Clan William: Mystery Muddle: Who Is Alice Simmons?

Capt Thomas Munson > Samuel Munson >
Samuel James Munson > William Munson > Samuel II Munson > Freeman Munson > Amos Munson > Henrietta Munson > Sara Jane Vaughn > Alice Simmons m William Custer Smith 

and...

...Freeman Munson > Amos Musnon > Mary Ann Munson m William Custer Smith 

Sometimes, if you work the brain too hard, it just shuts down. I've been working on trying to figure out who the mysterious Alice Simmons, second wife to William Custer Smith, was and where she came from. Yesterday, I accidentally ran across the solution to this mystery muddle in my very own family tree. Time, and perhaps a couple more county courthouse trips may bear me out.

Read about WC Smith's land here. Read about Amos Munson here (Mary Ann's father). And read about John Lorin Vaughn and Henrietta Munson (sister of Amos) here.

So, nutshelling my solution, it goes down like this: WC Smith's wife, Mary Ann Munson, daughter of Amos Munson and Mary Ann Kearney died in 1888 at the young age of 51. WC married again, but not until 1893 (still seeking marriage license) and he died in 1895. He married Alice Simmons.

Click image to enlarge

 I was unsuccessful in locating any Alice Simmons in Bremer or Butler counties during this time. I'm thinking widow woman with kids based on WC Smith granddaughter Alyce Smith Rasmussen's note. Maybe not so much old widow woman, but young spinster with no other options in front of her.

Amos Munson's sister, Henrietta Munson Vaughn, had a pile of kids and her daughter Sarah Jane married a fellow named Joel Simmons. Joel and Jane married in Grant County, Wisconsin, then Joel up and died at age 37, leaving her with at least five kids. Among those children was Alice A Simmons. They all lived in rural Chickasaw County around that time, near Dresden. Chickasaw, Butler, and Bremer counties all abut one another.

Alice was getting pretty long in the tooth and was single at age 31, which would have been her age at the time of marriage if indeed she was the bride. WC Smith, at that time, would have been 62. Not unheard of - old maid marries older gent.  They were cousins-in-law. And, after WC's death, she sold the farm to his kids and walked away with a nice settlement of $2,040. 

In 1898, THIS Alice Simmons, who is the daughter of Joel and Sarah Jane, is listed in the marriage record of Chickasaw County as Alice Smith. She married Arthur J. Sinderson, an Englishman. They lived in New Hampton for the remainder of their lives and had no children. Score, case solved.

1898 Marriage to Arthur Sinderson; has Alice Simmons Smith listed as name of bride

UPDATE: Written proof of the marriage of Miss Alice Simmons and Mr. William Smith was finally located in this brief item in the Waverly newspaper (a like item was also published in the Waverly Democrat the same day):

Clan William: Sarah Jane Vaughn Simmons Family

Capt Thomas Munson > Samuel Munson > Samuel James Munson > William Munson > Samuel II Munson > Freeman Munson >  Henrietta Munson > Sara Jane Vaughn m Joel Simmons

My 3rd great grandfather Amos Munson's sister Henrietta Munson Vaughn, can be read about here.

The Vaughn's had a total of 13 children, not all surviving until adulthood. Daughter Sarah Jane was born 28 Dec 1840 in Trumbull County, Ohio She married Joel Simmons in 1856 after the Vaughn family had removed to Grant County, Wisconsin.

Joel Simmons was born in Pennsylvania, but was raised in his formative years in Ashtabula, Ohio. His family later removed to Grant County and then, Joel and family moved to Dresden Township in Chickasaw County, where they farmed. In the early morning hours of Feb 12, 1877, Joel died unexpectedly at home, leaving his wife and five children to mourn him. He was only 37 years old.

Mrs Simmons forged on for many years. Jane's last several years were lived at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Alice Sinderson (second wife of William Custer Smith), where she died Jan 19, 1915.

Their children were:

George Craft Simmons, born 20 Sep 1857 in Wisconsin, he moved with his parents to Iowa in 1860. He married Martha R Hinkley in Frederika on 25 Dec 1882. They had five daughters and one son, who died at age 13 of typhoid. George lived intermittently in Waterloo. His wife died in 1932. He died in 1940 in Waterloo.

