John Fleming Smith was born on a farm in Randolph County, Alabama, January 20, 1843. He was reared in Calhoun County. His grandfather was James Smith of South Carolina, a Revolutionary War soldier. The Smith family was of English descent. John's father, Enoch Smith, and his mother, Jane Moore Smith, were natives of South Carolina. They had five daughters and four sons. John Fleming Smith was the third child.
John Fleming Smith enlisted in the Confederate Army on July 1, 1861, near Jacksonville, in Capt. "Bob" Draper's Co. A, and Col. S. A. Wood's 7th Ala. Reg., Army of Tennessee and after that enlistment was up joined the 58th Alabama Infantry at Mobile. He was transferred to the Army of Tennessee which served in the fiercest of the battles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Lookout Mountain. John was among the 12,000 Confederate soldiers, largely of Bragg's army, who were captured there. John was taken to Rock Island, Illinois, to the prison there; was confined for sixteen months; released March 20, 1865, and reached Richmond about the time Gen. Lee was getting ready to evacuate that city. He was paroled and walked most of the distance to his old home in Alabama at about the time of Lee's surrender.
John found his parents and five single sisters in poor spirits and without property. Three of his brothers had participated in the Confederate army, one of which had died at Okolona, Miss., and all others had been taken prisoners.
John Fleming Smith married Rosa Catherine ‘Kate' Wingo in September of 1866. She was the youngest daughter of an old-time Methodist minister. After giving his parents what assistance he could, they left his Alabama home on October 15 of that year for Lamar County, Texas, where they resided for two years. They then spent two years in Red River County, and settled in the woodlands of Hopkins County in 1870 on farmland they purchased in the Old Caney Church neighborhood. Enoch was 79, and Jane was 76.
John Fleming Smith and Drs. T. J. Lynch and W. Lewis ran a general merchandising business at Como. Dr. Lynch retired in 1882, and Dr. Lewis retired ten years later. They left John in full control. The business was incorporated as Como Mercantile Company. It occupied a large, handsome brick structure, all stock owned by John who was president. The store was one of the largest in Hopkins County. Along with his land, town, realty, and mercantile interest, John played a conspicuous part in developing the Como Lignite Coal District. John eventually gave his children, married and unmarried, equal portions of his $20,000 worth of property. He retained control of his coal interest. He was a Mason and Baptist of long standing.
Kate and John Fleming had 10 children:
Ida Smith (1868 - 1930) married Joe L. Williams.
Talulah Ann Smith (1869 - 1952) married W. C. Johnston.
Charles Edward Smith (1873 - 1963) married Mary Gresham.
Thomas Smith (1875 – 1875) died as an infant.
Benjamin Newton 'Newt' Smith (1876 - 1956) married Frances Gass.
Laura Josephine Smith (1878 - 1965) married Augusta Wood.
Bessie May Smith (1880 - 1939) married Luther Hampton.
Walter Lewis Smith (1883 - 1967) married Maud C. Smith.
Willis Enoch Smith (1885 - 1951) married Mattie Morgan.
Oscar Fleming Smith (1889 - 1958) married Edna Jernigan.
After Kate's death he married Adeline L. Meek in December of 1925. He was age 82; she was 54. The last run of the Orphan Train ran to Sulphur Springs, Texas in 1929. The 1930 census shows John, his wife Adaline and a 12 year old adopted son, Jenescor Rudolph, born New York. John Fleming Smith died August 11, 1932.
More information can be obtained from Ruth Godwin Gadbury's GODWIN-HILL AND RELATED FAMILIES, pages 180-181, and from PAST HISTORY AND PRESENT STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT OF TEXAS, published by The Forrister History Company, Regan Printing House, Chicago, Ill., I. G. Forrister, Publisher.
************
Kate's life and children are described in the biography of her husband, John Fleming Smith. Her death during the funeral dinner for her brother-in-law is described in this letter from John Fleming's brother-in-law to a sister, Olivia Ann 'Liva' Smith Godwin.
