Lavina Ellen Smith, the tenth child and fourth daughter of John Adam and Eliza (Pickerell) Smith was born 07 Apr 1844 in Clay County, Illinois. At the age of 18, she left with her parents and most of her siblings for California. Along the way they were attacked by the Shoshone. After several members of the wagon train were injured, all but a few left for Salt Lake City to recuperate. There on 03 Jan 1863 she gave birth to her first child, Joseph B. Johns.
Lavina married Alpheus Elijah Knight 09 Jan 1864 in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California. Unfortunately, Alpheus was known to be a womanizer as well as a gambler. According to their granddaughter, Lulu Berry White, "Alpheus Knight was a mean gambler. Lost a lot of money gambling. He would leave the family alone for a long time then show up and leave them a little money and leave again." He also left Lavina with nine children.
Throughout their marriage, the Knight family moved many times, from Solano County, where they married, to Hollister, San Benito County (where her parents lived), to Monterey County, (where three of her siblings lived), Merced County, then back to Monterey County.
Lavina died 03 May 1881 in Salinas, Monterey County, California from tuberculous from which she had long suffered. The exact location of Lavina's burial is not known, but most probably in the same cemetery that her brother, Buchanan is buried.
Lavina and Alpheus had eight children; their first child, a son, Vinson was born on 05 Jan 1865 in Sonoma County and died on 22 Sep 1865 in Sonoma County. He is buried in an unmarked grave.
Lavina married Alpheus Elijah Knight 09 Jan 1864 in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California. Unfortunately, Alpheus was known to be a womanizer as well as a gambler. According to their granddaughter, Lulu Berry White, "Alpheus Knight was a mean gambler. Lost a lot of money gambling. He would leave the family alone for a long time then show up and leave them a little money and leave again." He also left Lavina with nine children.
Throughout their marriage, the Knight family moved many times, from Solano County, where they married, to Hollister, San Benito County (where her parents lived), to Monterey County, (where three of her siblings lived), Merced County, then back to Monterey County.
Lavina died 03 May 1881 in Salinas, Monterey County, California from tuberculous from which she had long suffered. The exact location of Lavina's burial is not known, but most probably in the same cemetery that her brother, Buchanan is buried.
Lavina and Alpheus had eight children; their first child, a son, Vinson was born on 05 Jan 1865 in Sonoma County and died on 22 Sep 1865 in Sonoma County. He is buried in an unmarked grave.
Lavina Ellen Smith, the tenth child and fourth daughter of John Adam and Eliza (Pickerell) Smith was born 07 Apr 1844 in Clay County, Illinois. At the age of 18, she left with her parents and most of her siblings for California. Along the way they were attacked by the Shoshone. After several members of the wagon train were injured, all but a few left for Salt Lake City to recuperate. There on 03 Jan 1863 she gave birth to her first child, Joseph B. Johns.
Lavina married Alpheus Elijah Knight 09 Jan 1864 in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California. Unfortunately, Alpheus was known to be a womanizer as well as a gambler. According to their granddaughter, Lulu Berry White, "Alpheus Knight was a mean gambler. Lost a lot of money gambling. He would leave the family alone for a long time then show up and leave them a little money and leave again." He also left Lavina with nine children.
Throughout their marriage, the Knight family moved many times, from Solano County, where they married, to Hollister, San Benito County (where her parents lived), to Monterey County, (where three of her siblings lived), Merced County, then back to Monterey County.
Lavina died 03 May 1881 in Salinas, Monterey County, California from tuberculous from which she had long suffered. The exact location of Lavina's burial is not known, but most probably in the same cemetery that her brother, Buchanan is buried.
Lavina and Alpheus had eight children; their first child, a son, Vinson was born on 05 Jan 1865 in Sonoma County and died on 22 Sep 1865 in Sonoma County. He is buried in an unmarked grave.
Lavina married Alpheus Elijah Knight 09 Jan 1864 in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California. Unfortunately, Alpheus was known to be a womanizer as well as a gambler. According to their granddaughter, Lulu Berry White, "Alpheus Knight was a mean gambler. Lost a lot of money gambling. He would leave the family alone for a long time then show up and leave them a little money and leave again." He also left Lavina with nine children.
Throughout their marriage, the Knight family moved many times, from Solano County, where they married, to Hollister, San Benito County (where her parents lived), to Monterey County, (where three of her siblings lived), Merced County, then back to Monterey County.
Lavina died 03 May 1881 in Salinas, Monterey County, California from tuberculous from which she had long suffered. The exact location of Lavina's burial is not known, but most probably in the same cemetery that her brother, Buchanan is buried.
Lavina and Alpheus had eight children; their first child, a son, Vinson was born on 05 Jan 1865 in Sonoma County and died on 22 Sep 1865 in Sonoma County. He is buried in an unmarked grave.
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