| The
following facts about a pioneer branch for the Smith family were
given by Mrs. Fonrose Keith, who owns the ancestral farm northeast
of Paris:
Samuel Smith
was born in Frederick, Maryland. He was of Scotch and Irish
descent. His son Jadack Douglas Smith moved to Bourbon county,
Kentucky, then in late years located in Monroe county, Missouri. He
was the father of Robert Thornton Smith, who was born in Bourbon
county, Kentucky in 1809, and moved to Monroe county, in 1835, in
covered wagons, with his family following in a carriage. He had
only one brother, George, and several sisters, one named Kitty Smith
Sidener, the mother of Captain Tom Sidener. Thornton Smith
entered Government land at $1.50 per acre, and bought land from
three families joining his father’s farm. He built one room
of logs and as he prospered added until he had a large colonial
home. There were many Indians here but they were civilized. One
day Thornton’s wife asked a colored boy to watch over her child
while she took a nap. When she awoke an Indian was standing by
her side. She was dreadfully frightened, but the Indian was
civil and kind. There are Indian graves on the home place.
Hannibal was
the nearest market. Many trips during the year were made in the
Old Blue Kentucky wagon with a four horse team. They brought
back barrels of provisions. Florida was the nearest mill where
they took corn and wheat and exchanged for flour and meal. Robert
Thornton Smith was a Master Mason, a prominent citizen and an every
day
Christian. The
estate has always stayed in the family. Fonrose Keith is the
only surviving member.
Source:
Centennial edition of the Monroe County Appeal dated 13 Aug 1931;
submitted by Mary Beth Kirtlink. |
