Born in 1901 in Bright Shade, Clay, Kentucky, the second of two children to Edith Smith 1879 – 1928 (Edith parents Blevins Smith and Sylvania Lewis) and Wiley Smith. Older sibling Clarence appears only in the 1900 Census, and additional research is needed to identify father Wiley's death or divorce.
In 1903 in Clay County, Kentucky, her mother Edith married a second time to Benjamin Franklin Wombles, son of John Wombles and Nancy Smith. Together Edith and Ben had 6 additional children who lived to adulthood.
In the 1920s the family relocated to Vance Township area very near Homer in Champaign County, Illinois, where Ben's brother Ulysses Wombles and Edith's sister Rebecca Smith had earlier relocated and had been raising their family.
of the 7 children born to Edith, 3 are deaf:
Martha, Vesta "Tubby", and George. (Note: Ben's mother, Nancy Smith-Wombles is also deaf. Nancy's brother Abigah Smith has a son, Abigah Smith, who is deaf and is a cousin to Edith. Grandfather Blevins Smith will remarry and have additional deaf children, Ben's brother will remarry and have deaf children. Clay County Kentucky in the late 1800's has an unusually high number of deaf families.)
Martha and Vesta both attend the Kentucky School for the Deaf, and complete their full education. None of the 3 deaf siblings will marry.
In 1924 Martha has one daughter, Victoria Smith born in Ridge Farm, Illinois. The father is never revealed, but is highly probable Victor Brown (son of Charles Anderson Brown and Alice Shipps of Fairmount). After Martha's mother, Edith Wombles, dies in 1928 and
step-father Ben Wombles relocates to the Paris, Illinois area, Martha and Victoria live with a family friend
Mr. Asbury Alexander Smith in Ridge Farm.
Victoria will describe Asbury as her "only father figure".
Upon Asbury's death in 1955, Martha moves between the homes of her sisters Mrs. Lucille Earl in Logansport Indiana, Mrs. Bessie Phillips in Tilton, and her now married daughter, Mrs. Victoria Shirley in Homer, Illinois. Vesta "Tubby" and George are frequent visitors between Paris, Tilton, and Homer.
Martha Smith died in 1979, and is buried in the Shilo Cemetery in Mahomet, Illinois, next to her only child, Mrs. Victoria (Robert) Shirley.
Martha's mother Edith Smith-Wombles is buried in the GAR Cemetery in Homer. Grandparents Blevins & Sylvania Lewis Smith never left Clay County, Kentucky. Step-grandparents Nancy Smith & John Wombles are lost to time in Clay. Step-father Ben is buried with his second wife
Emma Staley-Wombles in Paris, Illinois. Father Wiley Smith requires additional research, as there are 2 Wiley Smith's in the area.
Martha's 2 deaf half siblings, "Tubby" & George, whom she remained close to her entire life, are buried together in Danville. Martha has a death certificate for both Illinois and Logansport, Indiana.
Family contact is welcomed. Author is grandchildren of Martha, and we have photos of all above family members to share.
In 1903 in Clay County, Kentucky, her mother Edith married a second time to Benjamin Franklin Wombles, son of John Wombles and Nancy Smith. Together Edith and Ben had 6 additional children who lived to adulthood.
In the 1920s the family relocated to Vance Township area very near Homer in Champaign County, Illinois, where Ben's brother Ulysses Wombles and Edith's sister Rebecca Smith had earlier relocated and had been raising their family.
of the 7 children born to Edith, 3 are deaf:
Martha, Vesta "Tubby", and George. (Note: Ben's mother, Nancy Smith-Wombles is also deaf. Nancy's brother Abigah Smith has a son, Abigah Smith, who is deaf and is a cousin to Edith. Grandfather Blevins Smith will remarry and have additional deaf children, Ben's brother will remarry and have deaf children. Clay County Kentucky in the late 1800's has an unusually high number of deaf families.)
Martha and Vesta both attend the Kentucky School for the Deaf, and complete their full education. None of the 3 deaf siblings will marry.
In 1924 Martha has one daughter, Victoria Smith born in Ridge Farm, Illinois. The father is never revealed, but is highly probable Victor Brown (son of Charles Anderson Brown and Alice Shipps of Fairmount). After Martha's mother, Edith Wombles, dies in 1928 and
step-father Ben Wombles relocates to the Paris, Illinois area, Martha and Victoria live with a family friend
Mr. Asbury Alexander Smith in Ridge Farm.
Victoria will describe Asbury as her "only father figure".
Upon Asbury's death in 1955, Martha moves between the homes of her sisters Mrs. Lucille Earl in Logansport Indiana, Mrs. Bessie Phillips in Tilton, and her now married daughter, Mrs. Victoria Shirley in Homer, Illinois. Vesta "Tubby" and George are frequent visitors between Paris, Tilton, and Homer.
Martha Smith died in 1979, and is buried in the Shilo Cemetery in Mahomet, Illinois, next to her only child, Mrs. Victoria (Robert) Shirley.
Martha's mother Edith Smith-Wombles is buried in the GAR Cemetery in Homer. Grandparents Blevins & Sylvania Lewis Smith never left Clay County, Kentucky. Step-grandparents Nancy Smith & John Wombles are lost to time in Clay. Step-father Ben is buried with his second wife
Emma Staley-Wombles in Paris, Illinois. Father Wiley Smith requires additional research, as there are 2 Wiley Smith's in the area.
Martha's 2 deaf half siblings, "Tubby" & George, whom she remained close to her entire life, are buried together in Danville. Martha has a death certificate for both Illinois and Logansport, Indiana.
Family contact is welcomed. Author is grandchildren of Martha, and we have photos of all above family members to share.
