[The following is from James H. Sterrett's History of Beechwoods which was from Robert A. Smith, "A Brief History of the Smith Family".]
In 1825 Alexander Osborne sold a tract of land to James Smith, with whom he had become acquainted in Centre County, where Smith worked at the Valintine Iron Works. (pp87) One of the largest and most prominent families to settle in Beechwoods was the Smith Family. James Smith traveled to Beechwoods and purchased his land in 1825, and as soon as the weather permitted in the spring of 1826, he sent his eldest son, Andrew to begin clearing the newly bought land. Andrew, later joined by his brother Matthew, cleared some land and built a cabin into which the whole family moved in the summer of 1827. The smith family got along quite well for a time by making and selling the ever abundant maple sugar as a cash commodity in the western areas of Jefferson County and in Clarion and Armstrong counties, where the trees were predominantly pine. This gave the family some income while their land was being cleared. The family received a severe setback in May, 1831, however when James' wife died. Hers was the first interment in what later became the Beechwoods Cemetery, then called Cooper's Hill. With his wife gone, James Smith determined to entice his relatives to come to Beechwoods. (pp. 89) His urgings were directed not only at his relatives in County Donegal, but also at members of his family already in America. He began his appeal with his brother William, who lived in Maryland.
In 1825 Alexander Osborne sold a tract of land to James Smith, with whom he had become acquainted in Centre County, where Smith worked at the Valintine Iron Works. (pp87) One of the largest and most prominent families to settle in Beechwoods was the Smith Family. James Smith traveled to Beechwoods and purchased his land in 1825, and as soon as the weather permitted in the spring of 1826, he sent his eldest son, Andrew to begin clearing the newly bought land. Andrew, later joined by his brother Matthew, cleared some land and built a cabin into which the whole family moved in the summer of 1827. The smith family got along quite well for a time by making and selling the ever abundant maple sugar as a cash commodity in the western areas of Jefferson County and in Clarion and Armstrong counties, where the trees were predominantly pine. This gave the family some income while their land was being cleared. The family received a severe setback in May, 1831, however when James' wife died. Hers was the first interment in what later became the Beechwoods Cemetery, then called Cooper's Hill. With his wife gone, James Smith determined to entice his relatives to come to Beechwoods. (pp. 89) His urgings were directed not only at his relatives in County Donegal, but also at members of his family already in America. He began his appeal with his brother William, who lived in Maryland.
[The following is from James H. Sterrett's History of Beechwoods which was from Robert A. Smith, "A Brief History of the Smith Family".]
In 1825 Alexander Osborne sold a tract of land to James Smith, with whom he had become acquainted in Centre County, where Smith worked at the Valintine Iron Works. (pp87) One of the largest and most prominent families to settle in Beechwoods was the Smith Family. James Smith traveled to Beechwoods and purchased his land in 1825, and as soon as the weather permitted in the spring of 1826, he sent his eldest son, Andrew to begin clearing the newly bought land. Andrew, later joined by his brother Matthew, cleared some land and built a cabin into which the whole family moved in the summer of 1827. The smith family got along quite well for a time by making and selling the ever abundant maple sugar as a cash commodity in the western areas of Jefferson County and in Clarion and Armstrong counties, where the trees were predominantly pine. This gave the family some income while their land was being cleared. The family received a severe setback in May, 1831, however when James' wife died. Hers was the first interment in what later became the Beechwoods Cemetery, then called Cooper's Hill. With his wife gone, James Smith determined to entice his relatives to come to Beechwoods. (pp. 89) His urgings were directed not only at his relatives in County Donegal, but also at members of his family already in America. He began his appeal with his brother William, who lived in Maryland.
In 1825 Alexander Osborne sold a tract of land to James Smith, with whom he had become acquainted in Centre County, where Smith worked at the Valintine Iron Works. (pp87) One of the largest and most prominent families to settle in Beechwoods was the Smith Family. James Smith traveled to Beechwoods and purchased his land in 1825, and as soon as the weather permitted in the spring of 1826, he sent his eldest son, Andrew to begin clearing the newly bought land. Andrew, later joined by his brother Matthew, cleared some land and built a cabin into which the whole family moved in the summer of 1827. The smith family got along quite well for a time by making and selling the ever abundant maple sugar as a cash commodity in the western areas of Jefferson County and in Clarion and Armstrong counties, where the trees were predominantly pine. This gave the family some income while their land was being cleared. The family received a severe setback in May, 1831, however when James' wife died. Hers was the first interment in what later became the Beechwoods Cemetery, then called Cooper's Hill. With his wife gone, James Smith determined to entice his relatives to come to Beechwoods. (pp. 89) His urgings were directed not only at his relatives in County Donegal, but also at members of his family already in America. He began his appeal with his brother William, who lived in Maryland.
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