SMITH Family: Mary Adaline Smith Hoard Albert Burgos Albert (1890-1949)

The old Fort Jones est. 1852

My paternal grandmother, Verlie Smith, was one of 11 brothers and sisters. She was third from the 

youngest. Her sister, Mary, was the first child, born in 1890. She was married to her first husband Edwin Hoard and gone before my grandmother was even born. No one in the living family remembers her as she had passed away before we were all born in the 1960s. 

I tell the story of how I discovered so much about Mary here. The last time I wrote, I did not know what Mary looked like. My Uncle Harold, who sort of helped me unwind the story and who did know her, has since passed away. I still had questions even though the story was mostly told. Today, in a routine records update for her, I opened an entire new part to the story. 

Mary was married four different times to three different men. I think she had a bum picker or maybe she was no prize herself, who knows. Her second/fourth husband Donald Lee "D.L." Albert was the husband I had the least amount of information on, but now I think I have a full picture of him and tracked a total of three wives and four marriages, just like Mary. 

The Edwin Smith Family Late 1920s (Click to enlarge)

Mary's third marriage was to Greek immigrant Peter Burgos. She is living in Michigan with him as early as 1925. They married in Lake County, Indiana in 1937. Mary returned to Iowa in 1942 and stayed with her mom, Kate Smull Smith on Main St. in Plainfield. Then, she worked in Waterloo for a while - about 40 miles away. Her husband, Peter Burgos, who operated the Metropole Cafe in Mount Pleasant, Michigan died in 1943. I believe they were just separated then.  In 1943, she had a small apartment over a store on the on the west side of Main St. when on 06 Nov 1943, a major fire broke out in an empty restaurant on the east side of Main and ended up burning down the entire block of businesses. Mary was the one who called in the fire at 3:45 am that morning. The Plainfield and Shell Rock fire departments could due little due to a water shortage, but were able to protect the other side of the street. This was THE big news of the year in tiny Plainfield and impacted the entire community. It's believed that a faulty electrical switch in the Grover Mabb cafe started the fire. The Tourist Cafe and Hotel operated by Mrs. Gertrude Smith, the Dinilli Barber Shop, post office, R. L. Cagley residence, William Gritzner apartments, and Mabb Cafe were reduced to ash. 

I wondered these past years, why D.L. and Mary were in Yreka, California. I've been there - you would need a reason. D.L.'s first wife went to Los Angeles after the divorce, with their daughter Ruth. There was a lot of movement to the great Los Angeles area during this time. Jobs were plentiful and the weather was great.  In 1923, D.L., while married the first time to Mary, made an exploratory visit to Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California. D. L. and Mary moved to Long Beach in Los Angeles County, where D. L. worked as a oil worker. That was in 1924. By 1925, Mary was no longer in California. D. L. stayed in Long Beach.

Third wife third wife Cora Clark Jones, mother of six, moved to California in 1931, two years after the death of her first husband, B. F. Jones, an auctioneer.  She came from D. L.'s home town in Ladora, Iowa. They married, and in 1931 moved from Long Beach to Fort Jones, in Siskyou County. D.L. farmed and worked as a fireman. D. L. sold baled alfalfa and hay by the ton to area farmers.

Downtown Fort Jones Late 1930s/Early 1940s 

Fort Jones was at that time, an old western town not too far from Mount Shasta in very far north California, near the Oregon border. It's incredibly picturesque. The first structure was built in 1851 and the town primarily served as a trading outpost, supporting Fort Jones soldiers and miners. Other businesses included a bar and brothel. The Fort itself had been established in 1852 and closed in 1858.  Some of the more famous officers who served at Fort Jones included Phil Sheridan (Union), George Crook (Union), John Hood (Confederate), Ulysses S. Grant (Union), and George Pickett (Confederate). 

  

Cora died at Fort Jones in late 1936. Somehow reconnected, Mary and D.L. remarried in 1944 and Mary moved to Siskyou County. They lived there for the remainder of both of their lives. Mary died in Yreka in early 1949 of cancer and D.L., also ill, died at the end of 1949.

Photos Courtesy of the Office of War Information 1945
Downtown Yreka, California

His daughter also ended up living there with her second husband. Ruth Albert Kuebler Trent died in Yreka in 1877.