Clara Jane Simmons was born 06 Sep 1859 in Wisconsin. She married David Nathan Hinkley, 04 Jul 1877, in Chickasaw County. The couple had four children before David's death on 16 Mar 1888. Clara married Nelson B Ross on 08 Nov 1903 in Fredericka. He died 13 May 1917. Clara died in 1946. Two of Clara's sons, William Moon and Roy Robert, both died within six months of one another in 1925, at young ages. Roy was a sales manager for the Iten Biscuit Co. in Oklahoma City when he had a ruptured appendix and died of complications at the age of 41. William died at 38 of complications of the flu, on 10 Mar 1925 in Eagle Grove.

Alice Simmons was born Aug 1862 in Fayette County, Iowa. She married her cousin Mary Ann Munson's widower, William Custer Smith, on 20 Mar 1893. Smith died two years later, the homestead was sold to Smith's children by Alice, and she received $2,040.She returned to Frederika and then married Englishman Arthur J Sinderson on 16 Aug 1898 in Chickasaw County. Arthur was born 01 Nov 1855 in England and died 29 Jan 1935. He was a laborer and lastly worked as a janitor before his retirement. The couple lived in New Hampton during their marriage. Arthur died 29 Jan 1935 and Alice died 05 Dec 1937. She celebrated her 75th birthday with the family in 1936, just months prior to her death. The Sindersons had no children.

On Sunday August 16, the Simmons relatives gathered at the Frederika park to celebrate the 75th birthday of Mrs Alice Sinderson of New Hampton. The weather was ideal and to add to the pleasure of the occasoin the Littel German Band of Hawkeye played all the afternoon. Everyone enjoyed it very much.

Those in attendance were: Mr & Mrs Fred Simmons, Alice Sinderson, Mr & Mrs Guy Hinkley, Eagle Grove; Mr & Mrs Cal Thompson and daughters, Millicent and Mary, Mr & Mrs John Carney and sons, Robert and Max, Mr & Mrs Everett Hartson and daughter Betty, Mr & Mrs Lester Simmons and children, Edith, Eldo, and Ruth; Mr & Mrs Carl Smith, and sons, Max, Bruce, and Roger; Lowell Carney, Waterloo, Mr & Mrs Frank Sherman, daughter Imogene, Mrs Clara Ross, Mr George Simmons, Mr & Mrs Neil Simmons.

Fredericksburg News, Fredericksburg, Iowa
Thursday, August 20, 1936

William Wallace Simmons was born 28 Jan 1863 in Fayette County, Iowa. He married Alice Carpenter on 23 Oct 1889 in Buena Vista. They had one son, Merle Phillip Simmons, Sr., on 03 Jan 1892. A successful businessman, William died suddenly on the streets of Yale, Oklahoma on 19 Jan 1915  where he'd gone on business. He was a resident of Oklahoma City. His wife died 13 Mar 1939 in Oklahoma City.

Fred Simmons was born 13 Dec 1872 in Chickasaw County. He married May Clara Gardner in 1896. They had three children: Lester Ralph, Neil Arthur, and Veva Pearl. The Simmons had farmed for many years and in retirement in May 1936, they moved to Fredericksburg, but then moved back to the farm in Mar 1937. His son Neil had intended to take over the farm, but that didn't work out. Neil and his second wife, Mary, owned a variety of restaurants and bars in the Frederika area. They were both killed in a 1961 auto accident. Fred died in June 1948. May died in 1968.

Downtown Yale in the boom days

Clan William: Simmons Family in Society in Early Oklahoma City

Capt Thomas Munson > Samuel Munson > Samuel James Munson > William Munson > Samuel II Munson > Freeman Munson > Henrietta Munson > Sara Jane Vaughn > William Wallace Simmons m Alice Carpenter > Merle Phillip Simmons 

A long time ago, I talked about the Simmons family which had its roots in the family of the sister of my 2nd great grandmother, Mary Ann Munson Smith. William Wallace Simmons and his wife, Alice O. Carpenter, married in 1889, the same year the first White settlements started in Oklahoma City. In 1901, the couple and their only child, Merle Phillip Simmons made the trek from Iowa to Oklahoma City where they established their household. Oklahoma City was still young.

