellowmen. He was married in 1845, in Fayette county, Ohio, to MISS BEULAH HAINES, who was born June 24, 1820, in Fayette county, Ohio, and died at the homestead in Mill township, March 10, 1879, just six days after the death of her husband. She was a woman of many excellencies of mind and heart, and from girlhood throughout her life was a devout member of the Methodist church. MR. SMITH was an early Republican, casting his vote for Fremont, and was always opposed to slavery. EBENEZER HAINES, the maternal grandfather of MR. SMITH, was born in Winchester county, Virginia, and his wife's father was CAPTAIN BERRY, who was in charge of a company during the Colonial wars, and a neighbor of GENERAL FRANCIS MARION, with whom he fought during the Revolution. Prior to this he served as a captain under GENERAL BRADDOCK at Braddock's Defeat. CAPTAIN BERRY was also the founder of Berry's Ferry, Virginia. Of the children of CHARLES and BEULAH (HAINES) SMITH, GEORGE W. SMITH is the next to the youngest. The others were as follows: MARTHA J., born December 12, 1845, who became the wife of DAVID LYON, and died May 30, 1896, leaving two children: MARY E., born in 1847, became the wife of JOHN C. EVANS, and died August 16, 1910, leaving three children, WILBER, CHESTER and ETHEL; SAMUEL N., born July 20, 1850, died April 9, 1881, single; EMMA, born July 21, 1852, who became the wife of EUGENE SWARTS; and ALICE, born April 18, 1860, who died July 12, 1905, after her marriage to WILLIAM STOUT, by whom she had one son, VICTOR L. GEORGE W. SMITH was born on the farm which he now occupies April 15, 1855. He received good educational advantages in the district schools of his native locality and the Jonesboro high school, and was reared to agri- cultural pursuits and to habits of industry and thrift. As a young man he decided to make farming his life work, and the success which has since attended his well directed efforts show that he made no mistake in his choice of vocations. A Republican in his political views, he has not found time to enter extensively into the public arena, but has displayed his good citizenship by serving in the capacity of deputy township assessor for a period of seven years. With his family attends the Methodist church, and has always endeavored to live up to its teachings. On August 26, 1880, MR. SMITH was united in marriage in Mill township to MISS MARY E. HIATT, who was born in Monroe township, Grant County, Indiana, October 16, 1857, and was reared and educated in Mill township. The HIATT family is one of the most prominent of this section. MRS. SMITH'S father, DAVID W. HIATT, who died on the 22d of January, 1914, was at the time of his death the oldest native born resident of the county. He was a grandson of WILLIAM HIATT and a son of DAVID HIATT, both born in North Carolina (probably in Randolph county) and members of an old southern family which belonged to the Quaker faith for generations. WILLIAM and DAVID HIATT came to Grant county, Indiana, in 1826, the latter entering eighty acres of land on the Mississinewa river, section 29, Mill township, July 12th of that year. This was prior to the organization of the county, there being only seven other families within its borders, and MR. HIATT was forced to walk to Fort Wayne to register his entry. Both WILLIAM and DAVID HIATT died on the old homestead in advanced years. DAVID HIATT married first a MISS HIATT (no relation), and afterward a MISS ADAMSON, who also attained old age. DAVID W. HIATT, the father of MTS. SMITH, was born in Mill township, Grant county, Indiana, November 19, 1830, the county being still unorganized at that time, and with the exception of sixteen years spent in Emmetsburg, Iowa, has lived in Grant county all of his life, which has been devoted to agricultural pursuits. Although now more than eighty-three years of age, he is well preserved, being but slightly bothered by sight and hearing. His political faith is that of the Republican party, and he keeps well posted as to the affairs of importance. MR. HIATT was married in Monroe township, Grant county, August 10, 1854, to MISS LAVINA PATTERSON, who was born in Grant county, January 24, 1837, and died in Mill township May 23, 1872, in the faith of the Christian church. They had two children: MARY E., the wife of GEORGE W. SMITH, and VIOLA, born August 16, 1860, now the wife of ELMER DYE, of Deputy, Jefferson County, Indiana. MR. and MRS. SMITH have had the following children: LEO FRED, born January 23, 1882, educated in the public schools and the Marion Business College, and now a carpenter of St. Lawrence, South Dakota, and single; LAWRENCE GUY, born August 30, 1884, educated in Mill township, and now his father's assitant on the homestead place; WALTER H., born September 5, 1887, at home; and FRANCIS BURR, born February 23, 1890, also at home. ================================================================================