Mary's Marriages

Husband 1: Edwin Church Hoard m. 1907-div. bef. 1915

  Wife 2: Carla Hansen m. 1915-until his death in 1953

Husband 2: Donald Lee "D.L." Albert m. abt. 1915-div. around 1925 or so

  Wife 1: Mary Hope "Mollie" Nicholson m. 1900-div bef. 1915 (1 daughter, Ruth)

  Wife 3: Cora Clark Jones m. 1931-at her death 1936

Husband 3: Peter Burgos m. 1937-at his death in 1943 (they separated in 1942). She is referred to as Mrs Burgos starting in 1925, but their marriage license was issued in 1937.

Husband 4: Donald Lee "D.L." Albert m. 1944-until her death in 1949

David Owens: Union Township/Mount Vernon

More on my trip to South Dakota to continue my work on David Owens life. Union Township is outside of Mount Vernon, SD. That is the town where my 3rd GG, David Owens, and his wife Eliza Barker Owens settled at the end of their lives. David filed for a land patent in 1884, which was patented in 1889. It was the NW1/4 of Section 11, Union Township. In 1897, Emery Owens applied was granted the NE1/4 of Section 11. Sometime during this period, Emery acquired the SW1/4 of Section 11, making a total of 480 acres. Now, consider that South Dakota is not all Badlands and high desert. The northeastern side of the state is fertile with arable land.  That's a chunk of usable land. David appears to have left his portion to Emery, because by the time the map was published in 1901, Emery had this land, but had to wait to patent the NE1/4 (in 1902).

1902 Union Township, Davison County, SD Plat Map

Here is a photo of the homestead...there's a question whether this was the Owens homestead or another building was there before. According to the owner, the basement is the original basement. This location is at 257th St and 398th Ave in Davison County. I put two not perfectly matching photos below of the homestead.  

Miracle of miracles, I also availed myself of the US BLM database of land grants and was able to find both of the Owens land grants paperwork. I have linked directly to the page with the patents.

David's 1889 Land Patent

Emery's Land Grant. Land previously owned by Wm Brearly

Finally, here are the grave stones of both David Owens and his wife, Eliza Barker Owens.

SMULL: Samuel Gramley's Diaires...High Cost of War

While on my trip to Brush Valley in 2024, I had a few moments to look through the diaries of Samuel Gramley. I have written about him here. Samuel Gramley married Sarah Jane Smull (daughter of Henry Smull, in 1849. They lived in Centre County, Pennsylvania. This is the second post of entries.

March 3, 1865. Many of our neighbors were drafted - 27 of whom must either go or furnish substitutes. There are some drafted for whom I feel sad. Some of my near friends. Harrison Smull, Henry Smull, S. G. Mengle and others for whom I feel sad. All the Shoemakers are drafted.

(Not sure about either Harrison or Henry, but Harrison has no record of service, so he must have found a substitute. Henry Jr. served in the 175th Infantry in 1862 - so did he get drafted after that service?  If you would like to know about Smull service for the Stephenson County, Illinois group, go here.)

March 4, 1865. This was nationally a great and memorable day, as Abraham Lincoln took his seat the second time as President of the United States; and my humble prayer to Almight God this evening is that God's choicest blessings may be upon him  as the Chief Magistrate of our Nation; and that his being President may yet be a blessing not only to our United States, but also to the world; that the long prayed for day of peace may speedily dawn; and that war and the rumors of war may cease O though God have mercy on us.

(A little over a month later, President Lincoln would be assasinated by John Wilkes Booth.)

March 10, 1865. I and several of my neighbors, moved George Deavler into my Tenant house today with sleds, but almost as much through mud as through snow. I am much pained to be compelled to enter in my Journal the death of my nephew, Charles A. Wolf, of Co. A, 18th PV. He was captured by the Rebels some time ago, with others, and was literally starved in their prison. May Almight God reward them for starving so many of our soldiers.

(Charles was the son of Samuel's sister Catherine and Henry Wolf.)

