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Below is a family biography included in the Biographical Review Volume of Biographical Sketches of The Leading Citizens of Hampshire County, Massachusetts published by Biographical Review Publishing Company in 1896.  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.

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BYRON SMITH, a farmer of South Hadley, Mass., was born in Groton, New London County, Conn., July 16, 1825, son of Erastus T. and Rebecca (Barber) Smith. Mr. Smith’s paternal grandparents were Gilbert and Prudence Smith. A fuller genealogy is contained in a work entitled, “The History of the Smith Family,” a copy of which is now in the possession of Mr. Byron Smith.

Erastus T. Smith was born in Groton, Conn., June 24, 1789. In early manhood he engaged in mercantile pursuits, but subsequently became a cotton and paper manufacturer, conducting business for a number of years, first in Rochester, N. Y., and later in South Hadley, finally retiring and returning to Rochester, where he died. He was three times married. His first wife, Rebecca Barber, was born in Groton, Conn., and was a daughter of John Barber, a prosperous farmer of that town. She died in South Hadley, November 11, 1838. His second wife, Lucia Mills, of West Hartford, Conn., died in Rochester, N.Y., in 1857. His third wife, Emily Perkins, of Litchfield, Conn., survives her husband and now resides in Rochester, N.Y.

By his first wife Mr. Smith had the following children: Erastus B., born in 1812, now deceased; Frances R., who married first Isaac Lyon, of Rochester, and, secondly, Wells Southworth, of West Springfield, but is no longer living; Gilbert Morgan, born in 1818, who married Eliza Ely, and died November 12, 1891, was Postmaster of South Hadley during Lincoln’s administration and until his death, November 12, 1891; Prudence E., now deceased, the wife of Dr. H. W. Dean, of Rochester, N.Y.; Byron, subject of this sketch; Henry Walworth, born in 1827, and now deceased, who married Mary Hooker; William Avery, born in 1829, who met his death by drowning in Rochester, N. Y., in 1833; Helen F., born in 1833, who died in 1851.

Byron Smith, having received his education in Westfield, Mass., and at the public schools in South Hadley, at the age of twenty-two engaged in farming in South Hadley. He subsequently erected a flour-mill upon his farm, which he conducted in company with his father for some years, giving it his chief attention. He finally abandoned the mill and returned to agriculture, devoting his energies to general farming and dairying, besides carrying on a considerable trade in eggs and farm produce. He has supplied the college at South Hadley with two hundred quarts of milk per day. His home farm consists of thirty acres of well-improved land, and besides this he owns other real estate in the town. Although he is now practically retired from active labor, he exercises a general oversight of his farm and performs some of the lighter duties connected therewith.

In 1847 Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Nancy Dwight, of Belchertown, Mass., daughter of Justin and Eliza Dwight. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are the parents of two children, namely: Rebecca Frances, who resides at home; and Erastus Gilbert, a graduate of Amherst College and Gottingen, Germany, now a professor in the Beloit, Wis., College. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Congregational church, and take active part in church work. Mr. Smith is Republican in politics, having cast his vote with the Republican party since its formation. During the Civil War he was a member of the Board of Selectmen of his town. He has always been greatly interested in the college, and has been their marshal for many years. He has also been prominently connected with all important improvements in the town during his time.

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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in the Biographical Review Volume of Biographical Sketches of The Leading Citizens of Hampshire County, Massachusetts published in 1896. 

View additional Hampshire County, Massachusetts family biographies here: Hampshire County, Massachusetts Biographies

View a map of 1901 Hampshire County, Massachusetts here: Hampshire County Massachusetts Map

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