Jonathan Smull Family: Franklin Sylvester Smull

PETER SMULL > JOHNATHAN SMULL > FRANKLIN SYLVESTER SMULL m Clarissa Belle Orcutt

Jennie, Florence, Sadie Smull and Clarissa Belle Orcutt Smull
Bonnie Jermeier photo

Johnathan Smull and Mary Jane Cooper had eight children. Ulyssus, the oldest, was born about 1863 in Rock Grove, Stephenson, Illinois and died 08 Oct 1881 in Chickasaw County, Iowa. The next child in the line-up was Franklin Sylvester Smull, born 06 Mar 1865 in Stephenson County, Illinois. He moved to Iowa with the family in the 1876. He met Clarissa Belle Orcutt and married her on 15 Feb 1893 in Plainfield, Bremer County.

Clarissa was the daughter of John Dimmick Orcutt, Jr. and Hannah Bossom. She was one of 11 children with interesting names like, "Marshall Western Orcutt," and "Philura Balingal Orcutt." The Orcutt's were early settlers in the area who had come from Connecticut originally.

Franklin and Clarissa Belle spent some time living in Bellevue in Jackson County as well as Stacyville and Mitchell, but moved back to Plainfield in 1903. I have a feeling it was because Frank was ill. They rented the "Eddy" house in Plainfield upon their return. By 1904, it was clear that Frank was ill. He spent time at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester before returning home and spent the last several months very ill. He died on 12 Jul 1904 in Plainfield at age 39. Clara took in washing to raise the children after Frank's death. Clarissa Belle died 15 Nov 1954 in Waterloo, Black Hawk County. The couple had five children.

1. Orle Jay Smull: Born 27 Dec 1893 in Bellevue, Jackson County. He married  Ruth V. Cagley, daughter of Frederick Elmore Cagley and Miriam Allena "Ena" Ingersoll. The Cagley family is also rife in the area. Orle operated a garage in Plainfield. In 1946, he bought a cement block machine with plans to open a cement block business with his brother, Ralph. They had three children. O. J. died 18 Aug 1963 in Plainfield and Ruth in July 1996. I'll talk more about Orle and Ralph later.

2. Opal Claire Smull: Born 26 Feb 1896 in Bellevue, Jackson County. She married Palmer Stephens Lowery on 25 May 1920, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa. Palmer was born 02 Feb 1895 in Calumet, Houghton County, Michigan. They resided in San Diego, California after their marriage. They divorced after 1940. Palmer died in Shawano, Wisconsin on 09 Apr 1979 and had remarried. Opal died on 18 May 1989 in Fallbrook in San Diego County. Opal's only child, Arlene Claire Lowery, was, according to Arlene's daughter, not the biological child of Palmer, but the child of James Milton Taylor. Arlene was born 28 Jun 1929 in San Diego and died 12 Sep 2001 in Orange County, she was married to Paul Delmus Jackson.

3. Ralph Edmond Smull:  Born 28 Jan 1898 in Stacyville, Mitchell County. He served during World War I, though I don't believe he saw combat. He married a woman named Stephanie, most likely in Chicago, where they lived in the 1930 and 1940 census.  It turns out that Stephanie was Stephanie Abramowicz of Chicago. They would divorce. He was a painter as a contractor and for Western Electric during his time there. On 26 Jun 1943, he married Florence T Abramowicz, in Lancaster, Missouri. Florence was born 09 Dec 1908 in Chicago to Frank Abramowicz and Mary Lipinski. She was first wife Stephanie's younger sister. In 1946, Ralph's brother O. J. decided to open up a cement block business and Ralph and Florence returned to Iowa to help in that endeavor. By 1947, they had their trial run making "about 78 blocks in about two hours." Nothing is heard about the business in the paper after that time, but it was reported to have operated a few years.

Ralph's obit listed him as a sign painter and interior decorator. The Smull lived at 903 Grand Blvd in Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County later in their life with their daughter, Eloise. Ralph died of emphysema and a heart attack. Florence died 17 Oct 1996 in Iowa City, after moving there in 1984.

4. Maude Fern Smull:  Born 31 Jan 1900 in Stacyville, she married Earl W. Fayant on 16 Jun 1923 in Des Moines, Iowa. Earl was born 26 Jun 1896 to Theodore Anthony Fayant and Emma Katherine Voss in Pender, Thurston, Nebraska.  Earl's family moved to Iowa Falls

The young couple lived at 216 Logan Ave in Waterloo as lodgers in the Dean and Irma Konkle home in 1930. Irma is Maude's sister. In 1940, they lived at 408 Dawson St in Waterloo. Earl and Maude operated a grocery store in Waterloo for 22 years. The Fayant's moved to California for nine months in 1946, returning in April 1947, when he bought his new store, Fayant's Food Mart, at 2301 Lafayette St. Earl died on 1 Aug 1947 after a heart attack while working in the basement of the store. Maude continue to operate the business for a while until she moved to San Diego and died in San Diego County, California. They had one son.

5. Irma Bethel Smull:  Born 28 May 1902 in Stacyville, she married Dean Bostic Konkle on 30 Sep 1922 in Sioux City, Iowa. Dean was born 24 Jun 1900 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They resided in Sioux City for two years after their marriage before moving to Waterloo. In 1930, they lived at 216 Logan Ave where they had several boarders, including her sister Maude and husband Early Fayant. Dean was a compositor (typesetter) and in 1946, he worked at Matt Parrot & Sons Printing. Irma died of a heart illness 14 Jun 1946 in Waterloo. Dean died in March 1969 in Colorado Springs. He had remarried after moving to San Diego, but later divorced. Irma and Dean had no children.