Yuma County, Colorado Photographs

Yuma County Pioneer Photographs:

Thomas J. and Mary Smith, Wray


They might be the Thomas J. Smith and Mary E. Johnson who married In Keokuk County, Iowa on December 25, 1867.

Beatrice Nebraska "The charter members of the church were John Kerlin, Elizabeth Kerlin, Mary C. Kerlin, S. V. Smith, Rhoda Smith, Josiah A. Smith. T. J. Smith, and Job Buchanan, who was also first church clerk. The trustees were John Kerlin, S. A. Smith, and Job Buchanan."

In 1880 Holt County, Nebraska, T. J. Smith is a journalist, 39, father of Sanford Parker 28 a county clerk, and his wife Ida 18. Mary Smith is 30?, born in New York, Jennie 9, Maude 6, and Nettie 4 all born in Iowa.

Dec 20, 1881 The Frontier
" Long Pine News editor is T J Smith."

Ida Lamonreux, 17, born in Wyoming Territory, to Clement and Louisa Lamonreux, married Sanford Parker on April 22, 1880 in Holt County._
Idelle 1862-1935 is buried in Dakota County, Minnesota # 127080076.

Maud Smith, 23, married Harvey Miller in Lincoln, Nebraska on Sept 26, 1897.
She's buried in McCook 1874-1951 # 182595119, with Harvey H. Miller

Ainsworth, Nebraska 1880's "The first resident to occupy ground where the town now stands was "Dirty" Smith. With his family he homesteaded the ground now occupied by the depot and yards of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway company.

Among the early business houses were.... Western News, T. J. Smith, publisher....
T. J. Smith was the first postmaster after the office was changed from Bone Creek to Ainsworth. He was succeeded by Clark Barnes."

"In December 1882, Frank SELLORS and Merritt GRIFFITHS circulated a petition asking the legislature to pass an act establishing a new county from unorganized territory lying west of Holt county. Bills defining the boundaries of Brown county were introduced; one in the senate by Moses P. KINKAID of the 12th district; the other in the house by Frank NORTH of the 23rd district. Gov. DAWES passed the bill on 19 February 1883. Ed. COOK, T. J. SMITH and Leroy HALL went to Lincoln in interest of the new county."

"The Ainsworth Journal of Jan. 1, 1885 contained an item reading: "We understand the Keyapaha Times, the ghost of the defunct Johnson Times, will make its appearance this week, being printed in Ainsworth ... T. J. Smith will occupy the tripod." The new paper, however, was named the Keyapaha Press, and its first issue appeared Jan. 3, 1885."

In 1885 Keya Paha County, T.J. is an editor, 39, Mary 36, both born in New York, Jennie 13, Maud 11, and Nettie 9 born in Iowa.

1888

June 1, 1899 Atkinson, Nebraska Plain Dealer " T J Smith is going to run a newspaper at Perry. He used to live here when it was a shanty store and a small blacksmith shop."

In 1900 Atkinson, Holt County, Nebraska, Thomas J. Smith is an editor, born July 1846 in New York, blurry marital status marking.

He's listed in the Lincoln census of 1900, an editor born July 1843 in New York, with wife January 1847 Connecticut. Their daughter Janet McCarl Oct 1877 in Iowa, with her son Willie Feb 1899 Nebraska.

1904

In 1910 McCook, Nebraska, Thomas is a restaurant proprietor, 64, born in New York, married once to Mary 60 born in Connecticut. She's had three kids, all living.

March 1914 "T. J. Smith arrived in Wray the latter part of last week and will settle in the hills north of Wray and take a homestead as soon as that territory is again opened for entry. Mr. Smith is an old time printer and has been on eleven different papers in Colorado and Nebraska. He is an old acquaintance of the Ralph Willis family and will locate near them."
(R.H. Willis, 31, son of J.D. Willis and Harriet Thomas, married Marian Avery Gibbs, daughter of Samuel Avery and Marian Fronst in Mason City, Iowa Sept 13, 1906.)

October 1914 "Mrs. T. J. Smith is visiting at Trenton, Nebr., at this writing."

July 29, 1915 "A birthday dinner was given to about twenty friends at the Ralph Willis home on Wednesday of last week. The occasion was in celebration of the eighteenth birthday of Miss Ruth Gibbs, daughter of Mrs. Willis, and the 70th birthday of T. J. Smith."

September 1915 "William Petty of Lincoln Nebraska, arrived in Wray Tuesday morning and visited a few days with his grandfather, T. J. Smith of north of town."

Thomas proved up 320 acres in sections 17 and 18, 2N 44W in 1916.
His witnesses were Carl Lynch, Calvin C. McGinnis, David Holm, and Philip Hahn, all of Wray.

In 1920 Thomas 74 and Mary 73 are living in Red Willow County, Nebraska, both born in New York.

