Johnathan Smull Family: Jennie Elnora Smull

PETER SMULL > JOHNATHAN SMULL > JENNIE ELNORA SMULL m Jacob Smith

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James & Jennie Wedding

Jennie Elnora Smull was born 27 Jul 1869 in Stephenson County, Illinois. She came to Bradford, Chickasaw County in 1876 with her parents and they later moved to Plainfield in Bremer County after Johnathan's death.. She met James Edward Smith, son of Jacob Smith and Elizabeth Monteith, and married him 09 Oct 1890. Jacob Smith is the brother of my 2nd great grandfather, William Custer Smith.

James Edward Smith was born 09 Oct 1867 in Bremer County, near Plainfield. In 1920, he was working as a section gang foreman for the Illinois Central railroad and work there for 43 years. He retired with a pension in 1937. Jennie spent a lot of time visiting with her sisters, to whom she was very close. Saidee Smulls daughter Jane Scofield, recalled in a 2015 interview, "She was very tiny, small-built, wore long-sleeved print dresses, lace collar, broach, and apron."

In 1939, this notice was posted in the paper: "Mr & Mrs Clifford Smith motored to Rochester, Minn., on Sunday and visited his father, Jim Smith, a patient in the hospital. Mr Smith is doing nicely, but it will be necessary for him to remain for another operation." 

James & Jennie 50th Anniversary

James died 12 May 1941 in Plainfield and Jennie died 09 May 1956 in Des Moines, Iowa. Her daughter Myrl lived in Ankeny, nearby.

The couple had seven children:

1. Clifford Ulysses Smith:  Born 31 Oct 1892 in Plainfield, he married Faith Edith Beine on 18 Nov 1916 in Plainfield. She was born the daughter of Charles Beine and Anna Elizabeth Toepfer on 15 Oct 1897 in Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa. 

In 1918, Clifford was appointed as a rural postal carrier. In 1920, he was working at an auto garage, As far back as 1929, he is seen working as manager at an electronics shop  as a radio repairman. Faith's father Charles owned a dry goods store in Plainfield. Clifford died 27 Sep 1972 in Plainfield and Faith in September 1991 in Clarksville.

The couple had one son, Lester, who was a bit of a bad boy, with minor skirmishes with the law. He married and settled down, moving to California, where he worked at a Lockheed bomber plant in Los Angeles. He died of complications of appendix surgery at the age of  25. They had one child. His wife, Jeanette Theresa Heck, returned to Iowa and remarried. 

Clifford & Faith 

2. Lawrence Leith Smith:  Born 29 Dec 1894 in Plainfield. He married Gertrude Lucille Ogbin on 15 Feb 1917 in Waverly, Bremer County. She was born 05 Nov 1899 in Bremer County to Dr. Eugene Ogbin and Stella Oberdier. Lawrence was a barber. He died 26 Mar 1974 in Waverly and she 26 May 1968 in Janesville, Bremer County. They had one child, Gwendolyn (Jeanne) Smith. 

3.  Myrtle Smith:  Born 01 Apr 1897 in Bremer County and she died in 1898.

4. Gailerd Leroy Smith:  Born 01 May 1900 in Plainfield, he married Helen Viola Smith (a different Smith line - the Lloyed Smith line) on 20 Apr 1924 in Waverly. Gailerd was employed by the Illinois Central railroad for 47 years. He died 29 Sep 1963 in Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, Iowa. Helen died 16 Jul 2002. They had three children. 

Jennie Irene & Don Shadbolt

5. Myrl Elizabeth Smith:  Born 26 May 1904 in Plainfield. She married Anton "Tony" Juhl, son of Nils Juhl and Jessine Kristene "Christina" Morgensen, on 02 Jun 1925 in Emmetsburg, Palo Alto, Iowa. Tony was born 02 Jun 1902 in Hampton, Franklin, Iowa. Anton ran Juhl Insurance Agency in Ankeny for over 40 years. He died 31 Oct 1977 in Ankeny and she died August 1995 in Ankeny. They had one daughter.

6. Jennie Irene "Irene" Smith:  Born 23 Jan 1907 in Plainfield. She married Donald Richard Shadbolt on 24 Jul 1941 in Schuyler County, Missouri. He was born 21 Jul 1913 in Lafayette, Allamakee County, Iowa to Rolland Shadbolt and Jessie Mabel Richards. Donald was a career Navy man who served during World War II and served as Chief Commissary Steward at various installations for the remainder of his career. He died 27 Feb 1987 in Norfolk, Virginia. Irene died in Reynoldsburg, Franklin County, Ohio on 07 Jun 2001. They had one son.

