Guernsey Smith 1833-1915

SMITH, FOX

Posted By: Crystal Bingham (email)
Date: 4/22/2012 at 17:12:11

This is the father of Helen C. Smith, w/o my cousin Austin J. Fox.

www.newspaperarchive.com
Fayette County Leader July 22, 1915
GUERNSEY SMITH DEAD
PASSED AWAY AT HIS HOME IN HAWKEYE JULY 16.
Long a Resident of the County and Had Very Active Career.
Guernsey Smith, a native of Ulster Co., N.Y., was born July 15, 1833, near the town of Loyd. His parents were Calvin and Henrietta (Chambers) Smith, he former descending from Scotch ancestry, who came to this country in a very early day and settled in the eastern part of New York. The four brothers sailed for america in 1640, locating at Jamaica, Long Island, where their names can still be seen on the old church records of that place. They were ship-carpenters and subsequently started a ship-yard at Milton on the Hudson, near which place a patent of a tract of land was obtianed from the old Dutch Patrons, which tract is still in possession of the family.
Guernsey Smtih spent his childhood on the home farm and was only eight years old when his father died. After this sad event, he was obliged to earn his own livelihood and during the nine years ensuing he worked for different parties at an aerage of about four dollars a month. Thru the excitement of the discovery of gold in California in 1849 he decided to seek his fortune in the far West, but on reaching the Missouri became intereseted in shipping and freighting and spent the year working on the Mississippie and Tennesse; folling which he returned to the old home to care for his mother and sisters. In the fall of '56 he with a number of his neighbors again started West, going by rail to Iowa City and from there assisted in moving the state capital to Des Moines. In 1857, while government surveyor in Pochahontas county, he volunteered to assist in rescuing the survivors of the Spirt Lake massacre. The next rhee years were spent in Ft. Dodge until the spring of '61 when he went across the plains to Pike's Peak and worked two years in the gold mines in Montana and around Salt Lake City where he also drove the old stage coach. In 1864 he returned to the States by way of San Francisco, Panama and Gulf route, reaching his old home where on Feb. 3rd, 1865 he was married to Charity Perkins.
He then purchased a farm and turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. Remaining on the farm for eight years he moved to Rochester, Ill. and in the fall of 1881 he purchased a half section of land near Randalia, Fayette county, Iowa, on which he lived til 1902, when he returned from farm life and moved to Hawkeye.
He died July 16, 1916, at 5:45 a.m., after an illness of about six months of heart disease, aged 82 years and one day. Mrs. Charity Smith departed this life May 11, 1891. To this union were born eight children, one of whom Ralph, died in infancy; Theora, who married James Newton, died in 1905; and Harry Deyo died while District Auditor in the Philippine Islands in 1910. those living are Selah G. of West Union, Jennie E., Robert D., and Nellie C. of Hawkeye, Ia., and Helen C. Fox of Fayette, Iowa. These children, who with his present wife, Mattie E. Smith, nine grandchildren, a brother Robert C. Smith and sister Lydia C. G. Smith, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., are left to mourn his loss.
He had been a member of the Christian church, of Rochester, Ill., for the past forty years and had always been a worker in the cause of temperance. His chances for an education when a boy were very limited, yet he was always a great reader and well posted on all current events and points of interest and always enjoyed conversing about them.
The funeral services were held at the home Sunday, July 18, 1915, at 1:30 p.m. conducted by Rev. Robinson of Hawkeye, and Rev. Galbreth, of Randalia, a close friend of the departed. Interment was at the family plot at Dunham Grove cemetery. The Odd Fellows had charge of the services at the grave. The pall bearers were: W. W. Whiteford, D. N. Holmes and (Continued on 8th page)
DEATH OF GUERNSEY SMITH (Continued from 1st page)
J. J. McFaden of Randalia, Fred Boeckenheuer, John Palmer and Warren Hand of Hawkeye. the floral offerings were many and beautiful. The day before, July 16, was his birthday and he had the pleasure of spending the day with children and grandchildren as was his custom to do. Mr. Smith was a man about which there was much to admire; a great lover of truth and justice, of home and family and other things which we admire in true manhood. He was ever looking for an opportunity to offer his friendship where help and freindships were needed and will be greatly missed from the home and community from which he has gone.