[ Return to Index ] [ Read Prev Msg ] [ Read Next Msg ]

Smith, Caleb Engle 1823-1897

SMITH, HALL, ENGLE, PATTERSON

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg (email)
Date: 3/22/2020 at 16:59:52

The following is a family history story taken from page 803 of the Hawarden Centennial book

1887-1987 “One Hundred Years on the Right Track”
Caleb E. Smith came to Calliope in 1880, when he was 57 years old from Frost OH. (near Marietta) On May 24, 1881, he was appointed Calliope Postmaster. Presumably, he performed this duty in Tibbel’s General Store (the old frame courthouse) until Alexander Johnson erected a special post office/residence in July of 1881. Smith purchased the lot and building that fall and continued as official postmaster until April 19, 1886. His wife, Sylvia, died in 1886. He married Sarah McKain in 1888. Caleb Smith died in 1897 at 80 years.
His children were: Jonah who died as a Prisoner of War in Richmond VA. Ira, Lewis, Alva, Sarah and Phoebe all came to Calliope and married here or brought their families with them from Ohio.
Ira moved to Calliope with his family. He lived here 30 years. He moved to a farm around Sioux Falls in 1909, and died shortly after. He was married twice had 3 children from his first and he had an adopted son, Francis from the second. Francis Smith visited the Fred Smith farm and was well know by the young people in that area.
Alva was a school teacher and taught in the Calliope school. He was also made principal in 1889. He lived in many different places.
Sarah and her husband A. M. McDaniel also came to Calliope. One of their sons married Lou Storts. A grand daughter was Mrs. Ben Jacobe.
Phoebe married Webster Finley and they came to Calliope also. They had 4 daughters and 1 son. One daughter, Iona married Ed Lambertson who started Lambertson Elevator in Hawarden. They had a daughter, Helen, who helped with the family business. Another daughter, Myrtle married John Warfield. The Warfield family was prominent in the Sioux City grocery business. They owned the Council Oak chain when is was in Hawarden. John and Myrtle always remained close to their Hawarden relatives and were very happy to entertain them at any time.
Lewis was married to Mary Linton and they came to Calliope with 2 children, Margaret and Florene (a baby). He farmed in the Hawarden area, both in Iowa and South Dakota. At one time he had large land holding but lost it in hard times. Four children were born around Calliope and Hawarden. The family did move back to Ohio around 1896 for about a year and a half. The oldest daughter Margaret married at the time to Webster Goddard. They all moved back to Hawarden and continued to farm until they moved into Hawarden in 1910. They lived in their home at 1313 Ave H. Lewis was among the who saw and helped in the building up of the town of Calliope. In 1925, they moved to the farm occupied by Henry and Lura Cole where they Lived in a cottage of their own. After the death of Henry Cole they lived with their daughter. Grandpa Smith loved desserts and usually ate that first to make sure he had room for it. Grandma Smith lived 94 years. She lived with Lura Cole and Carye Hamilton. She was an ardent fan of Chinese Checkers and would challenge anyone to a game especially grandchildren.
Lewis and Mary’s children were:
Margaret who married Webster Goddard. They lived in the Hawarden area. They had a son who died in infancy and a daughter, Dorothy, who married Virgil Williams.
Florence married Fred Smith. Florence went to Chicago around 1910, and lived with a maiden aunt who taught school. She worked at Marshall Field’s at that time. Her married story is told with Fred Smith’s. Florence was a prize pie maker. Threshing crews were always glad to have her pies for dinner. Many times, when she was helping hand pick the corn, she would come in and make a pie for dinner. After Fred died she continued to live on the farm with her son, Calvin, She lived 80 years.
Lura was a fun-loving girl. She was also musical. She played the piano and while brother Harvey was at the University of Iowa, she took some extended music courses. She was active in the church work. That was the social spot of the young people. They attended the beautiful Presbyterian Church and sang in the choir. Lura taught Sunday School in the area. The teachers would go to the County Institutes in Orange City by train. She married Henry Cole who was a South Dakota farmer. He died in 1932. Lura continued to live on the farm with her parents. She managed to keep possession of 2 farms during the depression with the help of hired men and brother-in-law neighbor, Fred Smith. In 1943, she and her mother moved to Hawarden and lived with Carye Hamilton at 1000 Central. Their large home the former Dr. Peterson House, became a rooming house where many people lived when first coming to Hawarden or While attending high school. This helped them pay for the house. Their home was also a popular and convenient spot for relatives to drop in and especially to view the parades from their front porch. They also cared for Margaret Goddard and Florence Smith in their later years. They were close to the Associated Church where they attended and spent many happy hours at the Sewing Class. Lura was also active in the Hawarden Garden Club. She was a long-time member of the Social Circle Extension Club in South Dakota. Lura was also known by her 1953 BelAir Chevrolet that only had 15,000 miles when it sold in 1978. The spare tire had never been removed from the trunk. She lived 94 years.

Carye was born in Union Co. on the farm where her nephew, Richard Williams lives. She also taught in many country schools, one being Scott School of Union So. She was also active in the Presbyterian Church and maybe that was where she met James Hamilton whom she married in 1913.

They built their home at the farm site that later became Sioux Empire College, the administrative area. Jim or Casey as he was known was a 1908 graduate of Iowa State University. He was a veterinarian, but he farmed mostly. After Carey’s death in 1940. Carye continued to manage the farm until she and Lura Cole bought the Peterson house in Hawarden.