Jack & Jimmy

7. Devere "Jack" Smith:  Born 19 Oct 1909 in Plainfield. He marriage Leona Ruth Thompson. He worked as a railroad section foreman for the Illinois Central in 1930 and 1940 was listed as working in "private business." He and his wife divorced and his wife remarried. He had a heart attack and died 05 Oct 1949. His only child, James "Jimmy" Devere Smith, died tragically on 21 Jan 1950 of a heart attack at the age of 13 while shooting hoops in the gym at Plainfield High School.

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.

Edward Boyd Monteith: Father of the Smith Wives

ANDREW MONTEITH > EDWARD BOYD MONTEITH m. Agnes McCubbin

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Edward Boyd Monteith was born 12 Mar 1822 in Penninghame, Wigtownshire, Scotland to Andrew Monteith and Isabelle Hendry. The elder Monteith was "ag lab" or agricultural labor on the Merton Hall estate, owned then by William Boyd, then his son Edward Boyd, in Newton Stewart parish in Penninghame. This was hard work, with few financial rewards and it's totally understandable that the adult children of Andrew and Isabelle would start trickling over to the US for a better life.

The Edward Boyd Monteith & Agnes McCubbin Family

Edward and his wife, Agnes McCubbin, who he wed in Scotland, first stayed in Vermont for three years beginning in 1848 and then moved on to the budding frontier in Wisconsin. First, they stopped in Jefferson, Ohio, then on to Janesville, Wisconsin, then moved on in 1854 to Platteville. Edward was a stone mason by trade and helped build the State Normal School building in Platteville. They had a small farm in Liberty Township and eventually, purchased a farm in March 1869 from James McCubbin in Section 30 in Wingville Township, near Monfort, Grant County. In 1877, the plat maps shows he owned 193 acres. They later moved to Fennimore.

Edward died on 12 Nov 1911 in Fennimore. Agnes was born on 05 Apr 1823 in Scotland. She died 25 Jan 1913 in Fennimore, 

Elizabeth

Edward and Agnes had seven children:

1, Elizabeth: Born 19 May 1847 in Wigtownshire, Scotland. She married Jacob Smith on 15 Nov 1866 in Fennimore, Grant County. Jacob was born 04 Feb 1843 in Jefferson, Ohio to James Smith and Susanna Johnston, Jacob served in the 7th Wisconsin Infantry, Company H, with three of his uncles. He was mustered out on 13 Jul 1865. The family retains his Civil War musket. The family moved to the Polk Township, Bremer County, near the town of Plainfield in the 1860s, along with other family. They spent the remainder of their lives there with the exception of four years spent in South Dakota. They had three children. Jacob died 08 Jul 1916 in Bremer County. Elizabeth Monteith, well loved by those who knew her, survived until 16 Jan 1943 in Plainfield, where she died at the home of her daughter, Agnes Smith Hinmon.

2. Jessie: Born 25 Sep 1851 in Barnet, Caledonia, Vermont, she married Alexander Smith on 25 Dec 1866 in Grant County. Alexander was the son of James Smith and Susanna Johnston. He was born 16 Jun 1845 in Steubenville, Ohio to Jacob Smith and Catherine Randolph. They had a life full of pioneer adventures which are outlined here. Alexander died 24 Aug 1925 in Brook Park, Pine, Minnesota and Jessie died 21 Jan 1939 in Princeton, Mille Lacs, Minnesota. They had three children who settled in Minnesota and Canada.

3. James Robert ("Jim"): Born 31 Jan 1853 in Janesville, Rock, Wisconsin. Elizabeth A. Barger was born on 28 Dec 1854 in Wingville, Grant County. They married 24 Nov 1875 in Montfort, Grant County.  They had 12 children, two of whom died in infancy. One of the surviving children, Fred, died tragically in a drowning which also took the life of his sister's husband. You can read about it here. Elizabeth died 20 Oct 1923 and Jim died 30 Jul 1949 in Fennimore. 