October 29, 1880. My sould feels much grieved from the fact of my irrepairable loss of my dear wife Sarah Jane. It seems to me at times that it could not be a reality that she is no more to be seen in the family. When I watch my two girls Naomi Jane and Adah E go about the house after the work, and their dear mother's voice is no more heard in giving counsel and advice, it almost breaks my heart. O! When thinking of the kind voice speaking and encouraging, not only the children, but also, me, language entirely fails to express my feelings.

(Sarah Jane died in May of 1880.) 

November 4, 1880. Mrs. Polly Walker (Sarah's sister) and Barbara Hoy were here today, assisting me and my little girls to cook apple butter, and also to kill or butcher a little hog. We were quite busy all day, and I feel very much tired. Last evening, I wrote my fourth letter to my Dear friend, Mrs. C.A.O. in Snyder County, and this morning I took it to the PO and then got a letter, and after I came home and opened it, I was not a little surprised and also full of Joy to find it a kind reply from her to my third letter. I felt thankful to God to know that there is still a friend to be found for me, and one, too, God willing, who will come to my assistance in due time, to help to bear my burden, and I hers. May God bless her and me, and help us successfully carry out our purposes.

(This is just adorable. He has started a postal romance with Catherine Spangler Ocker, who was widowed shortly before Sarah Jane died.)

December 30, 1882. Last Monday my dear wife Kate and I were at Millheim with my brother Reuben and his wife at a Lutheran Dinner given for the benefit of their New Lutheran Church which they are building. On Thursday I was out at Henry Wolf's to be present with Road Viewers and now have a severe cold from which I am suffering--severe hoarse.

(There were many sweet entries about his dear wife, Kate. However, she had seven children from her first marriage and visited them frequently.)

My last two entries just remind me of any man or woman in a blended family with teens!

January 6, 1883. My dear wife Kate all at once took a notion to take the train to see her daughter Mary A. a visit at Mifflinburg, and so she did today and will spend this evening and God willing I will meet her next Wednesday evening at Mifflinburg and accompany her back Thursday. I will leave home Tuesday morning for Middleburg, Snyder Co. and come to Mifflinburg as said.

January 17, 1883. We have excellent sleighing, and snowing now most of Saturday a week ago my wife Kate left home for Mifflinburg. On Tuesday following I went to Middlebur in search of the residence of Michael Hetzel, who has become a Township charge, and found that he has his last residence in Washington Township by having paid co. tax twice in succession--1875 and 1876. After having made said search I came to my friend Christian Spangler the same day at Centerville at whose place I staid over night, and the following morning I came to Mifflinburg, where I spend that day with my wife at her daughter's place, and on Thursday we came home about noon. On last Friday, Jan 12, Clement H. and Naomi J. (his children) left home on a visit in Clinton County to their uncle, T. J. Smull at Mackeyville, and also their Royer friends, with the understanding to come back on Monday. This command they both violated, and Clement H. alone came home yesterday. By the influence of the Royer friends Naomi J. staid, which was a violent temptation and disappointment to me, and the disobedience in her I am compelled to reproof severely. I have all the respects necessary for my friends, but they must however in this case be taught that I am the head in my family. I have immediately send her a Postal to be home by Friday or Saturday, if not that I would fetch her on Monday to her sorrow. This disobedience I do not blame as the heart only by the head pursuaded.

SMULL: Samuel Gramley's Diaries

While on my trip to Brush Valley in 2024, I had a few moments to look through the diaries of Samuel Gramley. I have written about him here. Samuel Gramley married Sarah Jane Smull (daughter of Henry Smull, in 1849. They lived in Centre County, Pennsylvania. I want to share a few entries:

December 24, 1856. Christmas evening. Weather severely cold for about 8 or 10 days already and no abatement yet. The cold has been so severe that no drop of water is now running in our town--all must be hauled from H. Royer's. And, Bear's or John Gramlys. Today Rev. Alleman had communion here and his discourse was based on Psalm 37:37. This too was his last sermon that he may do for us this side of the grave, as he has received a call some time ago from Hanover York County, Pennsylvania, wor which place he will leave this place next Monday. May the Lord's blessing attend him and his family withersoever he goes is my ardent prayer to God. The Lord has severely afflicted us in calling our most worthy Pastor Rev. Alleman to another field of labor. May the Lord soon send us another true, and really pious servant of his, is my wish and prayer to our God, who is willing, as well as ble, to here and answer the prayers of his children. Amen.

