My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Brown County, Ohio published by W. H. Beers & Co. in 1883.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

* * * *

JAMES J. SMITH. Mr. Smith is about a year younger than Henry Young, and these two gentlemen are the oldest persons in the township. Mr. Smith is one of those fortunate persons who have a real history, that is to say, an eventful life whose incidents are not all merely personal. He was born September 8, 1803, in what at that time was called Tinkey Bottoms, in Hamilton County, Ohio. His mother’s maiden name was Morris, and she was a sister of Hon. Thomas Morris, who acquired fame in the Senate of the United States by the fearless advocacy of certain political innovations of his day. Her father was Isaac Morris, a native of Harrison County, Va., and as Mr. Smith styles it, an “old-side Baptist” preacher. Mr. Smith’s father dying when he was only six years of age, he was left to the care of relatives, and thus became the ward of his uncle Thomas Morris. At the age of ten years, he was placed in the office of the Western American, a paper published at Williamsburg, Clermont Co., Ohio, by Mr. Morris, to learn the art of printing. Here he was diligently employed for a year, and then was intrusted with the distribution of the paper to the much scattered subscribers of the county, although he was scarcely more than eleven years old at the time. He did not ride part of the distance on stage coach, or cart, or in a buggy or wagon, but made the entire voyage on horseback through a wilderness where roads were not one of the conveniences of traveling. While in the family of his uncle, Thomas L. Hamer, then a student of law, joined it to read law in the office of Mr. Morris. The friendship and intimacy that sprung up between the young printer’s apprentice and the young law student and future statesman continued till the death of the latter in Mexico after a meteoric career, crowded with brilliant achievements. Prior to the year 1829, Mr. Smith was employed in different printing offices, sometimes as journeyman, and others as superintendent. He and Mr. Hamer owned and conducted the Benefactor, a weekly published at Georgetown, Thomas L. Hamer, editor, and James J. Smith, printer. Subsequently, he served one year in the office of the Ohio Monitor, published in Columbus, and one year in the State Printing Office, also in Columbus. He worked one year in the office of the Star, printed in Cincinnati, and, finally, in 1827 or 1828, co-operated with Samuel Medary in the management of the Ohio Sun, printed at Bethel, Clermont Co., Ohio. Mr. Smith was married to Rosanna Wood, of Clermont County, September 16, 1835, John Quinlan, Justice of the Peace, officiating. He has been several times chosen Justice of the Peace, has filled nearly every office in the township, was elected Auditor of Brown County in 1840, and re-elected in 1842, has a commission of Coroner dated 1836, and signed by Gov. Lucas, and was appointed by John Patterson, United States Marshal, to take the sixth census in 1840.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 992 biographies included in The History of Brown County, Ohio published in 1883 by W. H. Beers & Co.  For the complete description, click here: Brown County, Ohio History and Genealogy

View additional Brown County, Ohio family biographies here: Brown County, Ohio Biographies

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of family biographies.

Follow My Genealogy Hound: Follow me on Facebook