JOHN J. SMITH

SMITH, BRIGHT, HENRY

Posted By: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert (email)
Date: 5/4/2002 at 22:13:55

Decatur County Journal
Thursday, October 2l, l920

WELDON NEWS:

JOHN J. SMITH was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, March 25, l849, and died at his home in Weldon, Iowa, Oct. l4, l920, at the age of 7l years, 5 months and l4 days after an illness of four and one-half years of paralysis. He was the youngest son of GEORGE and LERA SMITH, there being eleven children in the family. All have preceded him in death. His mother died when he was sixteen years of age. He and the remaining members of the family moved to Illinois in l874, making the journey in wagons.

In l876, he was united in marriage to MISS VICTORIA BRIGHT and to them were born three sons and one daughter, HUGH E., of Bagley, Iowa; LLOYD, of Fillmore, Canada; LEWIS, of Weldon, Iowa, and ELSIE, who died at the age of twenty-five years. He, with his family, moved to Iowa in l903 and settled on the farm three miles south of Weldon. In l9l7, being unable to carry on the work of the farm, he moved to Weldon.

In his earlier life he joined the M.E. Church in which faith he died. He was a loving husband, an affectionate father, honorable in all his dealings, and respected by all who knew him. He leaves to mourn his departure, his wife, three sons and ten grandchildren. Funeral services were held at the home Sunday afternoon, conducted by their Pastor, Rev. Larrick, assisted by Rev. Smythe. The body, accompanied by MRS. SMITH, the two sons, HUGH and LEWIS, and MISS IRENE HENRY, was taken to Saybrook, Illinois, for burial beside the daughter who had gone before.

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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
May 4, 2002