(Many entries were prayers or references to God.)

January 31, 1857. It is a long time since I wrote in my journal last and this was I think partly because during this time I met with so many trials and temptations from Satan, my own wicked heart, and from neighbors who are my deadliest enemies, round my back, but to my face seem yet as friends, and facts show are seeking my ruin, in any way they and the Devil think to succeed that I often know why, what to do, nor where I was standing. May God help me!

(There were a few entries that gave me the impression that he had fits of despair that may not have been warranted in the general scheme of things. I wonder who was backstabbing him!)

April 18, 1860. This has been a very fine day and the farmers in every direction were busy ploughing--sowing oats, etc. They are far back with their work on account of too much rain to do anything. Hardly any gardening has as yet been done before today for the same reason. I and Cephas Luther (his son) are alone at home tonight, as Sara Jane and Titus Melancthon have remained in town at Harrison Smull's. Nancy, his wife, is not expected to live long any more. She is very low. She has dreadfully to suffer--n one can hardly stand to see her suffer so. May the Lord have mercy on her, and grant that, should he see proper to remove her from this world, she may be prepared to leave this world in peace, has long been my prayer. Our friends William Walker's youngest child also is very low--hardly any expectations can be entertained of her reocvery. Last night I was there, and Sara Jane till half past one o'clock. Their daughter Jest Ann is in a most pitiable condition, on account of her spells of fits, whic she gets so very frequently. I have in my heart already felt for her, as she used to be on of my most obedient scholars--would learn well--and be active at everything.

(William Walker was married to Samuel's wife Sarah's sister, Mary Magdalena "Pollie." Their daughter Jest Ann was born in 1845 and survived until 1890, but was classified as insane - it sounds like she was epileptic, which was a sure way to be classified as insane back in that era.)

April 21, 1860. I have today been digging some in the garden. I owe also a great debt of gratitude to Gofr for his tender care toward me and my family. We are all enjoying good health and strength of body and mind. Sarah Jane has gone to town this evening to spend the night with our friends the Harrison Smulls; as she is yet very low--may not be able to live long anymore. Yet for all we know, she can by the help of God, again recover, as nothing is impossible with God; but to human appearance she may very properly be said to stand; as it were, with one foot in the grave. But she, as well as we, in the hands of him who is able to speak a word and it must come to pass. When he says, "come for thou son of man" we are; and when he says "die," we are no more--as a vapor before the sun, or that the grass is cut down. 

(Nancy McGee Smull, wife of Harrison Smull, died on 05 May 1860 at the age of 29. Harrison remarried to Matilda Hackman, "spinster" sister of Rev. H. E. Hackman, of St Clair, Pa. Matilda cared for her nephew Horace Hackman, son of Rev H. E. Hackman who had lost his wife and remarried and had several very small children in 1870. Unfortunately, Harrison himself would die in Sept 1871.)

January 5, 1861. Since my last entry into my journal we had fine winter weather--cold--excellent sleighing, and about 3 inches of snow. Had large attendance in school. One day more will finish my 2nd mo. I and family had taken a sleigh ride this afternoon to our friend's Henry Smull's. Found them all well. On my home road I received a letter from my friend T. J. Smull, who is teaching in Clinton Co, Pa.

(T. J. Smull is Thomas Jefferson Smull, brother of Sarah Smull Gramley. He would stay in Clinton County, Mackeyville, in particular, where he would spend 50 years as the postmaster there. When he retired, his son Roy took over.)

I'll publish a few more on the next blog.

SMULL: Jasper Gurney Smull One of My Favorite Stories

Jasper Gurney Smull, grandson of Henry Smull by his son Henry Kreamer "Harry" Smull, was born in 1901. He grew up and lived most, if not all, of his life in Rebersburg, Pennsylvania. He never married and it appears that he was a mama's boy.  For some time, he worked as a farm laborer in the area. To this day, the story of his time on the Walker farm told a story worthy of a made for TV movie. It remains one of the best stories I've run across, and there have been more than a few, in my family tree, which seems to have more than its fair share of nuts. Here is the story and here is a photo of Gurney, who lived until 1987.

