Iowa Family Group Sheet for the David A. SMITH Family

Submitted by: Donna Hansen Stene 

HUSBAND: David A. SMITH
Birth date: 1821
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Death date: about 1892
Place of death: probably Kansas
Burial date: 
Burial place: 
Other Spouse: # 1 Eliza (maiden name unknown)
Father: unknown
Mother: unknown

Marriage date: 20 Apr 1856
Marriage place: Washington County, Iowa

WIFE: # 2 Eleanor Page HIGLEY
Birth date: about 1832
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Death date: between 1867-1870
Place of death: probably Washington County, Iowa
Burial date: 
Burial place: 
Other Spouse: probably Brewster HIGLEY
Father: unknown
Mother: unknown


CHILDREN

Child No. 1: Eliza Jane SMITH
Sex: F
Birth date: 13 Feb 1857
Birthplace: Washington County, Iowa
Death date: 11 Aug 1925
Place of death: Harlan, Smith County, Kansas
Burial date: Crystal Plains Cemetery
Burial place: Smith County, Kansas
Spouse's name: C. Ziegler LONGENECKER
Marriage date: Feb 1874
Marriage place: Marshalltown, Marshall County, Iowa

Child No. 2: Catharine SMITH 
Sex: F
Birth date: 1859
Birthplace: Washington County, Iowa
Death date: 
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Child No. 3: William SMITH
Sex: M
Birth date: 1861
Birthplace: Washington County, Iowa
Death date: 
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Child No. 4: Alice SMITH (twin)
Sex: F
Birth date: 1864
Birthplace: Washington County, Iowa
Death date: 
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Child No. 5: Clara SMITH 
Sex: F
Birth date: 1864
Birthplace: Washington County, Iowa
Death date: 
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Child No. 6: Charles SMITH
Sex: M
Birth date: 1867
Birthplace: Washington County, Iowa
Death date: 
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Documentation and Sources:

David A. SMITH owned land in Jackson Township, and later in Seventy Six Township, of Washington County, Iowa. His first wife, Eliza, is buried in the Richmond Cemetery in Washington County. In the 1970s when an elderly grandaunt was visited for the first and only time (in Kansas) she related that David A. SMITH's second wife Elenor had previously been married to Brewster HIGLEY VI. Marriages, 1839-1992, Washington County, confirm the marriage of David A. SMITH and an "Ellen" HIGLEY. Their first child, Eliza, was apparently named for David's deceased first wife. The 1860 census lists David and Elenor SMITH and children from both of David's marriages. Also listed is "Bruster HIGLER" age seven, apparently a child from Elenor's previous marriage. The census lists him as a "son." There are numerous accounts of the life of Brewster HIGLEY VI since he is accepted to be the author of the Kansas State Song, "Home on the Range." Dr. HIGLEY also was married several times. The majority !
 of reports claim that his first three wives all died ending that particular marriage. The records that we have found substantiate the claim of our elderly grandaunt however, that Elenor Page HIGLEY did not die while married to Brewster HIGLEY but apparently she and her child, Brewster HIGLEY VII went into the SMITH household. David and Elenor's last child was born in 1867. Elenor is not listed on the 1870 census so she had probably died between 1867 and 1870. The rest of the family is listed in Washington County, Iowa, in 1870, but by 1880 they have moved to Smith County, Kansas. Ironically, this is the same county where Brewster HIGLEY VI lived when he wrote the words for "Home on the Range." 


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Copyright © 2007 by Donna Hansen Stene.  All rights reserved.
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