Greenville, Texas
March 30, 1925
Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Godwin and children,
Elias Smith died at T's in Stratford, Oklahoma at 3:30 PM March 26, 1925, Thursday. Elbert and Robert came with his body, arriving here on the early train Saturday morning. We had the body brought out to our house for 2 or 3 hours, had short service, then carried it back to Katy station thence to Como, thence by auto to Camey. Robert went home yesterday, but Elbert came back here and stayed all night with us last night and has gone to Alba today.
Elbert was at his Uncle John's at Como yesterevn and assisted to put his Aunt Kate on the bed after she had fainted, as they thought, in the kitchen at about 11:30 o'clock where she and Julia had gone to cook some batter cakes for dinner. They got both doctors, so directly the train came, and Elbert came on here, so about 7 o'clock PM yesterday news reached us that she had died! So you see, it is good that we don't know what the future has in store for us. Mary is not well, but able to be up part of the time. Hope all of you are well.
Your brother,
S. G. Gaines
P. S.
We learn Kate was buried this evening. Elbert returned from Alba and is staying with Jim Smith tonight and is going to start home on early train in the morning. We are uneasy about Mary. She can't hardly talk.
Respectfully,
S. G. Gaines
John Fleming Smith enlisted in the Confederate Army on July 1, 1861, near Jacksonville, in Capt. "Bob" Draper's Co. A, and Col. S. A. Wood's 7th Ala. Reg., Army of Tennessee and after that enlistment was up joined the 58th Alabama Infantry at Mobile. He was transferred to the Army of Tennessee which served in the fiercest of the battles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Lookout Mountain. John was among the 12,000 Confederate soldiers, largely of Bragg's army, who were captured there. John was taken to Rock Island, Illinois, to the prison there; was confined for sixteen months; released March 20, 1865, and reached Richmond about the time Gen. Lee was getting ready to evacuate that city. He was paroled and walked most of the distance to his old home in Alabama at about the time of Lee's surrender.
John found his parents and five single sisters in poor spirits and without property. Three of his brothers had participated in the Confederate army, one of which had died at Okolona, Miss., and all others had been taken prisoners.
John Fleming Smith married Rosa Catherine ‘Kate' Wingo in September of 1866. She was the youngest daughter of an old-time Methodist minister. After giving his parents what assistance he could, they left his Alabama home on October 15 of that year for Lamar County, Texas, where they resided for two years. They then spent two years in Red River County, and settled in the woodlands of Hopkins County in 1870 on farmland they purchased in the Old Caney Church neighborhood. Enoch was 79, and Jane was 76.
John Fleming Smith and Drs. T. J. Lynch and W. Lewis ran a general merchandising business at Como. Dr. Lynch retired in 1882, and Dr. Lewis retired ten years later. They left John in full control. The business was incorporated as Como Mercantile Company. It occupied a large, handsome brick structure, all stock owned by John who was president. The store was one of the largest in Hopkins County. Along with his land, town, realty, and mercantile interest, John played a conspicuous part in developing the Como Lignite Coal District. John eventually gave his children, married and unmarried, equal portions of his $20,000 worth of property. He retained control of his coal interest. He was a Mason and Baptist of long standing.
Kate and John Fleming had 10 children:
Ida Smith (1868 - 1930) married Joe L. Williams.
Talulah Ann Smith (1869 - 1952) married W. C. Johnston.
Charles Edward Smith (1873 - 1963) married Mary Gresham.
Thomas Smith (1875 – 1875) died as an infant.
Benjamin Newton 'Newt' Smith (1876 - 1956) married Frances Gass.
Laura Josephine Smith (1878 - 1965) married Augusta Wood.
Bessie May Smith (1880 - 1939) married Luther Hampton.
Walter Lewis Smith (1883 - 1967) married Maud C. Smith.
Willis Enoch Smith (1885 - 1951) married Mattie Morgan.
Oscar Fleming Smith (1889 - 1958) married Edna Jernigan.
