Dear List,
I recently discovered new information about my Smith & Thomas family in Vigo
County. I'm even more anxious to find more. I will be grateful for any
information or clues you might send my way.
SQUIRE SMITH married LUCRETIA THOMAS March 1st 1840 in Vigo County, Indiana.
Lucretia Thomas' parents were Isaac & Mary (maiden name unknown) Thomas. In
the 1840 census of Vigo County Ind. in Terra Haute, living next to newly
weds Squire and Lucretia (Thomas) Smith is Isaac and Mary Thomas. Also
living near by are the families of Zenas Smith and Jordan Smith. I believe
that Jordan Smith is an older Brother of Squire Smith. No proof yet. While
researching Zenas Smith I find only four children listed for him in County
history books and on Ancestry .com and LDS church records. Originally I was
excited to find Zenas Smith living so near to Isaac Thomas and Squire Smith.
My thinking was perhaps Zenas was the father of my Squire Smith. It seems
that is not the case. Squire & Lucretia Smith had three Daughters. Mary
Frances, Adelia A., and Hester Smith. Mary F. and Adelia were born in Vigo
County. Hester was born in 1847 or 1848 in Missouri. Family legend says
that Squire Smith died of Cholera on a Cattle Boat on the Mississippi River.
That would explain Hester being born in Missouri. By 1850 I find Lucretia
living in GREENVILLE, BOND COUNTY, ILLINOIS with her parents Isaac and Mary
Thomas along with her three young daughters. Lucretia is a widow. In the
1860 census Mary Frances Smith in married to James Hinkley Carithers in
Nevins Twsp., Vigo County, Indiana. Adelia is newly married to Dexter
Sylvanus Hand and living in BOND COUNTY, ILLINOIS. Dexter and Adelia were
married May 22nd in Rockville, Parke County, Indiana. Living with Dexter
and Adelia in BOND COUNTY, ILLINOIS, is Adelia's youngest sister Hester
Smith age 12 yrs. and Dexter's two younger brothers Ansel J. and Benjamin L.
Hand. Hester Smith later married Benjamin L. Hand in CLAY COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
The Hand family owned land in Flora, Clay Co., Illinois. Lucretia (Thomas)
Smith listed as living in the household with Dexter and Adelia Hand in the
1870 census of Clay County, Illinois.
I would like to find out who were the parents of Squire Smith. Are there
land or tax records that would tell me when Isaac Thomas first came to live
in Vigo County, Indiana? Are there records that would show when Isaac
Thomas left Vigo County, Indiana and removed to BOND COUNTY, Illinois? Isaac
Thomas and his wife Mary were both born in Kentucky. Lucretia was born in
Kentucky in 1815. Squire Smith was born in Ohio 1813 to 1815.
Adelia lived her last years in Cushman, Searcy County, Arkansas. She became
blind in her old age and her Grandchildren (my Mother among them) wrote
letters for her to UNCLE JOHN THOMAS in Terra Haute, Indiana about 1910 to
1930. Would John Thomas have been Lucretia's Uncle or did she have the
Grandchildren call this John Thomas,....... "UNCLE." ??? Could John Thomas
of Terra Haute have been Lucretia's brother?
Vigo County List has been very helpful to me in the past and I'm hoping my
long and rambling story will help supply me with more help from members of
the list.
Taunji Stites Waterman
Gresham, Oregon
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