James Robert Monteith Family

4. Isabelle:  Born 25 Oct 1854 in Grant County. She was married to Walter Smith, son of William Custer Smith and Mary Ann Munson, on 29 Oct 1876 in Plainfield, Bremer County, Iowa. You can read about Isabelle and her family at the Walter Smith link above. Isabelle died 27 Oct 1938 in Nashua, Chickasaw County and Walter died in Nashua on 23 May 1930.

James Woodward
Preston

5. Martha: Martha was born 09 Aug 1857 in Grant County. She married James Woodward Preston on 24 Dec 1877 in Plainfield, Bremer County, Iowa. James was part of the sprawling Preston family of Grant County. I wrote about his half-brother, Matthew Preston, here. Martha and James resided initially in Grant County, then moved to the Duluth, Minnesota area and farmed there. Martha's sister Jessie and husband Alexander also lived in this area. James died 06 Nov 1932 in Duluth and Martha died 16 Nov 1946 in Proctor, St Louis County, Minnesota. They had one child, Willie, who died as an infant.

6. Mary Agnes: Born in 1860, she married John Thompson Preston, brother of James. They moved to Howard County, Iowa after 1880. They had two children, Edwin James and Jessie Maud, before Mary died  in 1886 in Howard County. John lived with his brother and sister-in-law, James and Martha in Duluth in 1900, but moved to Proctor in St Louis County by 1910. He died 18 Oct 1927 in Proctor.

7. Margaret Ella "Ella":  Born 1862 in Liberty Township, Grant County. She married Miles E Helm on 25 Mar 1880 in Grant County. Miles was born in May 1857 in Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin. In 1880 they resided with the Edward Boyd Monteith's. In 1882, they were in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. In 1885, the couple was living in North Dakota, but by 1888, were back in Grant County. Ella died on 02 Aug 1897 in Milwaukee County. Miles' death date is not known. They had four children. 

8.William: Born in 1863, his death date is unknown and he's believed to have died in infancy.

The Andrew Monteith Family from Wigtownshire, Scotland

Wigtownshire

Andrew Monteith and Isabelle Hendry lived in Wigtownshire, Scotland when the family started to trickle into the United States. In 1841 and 1851, the family was living in Penninghame, Wigtownshire where they'd be found in the 1851 census.

Andrew was born in 1786, according the 1841 and 1851 English census. I have not found the confirmation of his origins, nor of his parentage.

He married Isabelle Hendry, 28 Apr 1816, in Penninghame. Isabelle was born 17 Aug 1895, purportedly in Aberdeenshire, almost 300 miles from Penninghame.

From about 1772 until past his own death, Merton Hall was owned by Edward Boyd's family. Andrew would name his son, born in 1822, Edward Boyd Monteith. Ownership of the estate would change hands frequently once it left the Boyd ownership. In 1841 it appears Andrew was living and working at Merton Hall in the agricultural portion of the property. He was a ploughman according to the 1851 census. Andrew was listed as "Ag Lab" in the 1841 census, which was pretty far down the totem pole of society (see this explanation for Shropshire which is universal during this time).

They had 11 children that I could locate. Between 1852 and 1856, they traveled from Wigtownshire to Liberty Township, Grant County, Wisconsin. Andrew applied for citizenship in 1856.

Isabelle Hendry in old age

In 1860, his real estate holdings were worth $1,200 and his personal estate $800. By 1870, he, his wife and son David lived in the home and David helped him farm. There, as of 1877, he held 42+ acres of land in the northwest corner of the township. Andrew died 19 May 1878 in Liberty. Isabelle would survive until 07 Mar 1891 and would reside with her son David and family in the Monteith home.

Three of his sons would serve with the 7th Wisconsin Infantry during the Civil War; one of whom died of injuries. The children of this marriage:

1. Mary Ann: Born 28 Jan 1816 in Penninghame, she married Alex McCullough on 04 Dec 1842 in Scotland. They arrived in American prior to 1860 and unlike her brothers and sisters, moved to Chicago. Her husband Alex kept saloon at 161 Market St (now Wacker St). They maintained the saloon at least through 1880. They had three daughters. Mary died 03 May 1884 in Chicago. Alex, born about 1808, has an unknown date of death.

2. Elizabeth (reported), born 1818 in Penninghame, no other information known. Unconfirmed.

3. James: Born 27 Jan 1820, Penninghame. Married Maria Louisa Hunter, born 06 Mar 1841 in Mercer, Pennsylvania on 01 Apr 1863 in Wisconsin. He died 08 Apr 1882 in Fennimore, Grant County, Wisconsin. She died 20 May 1917 in Fennimore. They had seven children.