After Kate's death he married Adeline L. Meek in December of 1925. He was age 82; she was 54. The last run of the Orphan Train ran to Sulphur Springs, Texas in 1929. The 1930 census shows John, his wife Adaline and a 12 year old adopted son, Jenescor Rudolph, born New York. John Fleming Smith died August 11, 1932.
More information can be obtained from Ruth Godwin Gadbury's GODWIN-HILL AND RELATED FAMILIES, pages 180-181, and from PAST HISTORY AND PRESENT STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT OF TEXAS, published by The Forrister History Company, Regan Printing House, Chicago, Ill., I. G. Forrister, Publisher.
************
Kate's life and children are described in the biography of her husband, John Fleming Smith. Her death during the funeral dinner for her brother-in-law is described in this letter from John Fleming's brother-in-law to a sister, Olivia Ann 'Liva' Smith Godwin.
Greenville, Texas
March 30, 1925
Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Godwin and children,
Elias Smith died at T's in Stratford, Oklahoma at 3:30 PM March 26, 1925, Thursday. Elbert and Robert came with his body, arriving here on the early train Saturday morning. We had the body brought out to our house for 2 or 3 hours, had short service, then carried it back to Katy station thence to Como, thence by auto to Camey. Robert went home yesterday, but Elbert came back here and stayed all night with us last night and has gone to Alba today.
Elbert was at his Uncle John's at Como yesterevn and assisted to put his Aunt Kate on the bed after she had fainted, as they thought, in the kitchen at about 11:30 o'clock where she and Julia had gone to cook some batter cakes for dinner. They got both doctors, so directly the train came, and Elbert came on here, so about 7 o'clock PM yesterday news reached us that she had died! So you see, it is good that we don't know what the future has in store for us. Mary is not well, but able to be up part of the time. Hope all of you are well.
Your brother,
S. G. Gaines
P. S.
We learn Kate was buried this evening. Elbert returned from Alba and is staying with Jim Smith tonight and is going to start home on early train in the morning. We are uneasy about Mary. She can't hardly talk.
Respectfully,
S. G. Gaines
John Fleming Smith was born on a farm in Randolph County, Alabama, January 20, 1843. He was reared in Calhoun County. His grandfather was James Smith of South Carolina, a Revolutionary War soldier. The Smith family was of English descent. John's father, Enoch Smith, and his mother, Jane Moore Smith, were natives of South Carolina. They had five daughters and four sons. John Fleming Smith was the third child.
John Fleming Smith enlisted in the Confederate Army on July 1, 1861, near Jacksonville, in Capt. "Bob" Draper's Co. A, and Col. S. A. Wood's 7th Ala. Reg., Army of Tennessee and after that enlistment was up joined the 58th Alabama Infantry at Mobile. He was transferred to the Army of Tennessee which served in the fiercest of the battles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Lookout Mountain. John was among the 12,000 Confederate soldiers, largely of Bragg's army, who were captured there. John was taken to Rock Island, Illinois, to the prison there; was confined for sixteen months; released March 20, 1865, and reached Richmond about the time Gen. Lee was getting ready to evacuate that city. He was paroled and walked most of the distance to his old home in Alabama at about the time of Lee's surrender.
John found his parents and five single sisters in poor spirits and without property. Three of his brothers had participated in the Confederate army, one of which had died at Okolona, Miss., and all others had been taken prisoners.
John Fleming Smith married Rosa Catherine ‘Kate' Wingo in September of 1866. She was the youngest daughter of an old-time Methodist minister. After giving his parents what assistance he could, they left his Alabama home on October 15 of that year for Lamar County, Texas, where they resided for two years. They then spent two years in Red River County, and settled in the woodlands of Hopkins County in 1870 on farmland they purchased in the Old Caney Church neighborhood. Enoch was 79, and Jane was 76.