Alice Simmons opened up a bakery in 1913, which started by baking four loaves of bread per day. It grew over the course of time to a very large bakery serving the entire city. William Wallace Simmons died suddenly while on a business trip in 1915. Mrs Simmons kept on growing her business when WWI took her son for service in France. One of his letters home to his mother made the Daily Oklahoman paper.

OKLAHOMA CITY BOY DESCRIBES FRENCH FARMING
Mrs WW Simmons,
Oklahoma City

Received your Christmas box about three weeks ago. We have nothing to worry about

over here as we are comfortably located, have warm weather, and lots of work to do, a place to sleep, something to cat and no place to go, so why should we worry?

France is very interesting, especially are the quaint customs. The roads are of gravel and clay and are in fine shape for motoring as they are so smooth. There are no mud holes or ruts. All over France the roads seem to be the same. A hard sandstone lays just beneath the top soil. Timber is very scarce and as a result the people naturally build their homes of stone and whatever is built of this material lasts forever, it seems. All along the roads are stone walls, three to four feet high. They also surround the farms, which are small and irregular. If stone is not used, a thick hedge is grown. And when you look into the valleys from the hilltop, it is easy to pick out each individual farm. There is not much waste land as the farms are kept clean and in excellent condition.

 Grape vineyards appear to be plentiful as the French seem to be great wine drinkers. The Frenchman's wine to him is as necessary as beer to a German. The farm houses are large, built of stone, with a red-tiled roof which is usually covered with green moss. The house is usually two stories and connecting on one end is a barn and the other a porch or shed used for drying corn, beans, and the like. The farmer wears a loose-fitting work shirt which slips on over his head and is fastened with a draw string around his neck. He wears these instead of overalls. Wooden shoes are very popular.

On market morning the farmer and his family get into a two wheeled cart and go to town. There seem to prefer the carts. Geese and p*** are about all they bring to down now as it is spring and most of the cr**** have been marketed.

I guess we will be paid in a couple of days? We are all broke because we haven't been paid for two months. It is one way to save money, because when a fellow gets broke he can't spend and he can't find anybody to borrow from.
Merle P Simmons
The Daily Oklahoman
(Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Oklahoma, United States of America)
10 Mar 1918, Sun  •  20

Her reputation in the city for her business acumen was growing and her activities frequently made the society pages of the Daily Oklahoman. In 1925, she remarried Mr Horace W. Hakes. The divorce of the Hakes', which occurred during Mrs Simmons final illness in 1938, included a financial settlement of undetermined amount to Mr Hakes. Mr Hakes blamed his stepson, Merle, for his marital troubles. Merle had been slowly taking over the business the past few years and Mr Hake's opinions on the course of the business were ignored.

`1924 Ad for Mrs Simmons Home Bake Shop

Mrs Simmons passed away on 13 Mar 1939 from her long illness. She left her son, Merle and his wife Esther Day and their three boys, Merle Jr., William Wallace, and Robert Day. A daughter, Betty Lou, died at 17 months in 1923.

Two of Merle and Esther's boys, Bob and Bill's weddings made the society page. Son Merle Jr. worked with his father in the bakery business, but never married. The advertisements I found for the business ended about 1949.

Bob served as a pilot in the US Air Force. He later worked from Superior Oil and then with Prudential Bache Brokerage Firm, and then worked as an independent oil and gas broker. He and his wife, Sue Ellison, had four children. He died in 1997. Bill married Sarah Jo Durland and they had two children. I don't know a lot about him, but he for several years worked as the North Texas State University as associate director of admissions. He died in 1971 at the young age of 41.

Clan William: Mary Ann Munson and William Custer Smith, Part 3

Read Part 2  

Harland Smith

We left off with the death of Mary Ann Munson in 1888. She was a mere 51 years old. Many of the children had married by the time of her death, but some were still at home.

William Custer Smith found a second wife. At this time, I need to address "family lore." Within my family tree was a lovely lady who was the granddaughter of William & Mary Ann's son Harland - the guy who lived on the family farm with his wife and raced horses. She wrote an extensive letter full of her "memories," many of which were factually not true. You can read a bit about her reminisces here.