Mary Smith 1846-1927 is buried in McCook # 182563923.


Thomas was the Commander of the Nebraska G.A.R. in 1929, living in McCook, and the GAR listing says he was buried in Memorial Park, McCook.

In 1930 McCook, Nebraska, Thomas J. Smith is living in a large lodging house, widowed, 83 born in New York, both parents born in New York.

"ENCAMPMENT OF G.A.R. AT McCOOK
Fifty-Fourth Annual Meeting Scheduled For May 20-22.
The fifty-fourth annual encampment of the G. A. R will be held at McCook, May 20, 21, 22, according to an announcement issued Monday by Thomas J. Smith, department commander, from the headquarters at the state house."

April 24, 1933 Lincoln Nebraska Journal "Thomas J Smith, past commander of the G A R, and pioneer Nebraska publisher, died at his home, 832 Garfield, at 1:30 a. m. Sunday. He has lived in here from McCook. Mr. Smith was interested in a small daily in Cripple Creek, Colo. Mr. Smith took part in many of the now historical developments of northeastern and northern Nebraska. His newspaper at Ainsworth was hotly involved in a county seat dispute between that town and Long Pine soon after he became editor. He attributed the story of 'Mrs. O'Leary's cow' as the figment of newspapermen's imagination. He began his work in Chicago after the war from 1862 to 186?. Mr. Smith is survived by his wife Perla and three daughters , Mrs. I A Pennell, McCook, Mrs. Jeanette Petty, McCook, and Mrs. H ll Miller Denver. Funeral services will be held at 3pm Monday at Hodgmans. The body will be taken to McCook for burial.


In 1943 Perla Smith was a department president of the S.U.V. auxiilary of the GAR.
She was mentioned in a 1946 article, and in 1947 as being from Lincoln.
In 1949 the Nebraska Department of the GAR ceased to exist. The last veteran, M. Bondoll, had died in December 1948 at Beatrice.
"Department of NE, G. A. R. In process of closing the books (Mrs. Perla Smith). Department will cease to exist 1 July 1949. Records will go to state's military department and NSHS. Remaining funds will be returned to state treasury."

In 1952 Lincoln, Perla Smith assisted in the funeral service os Mary Weakley, wiffe of Herbert.
Tomkins Smith, Co. D. 6th N.Y. Cav has a veterans marker in Milford, Nebraska, # 59393537.

He's buried in McCook 1846-1933 # 59383265. "13 US Infantry Drummer"

Perla Mae (Wood) (Beck) Smith 1880-1952 is buried in Lincoln # 74739363, her first husband William Beck dying 8n 1914.

JENNIE

Jennie Pennell is in McCook in 1910, 38, born in Iowa, with Fred A. Pennell 42 born in Iowa. They have Leah I. 18 born in Nebraska.

Mary Jane 'Jennie' Smith Pennell 1871-1968 is buried in McCook # 182563257. "
"Married Fred A Pennell on 27 Feb 1890 at Ainsworth, Nebraska"

Leah P. Leary, 28, is in Omaha in 1920, married to Edward.

Leah (Pennell) Leary 1891-1865 is buried in Omaha # 119013969.

MAUDE

Harvey Miller and Maud Smith married in Lincoln on Septmeber 1897.

In 1920 Red Willow County, Maude Miller is 45, born in Iowa, with Harvey H. Miller 55 born in Pennsylvania.

In 1930 McCook, Harvey is a railroad conductor, 64, Maude 56, first married at age 23, with two servnts.

Harvey 1865-1942 is buried in McCook # 182595134, with Maud A. Miller 1874-1951 # 182595119.



JEANETTE
"1st marriage to McCarl surname and widowed on 1900 Census, with one child Willie Mccarl born Feb 1899, NE
Married Asuhel E Petty on 10 Jun 1903 at McCook, Nebraska "

September 1915 Wray "William Petty of Lincoln Nebraska, arrived in Wray Tuesday morning and visited a few days with his grandfather, T. J. Smith of north of town."

Jeannette Petty, 43, is in Red Willow County in 1920, 43, born in Iowa, with Asabel E. Petty 48 born in Pennsylvania. William Petty is 20, born in Nebraska.

Asahel and Sarah are in Red Willow County in 1930.

In 1940 McCook, Jeanette Petty is 61, born in Iowa, living with sister Jennie Pennell 68 and Frederick Pennell 72.

Sarah Jeanette (Smith) Petty is buried in McCook # 182563356.
So is Asahel Eaton Petty 1870-1932 # 182563352.


Del Cary Smith 1869-1939 is buried in Spokane # 179015454, son of Tompkins Smith and Helen Marr Thompson.

Back to Pioneer Photographs.

This page is maintained by m.d. monk.