Smith, J. E.

SMITH

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 9/23/2008 at 13:58:37

J. H. Smith, farmer, P. O. Macedonia, was born in Canada December 4, 1826; son of Robert and Mary (Thompson) Smith; he born in Ireland about 1788, came to America in 1826, settling in Peel County, Canada, where he followed farming till his death, which occurred about 1848; she born in Ireland about 1792, came to America with her husband and three children; after coming to this country she gave birth to five more children, of whom our subject was the first born; five of the children are living, all in Canada except our subject. Mr. Smith commenced his education in the common schools of Canada, and afterward graduated at Toronto Normal School in the class of 1850. After graduating, Mr. Smith taught in Canada till March, 1867, when he emigrated to Cass County, Iowa, and rented a farm for two years near Atlantic, during which time he taught school one term. He next spent one year on a farm near Lewis, Cass County, then one year on a farm near Macedonia, Pottawattamie County, thence to Farm Creek bottom for three years, at the end of which time Mr. Smith purchased the farm of 160 acres where he now resides. He has taught school the successive winters of these years. In 1848, Mr. Smith married Miss Margaret McElroy, of Brampton, Canada West; she died about 1864, and was the mother of seven children - Mary J. (married to Lorenzo Lewis), Thompson, Alice E. (now in Colorado), Margaret A., Martin, Robert J. and Eliza L. Mr. Smith's next marriage was in March, 1867, to Miss Agnes Blain, of Streetsville, Canada West, born about 1826, daughter of William and Jane (Hill) Blain, natives of Ireland; he born about 1787, died in 1871; she born about 1790, died in 1831. Mr. Smith lived directly in the path of the cyclone that passed through this region, June 9, 1880; it scattered his house and its contents in all directions. Mr. Smith, with his wife, one daughter and a hired man, fled to the stable, and were miraculously saved, the corner of the building in which they had taken shelter, remaining, while the rest of the building was swept away. Mr. Smith, wife and one daughter are active members of the Presbyterian Church of Macedonia. (From the 1882 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa)