Squire Thomas V. & Mary Ann (Bazeley) Smith

SMITH, BAZELEY, KING, HEALD, HARTSHORN

Posted By: cheryl Locher moonen (email)
Date: 3/20/2020 at 06:57:42

Squire Thomas V. Smith was a butcher and dealer in fresh and salted meat here in Farley. Born Nov. 4, 1838, in Derbyshire, England, Mr. Smith was the second of six children. At age 10 he came with his parents to America. Thomas (died at 63-June 1875) and Matilda Hartshorn Smith (died at 65-April 1885). The family lived New Jersey, then Pennsylvania until 1855, when they moved to Dubuque Co., Iowa. Both of Thomas Smith’s parents died in Dubuque Co. and are buried at Fairview.

Thomas worked as a farm hand 1861. He then enlisted in the 9th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Co. G. to fight in the Civil War. Thomas served for three years, being in fourteen battles including Vicksburg; Atlanta; Pea Ridge; Champion Hills; and Grand Gulf. Smith was knocked down by a ball, but not hurt. He was honorably discharged Sept. 24, 1864 at East Point, Georgia. Thomas then returned to Farley to farm for two years before beginning the meat business of seventeen years. Upon retirement he gave the meat shop over to his son-in-law.

In the winter of 1860, Mr. Smith married Miss Mary Ann Bazeley. Mary (1840-1930), was a native of Wisconsin. They had three children: Harriet (Mrs. G. W. King) of Maquoketa; Emma B. of North Platte, Nebraska; Martha Mathilda (Mrs. Burton D Heald) Farley.

Mr. Smith served as Justice of the Peace for 30 years, was a town mayor from 1889-1903, was on the school board, and was Notary Public for two years. In 1903, one of Mrs. Smith’s duties for the town was to raise and lower the U. S. flag daily and care for the town cannon. Thomas died in August of 1918. Burial for him and his wife was Fairview.

The History of Farley, Welu Publishing, Copyright 1996