Born in 1901 in Bright Shade, Clay, Kentucky, the second of two children to Edith Smith 1879 – 1928 (Edith parents Blevins Smith and Sylvania Lewis) and Wiley Smith. Older sibling Clarence appears only in the 1900 Census, and additional research is needed to identify father Wiley's death or divorce.
In 1903 in Clay County, Kentucky, her mother Edith married a second time to Benjamin Franklin Wombles, son of John Wombles and Nancy Smith. Together Edith and Ben had 6 additional children who lived to adulthood.
In the 1920s the family relocated to Vance Township area very near Homer in Champaign County, Illinois, where Ben's brother Ulysses Wombles and Edith's sister Rebecca Smith had earlier relocated and had been raising their family.
of the 7 children born to Edith, 3 are deaf:
Martha, Vesta "Tubby", and George. (Note: Ben's mother, Nancy Smith-Wombles is also deaf. Nancy's brother Abigah Smith has a son, Abigah Smith, who is deaf and is a cousin to Edith. Grandfather Blevins Smith will remarry and have additional deaf children, Ben's brother will remarry and have deaf children. Clay County Kentucky in the late 1800's has an unusually high number of deaf families.)
Martha and Vesta both attend the Kentucky School for the Deaf, and complete their full education. None of the 3 deaf siblings will marry.
In 1924 Martha has one daughter, Victoria Smith born in Ridge Farm, Illinois. The father is never revealed, but is highly probable Victor Brown (son of Charles Anderson Brown and Alice Shipps of Fairmount). After Martha's mother, Edith Wombles, dies in 1928 and
step-father Ben Wombles relocates to the Paris, Illinois area, Martha and Victoria live with a family friend
Mr. Asbury Alexander Smith in Ridge Farm.
Victoria will describe Asbury as her "only father figure".
Upon Asbury's death in 1955, Martha moves between the homes of her sisters Mrs. Lucille Earl in Logansport Indiana, Mrs. Bessie Phillips in Tilton, and her now married daughter, Mrs. Victoria Shirley in Homer, Illinois. Vesta "Tubby" and George are frequent visitors between Paris, Tilton, and Homer.
Martha Smith died in 1979, and is buried in the Shilo Cemetery in Mahomet, Illinois, next to her only child, Mrs. Victoria (Robert) Shirley.
Martha's mother Edith Smith-Wombles is buried in the GAR Cemetery in Homer. Grandparents Blevins & Sylvania Lewis Smith never left Clay County, Kentucky. Step-grandparents Nancy Smith & John Wombles are lost to time in Clay. Step-father Ben is buried with his second wife
Emma Staley-Wombles in Paris, Illinois. Father Wiley Smith requires additional research, as there are 2 Wiley Smith's in the area.
Martha's 2 deaf half siblings, "Tubby" & George, whom she remained close to her entire life, are buried together in Danville. Martha has a death certificate for both Illinois and Logansport, Indiana.
Family contact is welcomed. Author is grandchildren of Martha, and we have photos of all above family members to share.
In 1903 in Clay County, Kentucky, her mother Edith married a second time to Benjamin Franklin Wombles, son of John Wombles and Nancy Smith. Together Edith and Ben had 6 additional children who lived to adulthood.
In the 1920s the family relocated to Vance Township area very near Homer in Champaign County, Illinois, where Ben's brother Ulysses Wombles and Edith's sister Rebecca Smith had earlier relocated and had been raising their family.
of the 7 children born to Edith, 3 are deaf:
Martha, Vesta "Tubby", and George. (Note: Ben's mother, Nancy Smith-Wombles is also deaf. Nancy's brother Abigah Smith has a son, Abigah Smith, who is deaf and is a cousin to Edith. Grandfather Blevins Smith will remarry and have additional deaf children, Ben's brother will remarry and have deaf children. Clay County Kentucky in the late 1800's has an unusually high number of deaf families.)
Martha and Vesta both attend the Kentucky School for the Deaf, and complete their full education. None of the 3 deaf siblings will marry.
In 1924 Martha has one daughter, Victoria Smith born in Ridge Farm, Illinois. The father is never revealed, but is highly probable Victor Brown (son of Charles Anderson Brown and Alice Shipps of Fairmount). After Martha's mother, Edith Wombles, dies in 1928 and
step-father Ben Wombles relocates to the Paris, Illinois area, Martha and Victoria live with a family friend
Mr. Asbury Alexander Smith in Ridge Farm.
Victoria will describe Asbury as her "only father figure".
Upon Asbury's death in 1955, Martha moves between the homes of her sisters Mrs. Lucille Earl in Logansport Indiana, Mrs. Bessie Phillips in Tilton, and her now married daughter, Mrs. Victoria Shirley in Homer, Illinois. Vesta "Tubby" and George are frequent visitors between Paris, Tilton, and Homer.
Martha Smith died in 1979, and is buried in the Shilo Cemetery in Mahomet, Illinois, next to her only child, Mrs. Victoria (Robert) Shirley.
Martha's mother Edith Smith-Wombles is buried in the GAR Cemetery in Homer. Grandparents Blevins & Sylvania Lewis Smith never left Clay County, Kentucky. Step-grandparents Nancy Smith & John Wombles are lost to time in Clay. Step-father Ben is buried with his second wife
Emma Staley-Wombles in Paris, Illinois. Father Wiley Smith requires additional research, as there are 2 Wiley Smith's in the area.
Martha's 2 deaf half siblings, "Tubby" & George, whom she remained close to her entire life, are buried together in Danville. Martha has a death certificate for both Illinois and Logansport, Indiana.
Family contact is welcomed. Author is grandchildren of Martha, and we have photos of all above family members to share.
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