My Genealogy Hound

HON. EZEKIEL C. SMITH, in recording the lives of the pioneers of Cass County, and perpetuating for coming generations their useful and honorable examples, mention should be made of Mr. Smith and his estimable wife. In the Pioneers’ Society they have acquired considerable prominence on account of being the oldest couple in the organization. Both were born in 1811, and their combined ages are one hundred and sixty-four years. At the annual meeting of the association in 1892 they were awarded an elegant clock as a prize for being the oldest married couple on the grounds.

Now a retired farmer residing on section 3, Howard Township, Cass County, Mr. Smith was born in Erie County, N. Y., ten miles south of Buffalo, June 6, 1811. His father, Amasa Smith, was born in Rhode Island in 1774, whence he was taken by his parents to Vermont at the age of eighteen months, and from there he went to Erie County, N. Y., at a date in the settlement of that country so early that there was only one white family in Buffalo. He served valiantly in the War of 1812, as did his father, Ezekiel Smith, in the Revolutionary War. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Candace Brown, was born in Rhode Island in 1776, and when seventeen years of age accompanied her parents to Vermont. In that State she married Amasa Smith, but shortly afterward removed to Erie County, N. Y., in 1805, and located ten miles south of Buffalo.

Removing to Michigan in 1835, the family located in Cass County and entered a tract of Government land in Howard Township. During the following year the wife and mother died, and the bereaved husband then moved to Ohio and from there to Iowa, where he died in 1865, aged ninety-one years. Of his nine children, seven grew to manhood and womanhood, and four are still living, namely: Zenas; Ezekiel, our subject; Lucy, the widow of Calvin Kinney, of Minnesota; and Sarah, the wife of Daniel Patridge, of Iowa. Our subject is the sixth child and third son in the parental family. He was reared in his native place, receiving a limited education in the home schools.

January 11, 1832, Mr. Smith married Miss Laura Parmelee, who was born in Erie County, N. Y., May 29, 1811, being the daughter of Lemuel Parmelee. The latter was born in Rhode Island in 1780, and was reared in Vermont, being a school teacher in his youth. He also engaged for a time as a vocal teacher. His principal occupation throughout his entire active life was that of a farmer. He traced his lineage back to three brothers who came from Scotland in an early day and established homes in America. The mother of Mrs. Smith bore the maiden name of Sarah Brown, and was the daughter of Luther Brown, a native of Vermont. There were eight children in the Parmelee family, five sons and three daughters, Mrs. Smith being the second in number.

In 1835 Mr. Smith came to Cass County and located upon the farm where he has since resided, entering from the Government two hundred and forty acres, for which he paid $1.25 per acre. At once after settling here he erected a log house, 18x22 feet in dimensions, and cut the logs used in building the cabin. This was well furnished for those early times, and contained the only cook stove then in the whole township. Mr. Smith was the fortunate owner of one yoke of oxen and one cow, and also had $15 in cash. Nor was his wife less industrious than he. With deft fingers she made neat garments for the neighbors, and in this way was an important factor in the household economy. As time passed by they reaped the reward of their labors and gradually gained a goodly amount of this world’s riches. Better than that, they became known and loved as honorable, upright, kind-hearted and industrious people, of whom it could truly be said that the world was better for their having lived.

Two daughters and three sons came to bless the home, and of this family we note the following: Ellen F., formerly a school teacher, is now at home with her parents; George P., a successful farmer, is engaged in cultivating one hundred and sixty acres in Benton County, Mo.; Albert B. is a farmer of Hall County, Neb.; Dr. Jerome A. is a practicing physician of Warren County, Tenn.; and Julia L. is the wife of John J. Doane, an extensive and successful farmer of Newberg Township, Cass County. The farm belonging to our subject consists of three hundred acres, one hundred of which are in timber and one hundred and twenty are planted to grain. This large property has been accumulated by Mr. Smith solely through his own exertions, seconded by the active assistance and sympathetic help of his good wife.

A Democrat from boyhood, Mr. Smith has served as Justice, of the Peace, and was filling that position at the time Michigan was admitted into the Union. He was an incumbent of that office for a period of thirty-six years, after which his son Jerome held the office for four years, so that the same set of books remained in the house for forty years. In 1849 he was elected a member of the State Legislature and served satisfactorily and efficiently. He was Supervisor of the township for many years, also filled the positions of School Inspector, Road Commissioner, and all township offices but that of Clerk. Notwithstanding their advanced age, he and his wife are hale and strong, in the enjoyment of good health and the full possession of their mental faculties. As will be seen from the above date of marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Smith passed their sixty-first anniversary January 11, 1893.