My Genealogy Hound

Thomas S. Smith, Sr., an old and prominent citizen of this county, was born in Jessamine County, Ky., July 17, 1820, and is a son of Thomas S. and Michael (Locket) Smith. The father was born near Jamestown, Va., April 14, 1780, and died in Jessamine County, Ky., in 1837. He accompanied his parents to Kentucky from Virginia when a boy, and there spent the rest of his life. He was a cabinet-maker by trade, but never followed that business. He was in the war of 1812, and during the muster of the militia was elected colonel. At the time of his death he had sold his property with the intention of moving to Missouri. His wife was born in Virginia in 1784, and died in Knox County, Mo., in 1856, where she had gone after her husband’s death, and which was then but sparsely populated, and abounded in game and wild animals. He is one of a family of twelve children of whom six are living, the eldest being in his eighty-sixth year, and still very active. Our subject immigrated to Missouri in 1837, and settled in Knox County in 1838, and has resided continuously on the same farm ever since. He was educated at a primitive log schoolhouse in Kentucky, and lived with his mother until twenty-five years of age, and then married Eliza Eads, daughter of Rev. Martin L. Eads, one of the first Methodist Episcopal Church “circuit riders” that came to Missouri. He was an uncle to the celebrated Capt. Eads. Mrs. Smith was born in Virginia, November 15, 1819, and died March 5, 1874, leaving a large circle of friends. She was a devout and active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and when married to our subject was the widow of James Toadvine, by whom she had two children, Sarah and James, the former now deceased. Her union to our subject was blessed with eight children: Thomas S. (now assessor of Knox County), Martin L. (deceased), William W., George E., Eliza E., Dr. John L., Molly P. and Martha Jane. In 1877 Mr. Smith married Susan (Worrell) Harry, daughter of Richard Worrell and widow of Thomas Harry, by whom she had the three following children: O. B., Nannie W., and Ann E. In politics he is a Democrat, but has never held nor sought office. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and has been united with the Missionary Baptist Church since nineteen years of age, to which church his wife also belongs.