Her primary assertion was the woman W.C. married was previously married and had children. It was alluded the new wife was greedy and vengeful, casting out Harland and Fannie from the family farm. We'll get back to this lore as the story continues.

W.C.'s new wife was found in the family tree of his wife. His new wife was an unmarried "spinster" woman of 30 who was his wife's cousin. Specifically, she was the granddaughter of Mary Ann's sister Henrietta Munson Vaughn. Daughter of Sarah Jane Vaughn Simmons. The Vaughn/Simmons families had settled in Fayette County in NE Iowa. Just a few hours' buggy ride from the Smith farm in Fremont Township.

W.C. and Alice Simmons hopped on a train from Plainfield to Charles City and married March 20, 1893. They returned to the Smith farm and their lives went on. 

In the meantime, the rest of the kids grew up and married.

Edwin Smith married Kate Smull on 11 Jun 1890. The couple would fairly soon settle in Plainfield. Edwin was a laborer. They had 12 children. Wife Kate was known throughout the area for her expertise in wallpapering. 

Parker Smith, a struggling Baptist preacher, married Estella Irene "Stella" Pierson on 20 Nov 1896. After the turn of the century, they would spend the rest of their lives moving from church to church and into various leadership positions within the Baptist faith.  They would adopt one of Stella's nieces.

Young Mirt Smith

Mirt Smith married Emma Haehlen Schafstall on 22 Jun 1898 in Mower, Minnesota. Mirt was a barber. The couple would have three children. Mirt was known in the region for his award-winning chickens.  They lived in Waterloo for most of their marriage.

Mr & Mrs W. C. Smith did not have a long marriage. A massive stroke took W.C. on 16 Nov 1895 while going between the house and barn. According to the obituary, the turnout to say goodbye was a large one.

According to "family lore" as described by Harland's granddaughter, the widow stole the farm after W.C.'s death so she could leave it to her children. As I mentioned, not true. In fact I was able to find the documents that were with the courthouse and the current owner of the property. Alice, within a week of the death, sold the farm to the children for $2,040 on 22 Nov 1895. Each child owned an equal share. Son Parker managed the farm during this period at the behest of the family; my guess is Harland's departure had been caused by a similar family decision. 

Alice returned to her family and married a single Englishman named Arthur Sinderson 16 Aug 1898. She never had any children during her lifetime.

On 08 Mar 1897, Eva Smith Bryce sold her share to her siblings for $600. Finally, on 08 Dec 1898, the farm was sold to the Diedrich Dieke family for $5,040. 

This would be the end of the direct William Custer Smith-Mary Ann Munson story, but they would live on through the stories of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren's and great-great grandchildren's lives.

Click these links for more stories about William and Mary's families.

Clan William: The Family Farm of William Custer Smith & Mary Ann Munson

Capt Thomas Munson > Samuel Munson > Samuel James Munson > William Munson > Samuel II Munson > Freeman Munson > Amos Munson > Mary Ann Munson m William Custer Smith

and...

Jacob Smith > William Custer Smith m Mary Ann Munson

Butler County, Iowa Fremont Township Plat Map, 1895
Click image to increase size

William Custer Smith, my 2nd great grandfather, hailed from Harrison County, Ohio. He was born 04 Oct 1831, the middle child of seven born to Jacob Smith and wife Mary Catherine Randolph. His family moved to Grant County, Wisconsin in 1846. William and his bride, Mary Ann Munson, whom he married 20 Jun 1853 in Grant County, moved to Iowa in fall of 1865. Mary Ann died in 1888 and WC married Mary Ann's cousin, Alice Simmons in about 1893, two years prior to his death. WC died in Plainfield, but the death was registered in Butler County.

WC Smith Obituary November 1895

Family lore reminds us he had a farm and that his family's social life revolved around Plainfield, Bremer County.  But, his land (120 acres) was actually in Butler County, right at the edge of the Bremer County border. The Plainfield post office served the farm. The farm reportedly had a horse race track because WC, his son Harland, and grandson William Lowell Smith were all avid horse racers.