John Fleming Smith and Drs. T. J. Lynch and W. Lewis ran a general merchandising business at Como. Dr. Lynch retired in 1882, and Dr. Lewis retired ten years later. They left John in full control. The business was incorporated as Como Mercantile Company. It occupied a large, handsome brick structure, all stock owned by John who was president. The store was one of the largest in Hopkins County. Along with his land, town, realty, and mercantile interest, John played a conspicuous part in developing the Como Lignite Coal District. John eventually gave his children, married and unmarried, equal portions of his $20,000 worth of property. He retained control of his coal interest. He was a Mason and Baptist of long standing.
Kate and John Fleming had 10 children:
Ida Smith (1868 - 1930) married Joe L. Williams.
Talulah Ann Smith (1869 - 1952) married W. C. Johnston.
Charles Edward Smith (1873 - 1963) married Mary Gresham.
Thomas Smith (1875 – 1875) died as an infant.
Benjamin Newton 'Newt' Smith (1876 - 1956) married Frances Gass.
Laura Josephine Smith (1878 - 1965) married Augusta Wood.
Bessie May Smith (1880 - 1939) married Luther Hampton.
Walter Lewis Smith (1883 - 1967) married Maud C. Smith.
Willis Enoch Smith (1885 - 1951) married Mattie Morgan.
Oscar Fleming Smith (1889 - 1958) married Edna Jernigan.
After Kate's death he married Adeline L. Meek in December of 1925. He was age 82; she was 54. The last run of the Orphan Train ran to Sulphur Springs, Texas in 1929. The 1930 census shows John, his wife Adaline and a 12 year old adopted son, Jenescor Rudolph, born New York. John Fleming Smith died August 11, 1932.
More information can be obtained from Ruth Godwin Gadbury's GODWIN-HILL AND RELATED FAMILIES, pages 180-181, and from PAST HISTORY AND PRESENT STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT OF TEXAS, published by The Forrister History Company, Regan Printing House, Chicago, Ill., I. G. Forrister, Publisher.
************
Kate's life and children are described in the biography of her husband, John Fleming Smith. Her death during the funeral dinner for her brother-in-law is described in this letter from John Fleming's brother-in-law to a sister, Olivia Ann 'Liva' Smith Godwin.
Greenville, Texas
March 30, 1925
Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Godwin and children,
Elias Smith died at T's in Stratford, Oklahoma at 3:30 PM March 26, 1925, Thursday. Elbert and Robert came with his body, arriving here on the early train Saturday morning. We had the body brought out to our house for 2 or 3 hours, had short service, then carried it back to Katy station thence to Como, thence by auto to Camey. Robert went home yesterday, but Elbert came back here and stayed all night with us last night and has gone to Alba today.
Elbert was at his Uncle John's at Como yesterevn and assisted to put his Aunt Kate on the bed after she had fainted, as they thought, in the kitchen at about 11:30 o'clock where she and Julia had gone to cook some batter cakes for dinner. They got both doctors, so directly the train came, and Elbert came on here, so about 7 o'clock PM yesterday news reached us that she had died! So you see, it is good that we don't know what the future has in store for us. Mary is not well, but able to be up part of the time. Hope all of you are well.
Your brother,
S. G. Gaines
P. S.
We learn Kate was buried this evening. Elbert returned from Alba and is staying with Jim Smith tonight and is going to start home on early train in the morning. We are uneasy about Mary. She can't hardly talk.
Respectfully,
S. G. Gaines
John Fleming Smith enlisted in the Confederate Army on July 1, 1861, near Jacksonville, in Capt. "Bob" Draper's Co. A, and Col. S. A. Wood's 7th Ala. Reg., Army of Tennessee and after that enlistment was up joined the 58th Alabama Infantry at Mobile. He was transferred to the Army of Tennessee which served in the fiercest of the battles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Lookout Mountain. John was among the 12,000 Confederate soldiers, largely of Bragg's army, who were captured there. John was taken to Rock Island, Illinois, to the prison there; was confined for sixteen months; released March 20, 1865, and reached Richmond about the time Gen. Lee was getting ready to evacuate that city. He was paroled and walked most of the distance to his old home in Alabama at about the time of Lee's surrender.
John found his parents and five single sisters in poor spirits and without property. Three of his brothers had participated in the Confederate army, one of which had died at Okolona, Miss., and all others had been taken prisoners.
John Fleming Smith married Rosa Catherine ‘Kate' Wingo in September of 1866. She was the youngest daughter of an old-time Methodist minister. After giving his parents what assistance he could, they left his Alabama home on October 15 of that year for Lamar County, Texas, where they resided for two years. They then spent two years in Red River County, and settled in the woodlands of Hopkins County in 1870 on farmland they purchased in the Old Caney Church neighborhood. Enoch was 79, and Jane was 76.
John Fleming Smith and Drs. T. J. Lynch and W. Lewis ran a general merchandising business at Como. Dr. Lynch retired in 1882, and Dr. Lewis retired ten years later. They left John in full control. The business was incorporated as Como Mercantile Company. It occupied a large, handsome brick structure, all stock owned by John who was president. The store was one of the largest in Hopkins County. Along with his land, town, realty, and mercantile interest, John played a conspicuous part in developing the Como Lignite Coal District. John eventually gave his children, married and unmarried, equal portions of his $20,000 worth of property. He retained control of his coal interest. He was a Mason and Baptist of long standing.
Kate and John Fleming had 10 children:
Ida Smith (1868 - 1930) married Joe L. Williams.
Talulah Ann Smith (1869 - 1952) married W. C. Johnston.
Charles Edward Smith (1873 - 1963) married Mary Gresham.
Thomas Smith (1875 – 1875) died as an infant.
Benjamin Newton 'Newt' Smith (1876 - 1956) married Frances Gass.
Laura Josephine Smith (1878 - 1965) married Augusta Wood.
Bessie May Smith (1880 - 1939) married Luther Hampton.
Walter Lewis Smith (1883 - 1967) married Maud C. Smith.
Willis Enoch Smith (1885 - 1951) married Mattie Morgan.
Oscar Fleming Smith (1889 - 1958) married Edna Jernigan.
After Kate's death he married Adeline L. Meek in December of 1925. He was age 82; she was 54. The last run of the Orphan Train ran to Sulphur Springs, Texas in 1929. The 1930 census shows John, his wife Adaline and a 12 year old adopted son, Jenescor Rudolph, born New York. John Fleming Smith died August 11, 1932.
More information can be obtained from Ruth Godwin Gadbury's GODWIN-HILL AND RELATED FAMILIES, pages 180-181, and from PAST HISTORY AND PRESENT STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT OF TEXAS, published by The Forrister History Company, Regan Printing House, Chicago, Ill., I. G. Forrister, Publisher.
************
Kate's life and children are described in the biography of her husband, John Fleming Smith. Her death during the funeral dinner for her brother-in-law is described in this letter from John Fleming's brother-in-law to a sister, Olivia Ann 'Liva' Smith Godwin.
Greenville, Texas
March 30, 1925
Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Godwin and children,
Elias Smith died at T's in Stratford, Oklahoma at 3:30 PM March 26, 1925, Thursday. Elbert and Robert came with his body, arriving here on the early train Saturday morning. We had the body brought out to our house for 2 or 3 hours, had short service, then carried it back to Katy station thence to Como, thence by auto to Camey. Robert went home yesterday, but Elbert came back here and stayed all night with us last night and has gone to Alba today.
Elbert was at his Uncle John's at Como yesterevn and assisted to put his Aunt Kate on the bed after she had fainted, as they thought, in the kitchen at about 11:30 o'clock where she and Julia had gone to cook some batter cakes for dinner. They got both doctors, so directly the train came, and Elbert came on here, so about 7 o'clock PM yesterday news reached us that she had died! So you see, it is good that we don't know what the future has in store for us. Mary is not well, but able to be up part of the time. Hope all of you are well.
Your brother,
S. G. Gaines
P. S.
We learn Kate was buried this evening. Elbert returned from Alba and is staying with Jim Smith tonight and is going to start home on early train in the morning. We are uneasy about Mary. She can't hardly talk.
Respectfully,
S. G. Gaines
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