My Genealogy Hound

JAMES K. SMITH was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, August 26, 1842, and is the son of Eli and Catherine (Hastings) Smith, both of whom were Pennsylvanians by birth.

Eli Smith came to Ohio with his parents when a lad, and remained with them until he was married. In 1856 he moved to McDonald county, Ill., where he died in 1878. He was a farmer and a highly respected and influential man in the community where he lived. He was a justice of the peace for several years, and he and his faithful wife were members of the Methodist church.

James K. Smith was only nineteen years of age when he joined a company of Illinois volunteers in August, 1861. He was a gallant young soldier, and faced the enemy at the battles at Fort Donelson, Fort Henry and Pittsburg Landing. He was wounded five times in the last named battle, and was taken to the hospital at Savannah, and from there to Marietta, Ohio, and thence to St. Louis, where he received his discharge November 1, 1863. After he had sufficiently recovered from the effects of his wounds he spent two years in school at Prairie City, Ill. He then engaged in the marble business for four years, during which he had remarkable success. In 1869 he located at West Liberty, Iowa, and engaged in raising Osage orange for hedges. He planted and cultivated the first nursery in the state. After successfully prosecuting this business for four years he retired, and engaged in farming for several years. He conducted a hotel at Tipton, Iowa, for three years, and in the spring of 1885 he came to Buffalo county, Nebr., and took a soldier’s claim in the Wild Horse valley. He moved to Armada, Nebr., in the fall of 1888, and erected a hotel, which he is now conducting with splendid success.

He was married, March 18, 1869, to Sarah Dickerson, of West Liberty, Iowa. They had four children — Linie L., Annie, Willie and Clara. She was born in Ohio and died in 1878.

He was next married. May 7, 1882, to Mary A. Linn. She was born in Iowa May 7, 1853. Her father was born in Tennessee and her mother in South Carolina. Her grandparents on both sides were large slave owners, and had large plantations in the South.

Mr. Smith is a member of the Masons, Odd Fellows and of the G. A. R.