It's such a thrill to make document discoveries after some serious sleuthing. One of my questions involved, "What became of the land?" In a note of remembrances authored by WC Smith granddaughter, Alyce Smith Rasmussen (daughter of WC Smith's son Harland), she had claimed that the widow Alice took the land, bounced Harland out, took all the personal effects, leaving the children with nothing. You can read about that claim here.

According to county deed documents, this was all patently untrue. WC Smith's widow sold the land of William C. Smith to the children of WC Smith after his death: Walter Smith, Dora Lichty, Harland Smith, Eva Bryce, Ella Cunningham, Edwin Smith, Parker Smith, and Mirt Smith for $2, 040 for the property described as: The East half of the Southeast quarter and the Southeast quarter of the Northeast quarter of Section 24, Township 93, N. Range 15 West. This deal was closed 22 Nov 1895, just days after WC's death.

WC Smith Widow Alice's sale to WC Smith Children, 1895
Click image to increase size

But, wait, there's more.On 08 Mar 1897, WC Smith daughter Eva Bryce sold her share to her siblings for $600.

Finally, on 08 Dec 1898, the remaining siblings sold the property to Diedrich Deike for the sum of $5,040. Parker Smith had been managing the farm during the time from his father's death to the time of the sale. Diedrich and Minnie had seven kids and the family still owns this property.

Final Sale of Property to Diedrich Dieke

My thanks to the staff of the Butler County Recorder's office, particularly Roxann, for assisting me in my quest to solve the mystery.

You can read more on the Smith-Munson Family Farm here.

Munson Family Stories

THE ORIGINAL MUNSON IN AMERICA, CAPTAIN THOMAS MUNSON

Munson of New Haven, CT

From When We Come: Thomas Munson and the Pequot War

From Whence We Come: Thomas Munson Signs the Fundamental Agreement

SAMUEL MUNSON II
Samuel is the son of William. William is the first member of Clan William. The clans are made up of the great grandchildren of the immigrant Captain Thomas Munson. 

Samuel Munson 2nd Family: Calvin Munson and Family

CALVIN MUNSON
Calvin Munson Family: McAdams Murder of 1913

Calvin Munson Family: William Calvin Munson
Clan William: Calvin/Randil Descendants: A Legacy of Tragedy
Clan William: Calvin/Randil Descendants: The Mines of Platteville
Clan William: Calvin/Randil Descendants: Charles Munson's Civil War Death
Clan William: Calvin/Susannah Descendants: Clifford Benjamin Paul, Chauffeur to Katherine Butterworth
Clan William: Calvin/Susannah Descendants: Harry K. Newburn, University President

FREEMAN MUNSON
Freeman is the son of Samuel II.

From Whence We Come: Freeman Munson

AMOS MUNSON
Amos is the son of Freeman

Munson Family: Amos Munson

Mystery Muddle: The Amos Munson Family 1870 Census

MARGARET JANE MUNSON
Those Munson Girls: Margaret Jane Munson
LAMIRA MUNSON
Those Munson Girls: Lamira Munson
MARY ANN MUNSON
Clan William: Mary Ann Munson & William Custer Smith, Pt 1

Clan William: Mary Ann Munson & William Custer Smith, Pt 2

Clan William: Mary Ann Munson & William Custer Smith, Pt 3

The Family Farm of William Custer Smith and Mary Ann Munson
Connecting the Story: More on the William Custer Smith Farm
Smith/Munson Family: Minor Discoveries
The Gossip Mill  
CAROLINE AMANDA MUNSON
Those Munson Girls: Caroline Amanda Munson
The Newcomb Family of Montrose, Pennsylvania  
Munsons: The Newcombs and Mayflower Immigrants
HENRIETTA MUNSON
Poor Walter Woodington, Jailed Again
Woodington/Munson Line: When Things Go Really, Really Wrong
Scandal Sheet: My Father, My Husband; My Sister, My Daughter
Munson Descendants: Simmons Family in Society in Early Oklahoma City
JULIA A MUNSON
Those Munson Girls: Julia A Munson
The Newcomb Family of Montrose, Pennsylvania  
Munsons: The Newcombs and Mayflower Immigrants
FRANKLIN DAVID MUNSON
Amos Munson Family: Franklin David Munson
CHARLES FREMONT MUNSON
Those Munsons: Charles Fremont Munson  
Those Munsons: Clyde Amos Munson  
Those Munsons: Wayne Clyde Munson

HENRIETTA MUNSON
The daughter of Freeman

Munson Family: The Vaughns of Trumbull County
FREEMAN VAUGHN
Freeman and Orion Vaughn, 33rd Wisconsin Infantry, Company A
ORION SQUIRE VAUGHN
Freeman and Orion Vaughn, 33rd Wisconsin Infantry, Company A
SARAH VAUGHN
Mystery Muddle: Who is Alice Simmons?
Sarah Jane Vaughn Simmons Family
AMOS VAUGHN
Those Munsons: The Colorful Eddy's of New Orleans  
CHARLOTTE VAUGHN
Amos Munson Family: Robert Lee Fox, Ph.D.

MILES MUNSON
The son of Freeman.

The Munson's of Ohio: Miles Munson & the Humason Family
Those Munsons: The Much Married Olive Clawson  

MARIETTA "MARY" E MUNSON
The daughter of Freeman

JOHN R GENTHOLTZ
The Gentholtz Clan: John R. Gentholts & Clara Gentholts Gaither
The Gentholtz Clan: Arthur John Gentholts
Music Man: Charles Edward Gaither  
FRED GENTHOLTZ
Scandal Sheet: Fred Gentholtz Rape Trial

CLARISSA MUNSON
The daughter of Freeman

OTHER CLAN WILLIAM STORIES

MARTHA MUNSON

The daughter of William

Clan William: The Brilliant Scientist William Webster Hansen
Clan William: Seaman Asahel Knapp, PhD

Clan William: Gladys Pease and Archibald Ellsworth Minard

Clan William: Capt David Minard, MC, USN, MD
Clan William: Senator Jamse Rood Doolittle

Clan William: James Ralph Doolittle, WWI Flyer

Clan William: Marrying Up - William Edgar Mattison, Jr.

PETER MUNSON
The son of William

Clan William: Judge Warren Bristol and Billy the Kid

Clan William: Physicist DeWitt Bristol Brace, PhD

Clan William: Edith Minerva Brace, Teacher

WILLIAM II MUNSON
The son of William

Clan William: Munson Connection to the Tragedy of 9/11

Clan William: Charles Monson Jr. and the Wild Ride, Pt 1

Clan William: Charles Monson Jr. and the Wild Ride, Pt 2
Clan William: The Southern Contingent: The Stricklands

Clan William: The Southern Contingent: 1st Corporal Buren Strickland

Clan William: Chester Case Lord and Julia Elizabeth Munson
Clan William: Miles Standish Munson & Genevieve Mather

Clan William: Super Nerd Television Pioneer George Harvey Seward

WOODINGTON FAMILY STORIES

GEORGE WOODINGTON
George Woodington Heads to California
Side Road: Harry H Woodington, Longtime Empoyee of the Celery King
JOHNATHAN ALTON WOODINGTON
Trailblazing Women: Marjorie J Bennett, Army Nurse Corps
2Lt Clark Alonzo Teasdale Dies in Battle
HARRY S WOODINGTON
Sideroad: Harry S Woodington, Deserter

Smith Family Stories

This is sorted by the children of Jacob Smith and Mary Catherine "Cathie" Randolph

Jacob Smith Line: Mary Catherine Randolph, Sarah Jane Smith Doole, and Isaac Smith

JAMES SMITH

JACOB SMITH
Jacob Smith: Setting the Record Straight
Personal Interviews: When an Interview Flops
The Edge of Madness: Unraveling the Mystery of Bertha McKinney, Part 1
The Edge of Madness: Unraveling the Mystery of Bertha McKinney, Part 2
Robert Smith & Flora Hinmon 
Bit and Pieces and the Custer Connection
ALEXANDER SMITH
Little House on the Prairie: Saskatchewan Edition
JOHN RICHARD SMITH
  Alfred Smith
  Raid at Cabanatuan: Japanese Prisoner of War Spencer Clinto Goodbla, WWII
  The Double Tragedy of the Alfred Smith Family of South Dakota
  Harriet Smith
  Losing the Trail: Harriet Smith
  Ollie Smith
  The Other Newcombs of South Dakota  
  Florence Newcomb & L Arthur Larson: The Perfect Match
  Nancy Smith
  Bad, Bad Henry Burton
WILLIAM LAWRENCE SMITH
Pioneering Nebraska & the Twister of 1933: Agnes Smith Callander
Jesse James, Buffalo Bill Cody, and The Keeley Cure: Agnes Watson Smith Bowers
Sundance, Wyoming & the Bowers Family