4. Edward Boyd: born 12 Mar 1822 in Penninghame. Married Agnes McCubbin in Scotland. They arrived in the US in 1848, living in Vermont for three years, then to Janesville, Wisconsin, arriving at last in Platteville, Wisconsin in 1854. Edward died 12 Nov 1911 in Fennimore. More on Edward Boyd next. Agnes was born 05 Apr 1823 in Scotland and died 25 Jan 1913 in Fennimore. They had eight children, three of whom married grandsons of Jacob Smith.

5. Andrew: Confirmed birth 05 Jun 1824 in Penninghame. No other information available.

Merton Hall, Newton Stewart Parish, Penninghame, Wigtownshire, Scotland

6. William Boyd Monteith, 19 Jan 1826 in Newton Stewart (Penninghame). Married Mary Anna Maria Bleiler about 1866. They had 10 children. William died 18 Aug 1889 in Shooks Prairie, Green County, Wisconsin and Mary died 08 May 1913 in Monroe, Green County. I surmise that William Boyd was named after either the father of  Edward Boyd, owner of Merton Hall in Newton Steward Parish, Penninghame, or Edward's very successful second son.

7. Sergeant John Monteith was born 11 Jul 1829 in Penninghame. He married Elizabeth Dinsdale, born 24 Aug 1846 of Aysgarth, Yorkshire, England on 16 May 1866 in Grant County, Wisconsin. They had three children. He died 16 Jan 1901 in Wingville, Grant County and she on 17 Feb 1914 in Harrison County, Texas. John served in the 7th Wisconsin Infantry, Company H, as a Sergeant under his younger brother, Robert's command.

8. David was born 09 Mar 1833 in Penninghame. He married Elisebeth "Lizzie" Taylor Munden on 17 Jul 1872 in Lafayette, Wisconsin. He died 16 Jan 1901 and she before 1900. They had three children. David farmed his father's land and cared for his mother until her death.

9. Sergeant Samuel Monteith was born 01 Apr 1835 in Penninghame. He was killed in action in Antietam, Maryland on 17 Sep 1862. Samuel served in the 7th Wisconsin Infantry, Company H, as a Sergeant under his younger brother, Robert's command.

10. Josephine "Jessie" Elisabeth: Born 10 Aug 1838 in  Wigtownshire, Scotland, she married George Whitish in about 1854. He was born 20 May 1832 in Prussia and died on 26 Nov 1919 in Preston, Green County, Wisconsin. Jessie died 03 Apr 1909 in Preston. They had 12 children.

11. Captain Robert Wardrope Monteith was born 04 Mar 1840 in Penninghame. He Married Mary L Welch and had three children. During the Civil War, he worked his way from first sergeant to second lieutenant, then as adjutant to the 7th WI Inf and finally was company commander of Company H, 7th Wisconsin Infantry and led his men in many battles before being mustered out in September 1864. Mary was born on 20 Nov 1849 in Wisconsin and died 23 Oct 1929 in Madison, Dane County. He died 23 Sep 1894 in Madison.

Andrew Monteith Land in Liberty Township, 1877

Peter Smull Family: Sgt Jonathan Smull

PETER SMULL > JOHNATHON SMULL m Mary Jane Cooper

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My 2nd Great Grandfather. Johnathan Cooper was the eighth of 12 children born to Peter Smull and Mary Waggoner. He was born in 1834 in Centre County, Pennsyvlania and came to Stephenson County, Illinois with his parents in the 1850s.  John married Mary Jane Cooper, daughter of William Lloyd Cooper and Elizabeth Beams, 06 May 1860 in Monroe, Wisconsin, making this the second Cooper/Smull connection. Mary Jane's sister Ann's daughter Lorena Thompson married Samuel Smull, John's brother.

John was a sergeant during the Civil War, serving a year with the 147th Illinois Infantry Regiment. The regiment was organized at Camp Fry, Chicago, for a year on 18 Feb 1865 and were attached to the 1st Brigade, 2nd Separate Division, District of Etowah, Department of the Cumberland to July 1865 and to the Dept of Georgia to January, 1866. They saw service primarily in Georgia, including skirmishes with guerillas and regular soldiers for the next several months. They then returned to Springield, Illinois in January 1866 and John was discharged on 08 Feb 1866. The regiment lost three enlisted to battle/injuries and 31 to disease.

Johnathan Smull and Mary Jane Cooper

Since they had just started their family with two children before he left for war, they continued adding upon his return, adding six more, all born in Stephenson County, except the last three, who were born in Chickasaw County, Iowa. John owned 80 acres in Dakota, Stephenson County in 1866, which he sold prior to leaving for their next adventure. The Smull's moved to Chickasaw County in 1876 to farm in the Bradford area. According to his death record at the Chickasaw County Courthouse, John would die at age 51 on 16 Oct 1885 of a chronic intestinal enlargement of the liver for which he was treated by Dr. J. D. Horton. Dr. Horton indicated the condition was longer in duration than the last treatment period. Mary would move the family into Plainfield in neighboring Bremer County.

An older Elizabeth Beams Cooper,
mother of Mary Jane Cooper Smull

She cared for her elderly mother, Elizabeth Beams Cooper until her mother's death in June of 1897 in Plainfield. Mary Jane would die in Plainfield 14 Feb 1905 after a long illness.

The Smulls had eight children, including my great grandmother Katherine Mabel "Kate" Smull. The children of John and Mary Jane would play a significant role in the community and life of the small town of Plainfield for the next hundred years.

Listing the children, who will each be profiled at some point are:

1. Ulyssus: 1863, Rock Grove, Stephenson County, Illinois to bet 1881-1885 in Chickasaw County, Iowa. There are no dates on his grave. He is listed in the 1880 US Census but not the Iowa 1885 Census. There is no death record for him in Chickasaw County. 

2. Franklin Sylvester: 06 Mar 1865, Rock Grove to 12 Jul 1904 in Plainfield.

3. Jennie Elnora: 27 Jul 1869, Rock Grove to 09 May 1956 in Iowa. She would also connect withe the Jacob Smith family heretofore mentioned many times.

4. Viola Geneva: 06 Aug 1871, Rock Grove to 21 Nov 1947.

5. Katherine Mabel "Katie: 27 Sep 1873, Rock Grove to 04 Mar 1956, Waverly, Bremer, Iowa. Kate would also marry into the Jacob Smith line.

6. Saidee L.: 11 Jan 1877, Bradford, Chickasaw County, Iowa to 02 May 1962, Denver, Bremer, Iowa.

7. Florence: 20 Jun 1883, Bradford to 19 Aug 1963.

8. Amy: Dates unknown, died as infant/young child.

John Smull, Civil War Veteran and wife Mary Jane Cooper Smull
Son Ulysses' stone is next to his mother's
Greenwood Cemetery, Nashua, Iowa

Peter Smull Family: Henry Smull

PETER SMULL > HENRY SMULL m. Elizabeth "Lizzie" Smith

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Henry Smull (1842*) was born 23 Feb 1842 in Centre County, Pennsylvania, to Peter Smull and Mary Waggoner. He came with his family to Stephenson County, where he attended school. After school, he began working as a farm hand and also did carpentering on the side. On 04 Nov 1864, he married his wife Elizabeth "Lizzie" Smith, daughter of John S. and Catherine Smith. She was born on 23 Aug 1846 in Stepehenson County.

Please refer to the discussion of the parentage of Henry's father Peter here.

Smulls at work (left to right)
WW Smull (standing), Earl, Charles, Roy,
HA Smull (standing)

In 1875, they moved to Shelby County. Henry purchased a parcel of 80 acres to get his farm started, later adding to the holdings. In the intervening years, he worked to improve his property and effectively cultivate the land until he decided to retire. They moved into Macon in Shelby County and built a home. Even after his retirement, he retained 120 acres. 

Henry was an independent in his politics, and according to the Portrait and Biographical Record of Macon County, 1893, "He has never been an office-seeker, in fact, has always avoided office, and though twice elected Justice of the Peace, refused to serve." 

Henry died 01 Mar 1900 in Macon. His wife Lizzie lived to age 86 and died 22 Mar 1933 in Decatur, Illinois.

The Smulls had six children, two of whom died as the result of a horrible car-train accident and one in infancy.

