Thomas Jefferson Smith

Thomas Jefferson Smith was born in Genesse County, New York May 10, 1832 to Thomas Jefferson and Elizabeth Covel Smith. When he was 14 years old he left home to work on the Erie Canal. A little later he engaged in "running rafts" down the Alleghany and Ohio rivers to the Mississippi. He was promoted to pilot of these rafts until the outbreak of the Civil War. In 1856 he married Caroline Cadey of New York, she died seven years later, leaving her only child Flora Smith. In April 1861 he signed up for the New York Regiment for 3 months, and then on November 14, re-entered the service in Company K,49th N.Y. for three years. He was mustered out of the of the service in Washington D.C. on account of wounds in 1863. In 1864, at Berlin, Wisconsin he was married to Persis French. They had six children Effie Smith who married Charles P. Evans, Caroline Smith who is married to R. Frank Carley, Mary Smith who married Clyne, Noami Smith who was married twice to a William Plummer and then a Louis Hintz, Frank Thomas Smith who was married to Agnes K. Ellenwood and then to Getrude L. Keeler, and Hattie Smith who was married to a Napoleon Harriman and then to George Biller.

Thomas and Persis lived in central and southern Wisconsin all there married life, living 20 years in Steven's Point, Wisconsin. Thomas died when he was struck by a rail car. He had been sick most of the winter and his obituary reads that he was in a feeble condition, having week vision and poor hearing.

Thomas was "a man of good principles and high standing; a loving husband and father, and generous to a fault". He died on Monday May 20, 1901, just ten days after he turned 69 years old. His funeral was at the family home 753 Patch Street on Friday May 24, 1901, with Reverend N.F. Clark officiating. Those of his family in attendance were his sister Elizabeth Phelps of Berlin, Wisconsin.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and a brother Benjamin Cyrenius Smith. Other siblings that I have been able to find are Hannah Smith b. 1821, Louisa Smith b. 1833, Joshua Smith b.1836, Hugh Smith b. 1839, and the above mentioned Elizabeth Smith b. 1842.

Resources that I have used to do research on this family have been the United States Census records for 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 and 1900. I also have used numerous accounts listed int he Stevens Point Daily Journal, and the Stevens Point Journal. I have also had information on Benjamin Smith and Thomas Jefferson Smith Sr. given to me from the Juneau County Historical Society, in Mausten, Wisconsin.

The newspapers have been the most beneficial in helping to piece together family relations as the newspaper was known to write down all the comings and goings in town. Who was visiting from where and who they were going to see. how long the stayed in town and if they had a wonderful time. Small town newspapers are a great resource of information.

Thomas Jefferson Smith is my great-great grandfather on my father's mother's line.
The above picture is of Mrs. Thomas Jefferson, her daughter in law Agnes Ellenwood Smith and my grandfather, Frank T. Smith and one of his daughters in 1911 near Insmont, Colorado.