JOHN R SMITH

The Other John R Smith

ISAAC SMITH

Jacob Smith Line: Mary Catherine Randolph, Sarah Jane Smith Doole, and Isaac Smith

WILLIAM CUSTER SMITH

Clan William: Mary Ann Munson & William Custer Smith, Pt 1

Clan William: Mary Ann Munson & William Custer Smith, Pt 2

Clan William: Mary Ann Munson & William Custer Smith, Pt 3

The Family Farm of William Custer Smith and Mary Ann Munson
Connecting the Story: More on the William Custer Smith Farm
Mystery Muddle: Who is Alice Simmons?
Smith/Munson Side: Minor Discoveries 
The Gossip Mill - Coming 10/14/17

WALTER SMITH
Smith Family: Capt (Ret) Grant Joseph Walker

William Custer Smith Family: Walter Smith
Capt Grant & Mrs Mary Jane Scoles Walker
How My Dog Got Her Name: Frankie Smith 

MARY MADORA "DORA" SMITH
B F Lichty & Sons, Waterloo

HARLAND SMITH
William Custer Smith: Harland Smith
Going Beyond the Details: The Nashua Reporter
Walter Kermit Spurgeon Gets Robbed
William Lowell Smith
The Magoons: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

EVA ELVIRA SMITH
William Custer Smith Family: Eva Elvira Smith

ELLA MAE SMITH
All Aboard! The Railroad Men of the Wabash Railroad
The Long Road to Moberly, Missouri
A Sad Turn in the Tale of the Cunningham Family
Trail Blazing Women: Gertrude Bouque Nichols

A. Dorsey Bouque Moves to Indiana

It Must Have Been in the Blood: Cunningham Railroad Men 

EDWIN SMITH
Edwin Smith Family

Mystery Muddle: The Many Marriages of Marie/Mary Adaline Smith
Johnathan Smull Family: Katie Smull
The Cappoens/LeRoy Line: Leo Linsey
Edwin Smith Family: Vivian Catherine Smith
Edwin Smith Family: Evelyn Joyce Smith
WWII  Brought Home: Harry F Bradshaw, USN
Zola Bebee, Grandma's Best Friend 
Remembering Janis Michaelsen Pedersen Ladnier
Dixie Lee Michaelsen Pedersen Pedersen 
Remembering Harold James Ripley
Leland Barr and World War II
Madge Smith Scoles

REV PARKER SMITH
William Custer Smith Family: Rev Parker Smith
The Gossip Mill 

MIRT SMITH
William Custer Smith Family: Mirt Smith

JOHN SMITH - He died at age 2.

CATHERINE SMITH 

Eureka! A Big Find

ELIZABETH SMITH - Believed to have died young. No mention is made of her in sister Sarah's obit.

SARAH JANE SMITH
Jacob Smith Line: Mary Catherine Randolph, Sarah Jane Smith Doole, and Isaac Smith
Hang Down Your Head, Frank Doole

The Monteith's married three ways into the Smith family early on. They are pretty interesting!

THE MONTEITH FAMILY STORIES

Andrew Monteith Family of Wigtownshire, Scotland
William Boyd Monteith
Beloved Mary Welch Monteith Meets a Tragic End
The Great Chicago Fire & the Alexander McCullochs
Edward Boyd Monteith: Father of the Smith Wives
George Monteith of North Dakota
Jane Monteith, Nurse & Her Husbands
Race to the Finish: Fred C Monteith & Martin Rector
Sideroad: The Preston Family
Hoodoo, Voodoo, and Quackery

THE LICHTY FAMILY STORIES

The Lichty Family of Somerset County, Pennsylvania had many of its members pioneer in Black Hawk County. Most of them became exemplary citizens, leaders, captains of industry, lawyers, doctors, and highly successful farmers. Many held crucial roles in the development of the city of Waterloo.

