WILLIAM SMITH
William Smith is a native of Greene county, Indiana, having been born in February, 1837, and is the son of Stafford and Nancy Ann Smith, both natives of Virginia. He moved with his parents to Edinburg, when quite young, where his father died, leaving a wife and nine children. William the moved with his mother to Kendall county, Illinois, where he remained two years, when he came to Madison county, Iowa, and located at Winterset, in 1849. He left home when twenty-one years of age, and went to Andrew county, Missouri, where he was married in October, 1859, to Margaret Jane Davison. He remained in Missouri until 1861, when he bade his friends good-bye, and joined the Confederate army leaving many sad loved ones behind. He was in the siege of Vicksburg, and many of the hard fought battles. He received three wounds, but recovered from each without much difficulty, and again took his place on the battle-field. He was imprisoned about six months, and when released, he returned to his family, who were then living in Missouri. Soon after his return, his wife and infant died, leaving him alone in the world with his little daughter, Mary Ellen, at that time about four years of age. he came to Cass county, Iowa, in 1866, and moved to Edna Grove, and improved three farms, two in Edna township and one in Noble township, the latter upon which he lives. He first built a log cabin, and lived there about a year, when he replaced his rude dwelling with a fine house, in which he now resides. In 1867, he was married to Martha A. Keith, who died in 1875, leaving three children -- George W., James W., and Martha. In 1880 he was again married to Elizabeth Keith, by whom he has had one child -- Louisa.
Transcribed by Gloria Goltiani from "History of Cass County, Iowa. Together With Sketches of its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens." Springfield, Ill.: Continental Historical Company, 1884, pp. 663-664.
