William Anderson “W. A.” Smith (1844-1905)

William Anderson “W. A.” Smith

Birth

Apr 1844

Bloomfield, Stoddard County, Missouri, USA

Death

17 Feb 1905 (aged 60)

De Kalb, Bowie County, Texas, USA

Burial

Spring Hill Cemetery

Bowie County, Texas, USA Add to Map

Memorial ID

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William Anderson (W. A.) Smith was born about April 1844 in Missouri, USA, to Reddick Smith & Elizabeth Chambers Smith.

W. A. was raised around Bloomfield / Springfield, Missouri and, according to a letter (c. 1975) written by Annie Cordelia Smith Carter (granddaughter of W. A. Smith) so kindly shared by a family member, W. A. became a Captain in the Civil War and fought on the Union side of the conflict.

It is not clear to this researcher if W. A. was married, previously to his marriage to Elizabeth (Mary) Jane Priddy Collum Smith, as there is a conundrum in this researcher's information:

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- Elizabeth J. Smith
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...and, in re-examining information re: this oldest child, this census record is key:

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United States Census, 1870 for Mary J Smith
Name: Mary J Smith
Estimated Birth Year: 1843
Gender: Female
Age in 1870: 27y
Color: White
Birthplace: Tennessee
Home in 1870: Arkansas, United States

Household Gender Age
William Smith M 26y
Mary J Smith F 27y
Elizabeth J Smith F 11y
William H Smith M 3y
Martha E Smith F 1y
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There are two possibilities, as I see it, here, regarding Elizabeth J. Smith, child in this census:

1. Elizabeth J. Smith, eleven year-old child in this census, was from an earlier marriage of W. A. Smith to an unknown person to this researcher (this is what I'm MORE inclined to believe).

2. Elizabeth J. Smith is actually one of the two daughters Elizabeth Jane Priddy Collum (Smith) had by her first husband and the child had "taken" W. A.'s last name. To me: this is a possibility, but not likely.

But, this also begs another question: WHERE are Emaline & Mary Jane Collum, daughters of John M. Collum & Elizabeth (Mary) Jane Priddy Collum (Smith)???

To me, it is most likely Elizabeth J. Smith, child, is from a previous marriage of W. A. Smith, making William Hezekiah Smith the first born child to the union of W. A. & Elizabeth, as Annie's letter references AND accounting for child, Elizabeth J. Smith, being W. A.'s first born to another mother / wife.

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That being said - W. A. met & married widow of John M. Collum, Elizabeth (Mary) Jane Priddy Collum June 7, 1866 in Montgomery, Arkansas, USA, and they were blessed with the following children this researcher has found, to-date:

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- William Hezekiah Smith
m. Susan Eddlemon

- Martha Cordelia Smith
m. Noah Smothers

- Thomas C. Smith
m. Rosena I. Lee

- Rutha Eldorado Smith
m. Lewis Lavender

- (Unknown Daughter) Smith (possibly Sarah Elizabeth Smith?)

- Wiley Monroe Smith
m. Maudie A. Baker

- Minerva Caldonia Smith
m. Walter Monroe Luna

- (Unnamed Daughter) Smith
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After Elizabeth's death at Campbell, Hunt, Texas, USA, in 1887, W. A. remarried to Miss Sarah Tennessee Martin, December 3, 1889 in Garland, Arkansas, USA, and they had the following children this researcher has found, to-date:

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- Laura Jane Smith
m. John C. Sims

- David Joseph Smith, Sr.
m1. Anne McCartey
m2. Myrtle Bowers

- Bertha L. Smith
m. G. W. Frost

- Etta Smith
m. Claud M. Wallace Sr.

- Ella Smith
m. John Lewis Hockett (brother to Ada Ivy Hockett)

- Richard Andrew Smith
m. Alta A. Clark

- Sereta Josephine Smith
m. William Seigler

- Milton A. Smith
m. Ada Ivy Hockett (sister to John Lewis Hockett)
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W. A. passed away, sadly, on February 17, 1905 in DeKalb, Bowie, Texas, USA, and was laid to rest in Bowie, Texas, USA.

Rest In Peace, My Great-Great Grandfather.

j*