Carye loved to make quilts and belonged to the Progressive Club. They also like to work Crossword Puzzles and continued until they were in their 90’s. Canasta was also a popular card game for them. Carye lived 99 years.

Harvey was the only son. He graduated from Law School at the University of Iowa. He served his country during WWI in France. He lived in Chicago, where he married and worked for the Chicago and also the Illinois Title and Trust Co. for many years. Then he had a private law practice in Waukegan. He always came to Hawarden at least once a year. This was usually around Memorial Day. It was very important to take fresh garden flowers and greens to visit all the relative’s graves. He Lived 84 years.

Garnet was born in 1900, when the other children were older. She was a doll. Unfortunately, she lived only 6 years, dying very suddenly, probably of what we know now as the flu. Grandpa Smith never got over this tragedy.

They were a close-knit family all living long lives and able to enjoy each other. It is amazing to think of all the changes they lived through in our world and how will they accepted and adjusted to everything.
===============================

Smith, Caleb born 16 Feb 1823 died 23 May 1897 wife Sylvia buried in Grace Hill cemetery Hawarden IA

Hawarden Independent of May 13, 1897

Prof. A. J. Smith was down from Hurly over Sunday to see his father, Caleb Smith of the North side who has been sick for some time. He found him in an improved condition, so returned home Monday.

Hawarden Independent of May 27th 1897

Death of a Pioneer
Died... at his home at the North Side, May 22, Caleb Smith, age 74 years, 3 months and 6 days.
He was born in Guernsey county Ohio, where the city of Quaker City now stands, his father laying out the city naming it Millgard, which name it bore till about the year 1870, when it was changed by act of the legislature. Here he spent most of his boyhood, clerking in his father’s store, driving team over the turn pike to and from Wheeling W. Va. and other cities, finally settling down to farming.

After marrying and living on a farm for several years, he moved his family to Washington county, where he lived till after the close of the war. He then moved to Athens county and resided there till coming to Sioux County, IA, in the spring of 1880. The present site of Hawarden was then a stock ranch and the North Side had but one store, a hotel and a blacksmith shop. The next year the house in which he died was built, and he moved into it and took charge of the Post office, which he kept for several years.

For the last eight years he has been almost constantly a sufferer from urinary disorder, and the disease preying on his vitality unceasingly, he finally succumbed to its grasp. The final approach of death at last only relieved him of pain: and he passes away calm and peaceful as a child would fall asleep in its mother’s arms.

At the breaking out of the war, his eldest son, barely old enough to enter the service, enlisted with a cavalry company, and afterwards dying in a war prison, he felt that this duty stay in the care of his family which was large, so he did not enlist, although he did act with the house guards when attacking raiders were alarming the people of the North.

He was brought up a Quaker, his mother being a preacher of that faith, he dearly loved peace with all man, and would never willingly enter into a controversy: yet so intensely did he hate falsehoods and hypocrisy that when he felt it is duty to denounce or to advise, he performed that duty unflinchingly. So great was his desire that men should be at peace that while he held the office of justice of the peace for many years, and while a great many cases came before him for settlement, it is the recollection of the writer that only one case ever came to trial, he always persuading the opposing parties to settle peacefully their differences.

He was the oldest of seven children and the second taken. He was the father of eleven children, five of whom are living. He will be missed by his friends, of whom he had many. He will be mourned by his sons and daughters and the children, as they come to the old home, will pause in their merriment when they look in vain for the dear, kind face of Grandpa. Yet and it is that he is taken from us, we would not call him back to so much pain and suffering.
_ _ _ _
Research note: From a report on ancestry.com (by others) Caleb Engle Smith born 16 Feb 1823 Ohio died 22 May 1897 Calliope/Hawarden IA. His parents were Jonah Smith 1797-1874 and Rebecca Engel 1804-1836. He married Sylvia Jane Hall, Marriage record of 27 April 1842 to Sylvia Jane Hall, Belmont OH. She was the daughter of Caleb Hall 1863-1840 and Sylva Patterson 1782-1825 She died 1886 and is buried in Grace Hill cemetery at Hawarden IA. The children listed were Ira Smith bon 1849, Isa Smith 1950, Sarah Y. Smith 1851, Lewis Smith 1854, Phebe A. Smith 1856 and Alva Jephtha Smith 1860-1946.

Caleb’s family tree goes back to 1700s in the USA as well as Sylvia Halls ancestry goes back to the 1600s in New England.

Census of 1850 for Millwood Guernsey OH.
Caleb Smith 27, wife Silva J. Smith 25, Ionch Smith 7, Mary E. Smith 5 and Ira Smith 1.

Census of 1870 for Coolville, Athens OH,
Caleb E. Smith 47, Sylvia J. Smith 45, Isa Smith , Sarah Y. Smith 19, Lewis Smith 16, Phebe A. Smith 14, Alvah J. Smith 9

Census of 1880 for Buncombe, Sioux Iowa
Caleb E. Smith born abt 1823 OH, married to Sylvia J. Smith 56 abt 1824 North Carolina

Census of 1885 Calliope Sioux county IA Caleb Smith 62, Sylvia 60 and Alvah 24.


 

Sioux Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen

[ Return to Index ] [ Read Prev Msg ] [ Read Next Msg ]