Sideroad: Gabriel Bickley Lichty, MD, Abortionist  

Sideroad: Lewis Lichty, Servant of the People  

William Custer Smith Family Links

Stories:

William Custer Smith (28 Sep 1831-16 Nov 1895)
The Family Farm of William Custer and Mary Ann Munson
Mystery Muddle: Who is Alice Simmons?
Connecting the Story: More on the William Custer Smith Farm

Mary Ann Munson (1837-24 Sep 1888)
Munson Family: Amos Munson
Mystery Muddle: The Amos Munson 1870 Census

Walter Smith (19 Sep 1854-23 May 1930)
William Custer Smith Family: Walter Smith

Mary Madora "Dora" Smith Lichty (23 Jul 1859-02 Jul 1941)
B. F. Lichty & Sons, Waterloo

Harland Smith (02 Nov 1861-21 Nov 1933)
William Custer Smith Family: Harland Smith
William Lowell Smith
Walter Kermit Spurgeon Gets Robbed
Going Beyond the Details - The Nashua Reporter

Eva Elvira Smith Bryce (05 Apr 1864-05 Jun 1924)
William Custer Smith Family: Eva Elvira Smith

Ella Mae Smith Cunningham (16 Sep 1866-21 Jun 1924)
All Aboard! The Railroad Men of the Wabash Railroad
A Sad Turn in the Tale of the Cunningham Family
Trail Blazing Women: Gertude Bouque Nichols

Edwin Smith (06 Jun 1869-10 Jan 1939)
The Edwin Smith Family
Johnathan Smull Family: Katie Smull
  Mystery Muddle: The Many Marriages of Marie/Mary Adaline Smith
  The Cappoens/LeRoy Line: Leo Lee Linsey
  Edwin Smith Family: Vivian Katherine Smith
  Edwin Smith Family: Evelyn Joyce Smith

Rev Parker Smith (01 Sep 1872-29 Mar 1950)
William Custer Smith Family: Rev Parker Smith

Mirt Smith (09 Sep 1875-29 Oct 1936)
William Custer Smith Family: Mirt Smith
Middle Aged Miasma or Murder Most Foul?

John Smith (09 Jun 1879-28 Sep 1881) - Died at age 2 in 1881

According to on account in The History of Bremer County, the couple also had another child, whom I would presume died as an infant. .

Clan William: Smith/Munson Family: Minor Discoveries

I've spent the last bit pouring over the newspapers now available through various small libraries here in Iowa. It's been exciting and illuminating. Solved mysteries. Added to the knowledge base I've accumulated in my new genealogy brain, and basically, allowed me to continue working without leaving my house!

So little is known about my 2nd great grandmother, Mary Ann Munson. She died quite young, at 51, but nowhere had I found any information about what happened. I had suspected cancer, but it could have been anything. I finally found this short item about her death in the Waverly newspaper:

One of the biggest mysteries thus far was the identity and relationship of William Custer Smith's second wife. After a fruitless search at courthouses in several counties, I discovered a small news item that said they had taken the train to yet another county to marry.Subsequent news items confirmed that she was the Alice Simmons I had suspected and is Mary Ann Munson's cousin through aunt Henrietta Munson Vaughn's side of the family.

W. C. seemed to be a popular guy, based on my notes from various items placed in the paper. In 1890, he had quite the birthday party.

The people of Plainfield and vicinity gathered at the home of Wm Smith last week Wednesday evening and gave him a surprise, it being his birthday. A fine hanging lamp and center table was presented to him, besides other presents.
Waverly Democrat, Waverly Iowa
Thursday, October 23, 1890

I had no idea that two of the Smith children had a double wedding! Eva and Harland married their respective spouses, Arthur Bryce and Fannie Magoon on August 21, 1881. The information was available, I just hadn't noticed until I saw the article! Eva only had Arthur five years before he died, but Harland and Fannie had 52 years together.

I watch "Who Do You Think You Are" pretty religiously and I think the celebrities that discover their family are always so stunned by how attached they become to these people they never met. I have the same feeling every day that I do this. Maybe that's why it's important.