SMULL: Henry Smull of Brush Valley

 I'm just now getting around to sorting through photos from my big trip to Pennsylvania, to hunt the trail of the Brothers Smull. My first post on my trip is here. I had such a great time with Evonne Henninger who runs the Facebook page Penns Valley Past and Present. Four Smull brothers arrived in Brush Valley to build the Lutheran church in Rebersburg: Jacob, Peter, Henry, and Jesse. Once building was complete, Jesse returned to the family while the three, Jacob, Peter and Henry, remained to build lives in the beautiful newly settled countryside on the other side of the Ridge and Valley Provice of the Appalachian Mountains, sitting between Nittany Mountain to the north and Brush Mountain/Shriner Mountain to the south. Peter was my third great grandfather. Jacob died relatively young but his home still stands on the main street in Rebersburg. Henry and his large family from his two wives, became part of the fabric of the area.

Henry's first wife was Elizabeth Royer, daughter of Johannes Christopher Royer and Magdalene Gross. The couple had seven children. Elizabeth died in 1834 at the age of 37, two weeks after she gave birth to their last child, Thomas Jefferson Smull. Henry then married the daughter of one of the prominent farmers Daniel Kreamer and Anna Kern) in the region, widow Catherine Kreamer Hosterman. They had an additional five children to add to the four children she had during her marriage to George Hosterman. George had died the same year Elizabeth Royer Smull died.  

I had not seen a photo of any of the Brothers Smull until I made my trip to Brush Valley. This is a photo of Henry, born in the 18th century, and his second wife, Catherine. This alone made the trip worthwhile.

Henry Smull and Catherine Kreamer Hosterman Smull c. 1860

David Owens: The Trip to Mount Vernon...South Dakota

I would direct you to the various stories about David Owens, my third great grandfather. His story wormed its way into my heart and he has been of special interest in my genealogical work. The summer of 2023, I had the pleasure of going to the place he went after he left Iowa. The place where he raised his second family - Mount Vernon, South Dakota. 

Our trip was for the pleasure of the entire family - mostly. Little did my familial traveling companions know, but I had designs on our itinerary that would take us to genealogical wonders (for me, not them) along the way. 

Downtown Mount Vernon 25 years after the Owens arrived

As just a brief summary to those who do not want to read all of my stories, David Owens married my 3rd great grandmother, Sarah Holler. They pioneered through Indiana and Illinois, until arriving in Poyner Township, Black Hawk County, Iowa, where they were part of a group of the earliest settlers. They were baptists. Sarah died shortly after having her son Joseph in 1864. Joseph also died. David almost immediately married Elizabeth Brown, who died in 1866. Finally, he married Eliza Barker in 1867. They stayed in Poyner Township until 1884, when they made the big move to South Dakota where they hoped to homestead. They ended up homesteading two different adjoining properties outside of Mount Vernon, South Dakota.

We had left Mitchell, the Davison county seat, early one morning as I had an appointment with the sexton at the cemetery where David and Eliza were buried. No emails involved - only the phone.  Dale Kroupa, who had lived his entire life in Mount Vernon and knew who lived at every single property in the County, met us at the cemetery. By that time, I had already found the stone in question. We chatted a bit and I told him of my interest in the Owens family. He grabbed his phone, made a call, and said, "Follow me."

Milwaukee, Chicago, St Paul Station

Off we went to the nearby historical museum (housed in what was formerly a church). Dale had called the woman who masterminded the museum, Roberta Olsen, at home. She told him to give her a minute, but she'd be right down to open up the museum.  Now, that's service! She knew every person to a one who settled in the area and how they connected to each other. I poured over tons of resources, books, and plat maps. Dale had tracked the properties down and so we were off again to see the property.  On that day, I got to see the place where they had farmed over 100 years ago. The place did not look much different from it had then. I felt a real connection to David, which just further insinuated him into my heart.

Really, all that racing around was great, but man, I've got to tell you, the kindness of strangers. Am I right? Mrs. Olsen and Mr. Kroupa so clearly loved and were proud of their place in the world and so very willing to share it with others. It moved me very much.  

I delayed telling this story so now I have to dig through my phone for the photos. So, I shall return - with pictures and some other stuff.

Mount Vernons Historical Museum