1. William W. was born 21 Nov 1865 in Stephenson County, Illinois. He married Hannah Belle Curry on 17 Oct 1888 in Mowequa, Shelby County. The couple farmed. She was born 03 Sep 1863 in Indiana to Enos and Catherine Curry. William died 30 Dec 1931 in Penn, Shelby County and Belle on 22 Feb 1947. They had two children: Earl and Edith.

WW Smull Hannah Belle Curry Wedding

2. Henry Arthur Smull was born in Freeport, Stephenson County on 30 Dec 1867. He married Martha Jane "Mattie Denton" 26 Aug 1891 in Shelby County. She was the daughter of Johnathon Denton and Eliza Jane Campbell and was born on 01 May 1868 in Oconee, Shelby County. Henry also farmed. They had six children: Roy Arthur, Ethel, May Lucille, June, Gladys Ruth and Ferne. H. A. died 27 Mar 1954 in Decatur and Mattied preceded him on 20 Jun 1933 in Macon.

3. Bertha C. was born 07 Sep 1871 in Stephenson County and died 27 Feb 1947 in Decatur. She lived with her mother until her death and then retained the family home. In 1930, she was listed as a "gardener." She was critically injured in a car-train accident that killed her sister instantly and injured three other women. Bertha died of her injuries the following day.

4. Elizabeth was born 28 Jul 1876 in Shelby County and married Dr. Oscar F. Plummer in 1913.Dr. Plummer was a widower with two children: Harold and Fred. Dr. Plummer died 14 Jun 1938 in Macon and Elizabeth died 26 Feb 1947 in a car-train accident that took her sister's life and injured three others. 

5. Charles E. was born 24 Feb 1879 in Shelby County. In 1910, he was clerking at Draper and Webb's drug store. He married Eula R. Kitch Koehler, a divorced woman with one child, in 1914. At that time, Charles was a restaurant keeper. He maintained his restaurant for 12 years until his death. Charles had a long illness and died 26 Feb 1925 in Macon. He had no children.

6. Pet was 22 Mar 1883 and died a month later in April in Shelby County.

* I will always refer to this Henry as Henry Smull (1842) in order to differentiate him from his uncle Henry who will play a part in the stories here. He will be referred to as Henry Smull.

Peter Smull Family: Julia Smull

PETER SMULL > JULIA A SMULL m John Haas

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Julia was born 08 Nov 1830 in Centre County, Pennsylvania and married John Haas, son of David Haas and Barbara Mitterling in 1847 in Pennsylvania. John was born 20 Dec 1832 in Juniata County, Pennsylvania. My family will intersect with this sprawling Haas clan again on the Cooper side of the family.

John was also the grandson of Capt Valentine Haas, a veteran of the War of 1812 serving in the 77th Pennsylvania Militia under Lt Colonel George Weirick. Valentine was also a justice of the peace. The family at that time resided in Snyder County.

The Haas' moved, along with many of the Smulls, to Stephenson County, Illinois after their marriage and settled near Dakota where they farmed. Their daughter Ida was born on 06 Oct 1871 in Rock Grove, Stephenson County. 

The 1910 census indicates that Julia had three children, with two living, but I have found no evidence of other children at this time. Ida is the only one who resided with them during any available census of 1880 and 1910, but I've not located the 1860 and 1870 census for this family so it's totally possible an older child grew up and was gone before the 1880 census. There is a stone on either side of the Haas main monument - both unreadable. I believe one is an infant and since Ida's obit says she is buried in this cemetery, I believe the larger stone to the right is hers. I've been to this cemetery and there is no other monument for Ida here. (CEMETERY: Rock Grove Union Cemetery, Stephenson County, Illinois).

In 1880, their household consisted of John, Julia, Ida and Julia's sister, Charlotte Amanda, who had been cared for by her parents until their deaths (she was classified as "Idiot"). Amanda, as she was called, died three years later at age 38.

John died on 27 Sep 1881 in Dakota at the age of 48. His widow, Julia, remarried at some point, to a man named Miller. The 1910 census supports this as well as her sister Mary Smull Meyers Frantz's 1908 obituary which has Julia Miller as a surviving sister.

Julia died on 24 May 1912 in Dakota.

Ida remained single her entire life and in the 1930 census, she is listed as a servant in the Oscar and Lena Smull's home in Silver Creek in Stephenson County. Oscar was the son of Peter Smull, Jr. Her death record indicates she died on 10 Apr 1938 in McConnell, Stephenson County and her job was listed as housekeeper. Services for her were held at the Oscar Smull home.