INSHELBY-L Archives

From: Phyllis Miller Fleming <>
Subject: James Henry SMITH Jr biography
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 1999 08:57:20 -0500

James Henry Smith, Jr
Students of Shelby county history will find frequent mention of the
Smiths in the
records of the northwestern section. The ancestors of this family were
among the early
settlers of Moral township and they have borne a prominent part in its
agricultural
development. Though chiefly farmers, their activities have not been
confined to agri-
culture, but displayed in many other ways, in connection with the
government of the
county's local affairs. James Henry Smith, Jr., was born in Moral
township, Shelby
county, Indiana, August 22, 1847. His father and namesake was one of
the old settlers
of the township who made a success of life, accumulating considerable
property, reared
a large family and was a highly respected citizen. (Further particulars
of the older
James Henry Smith will be found in a separate sketch, which appears on
another page of
this volume.) James Henry, Jr., grew up on his father's farm, attended
the district
schools and remained at home until he had completed his twenty-second
year. Feeling a
desire to travel about this time, he crossed the Mississippi river and
spent a year in
Missouri. Soon he concluded that "Old Shelby" was good enough for him,
as all his home
and family ties, besides his property interests, lay within her
borders. September 14,
1870, Mr. Smith was married to Miss Eliza, Jr., daughter of Benjamin
Dake, the early
pioneer, whose sketch is given elsewhere. Mrs. Smith was born at the
ancestral homestead
in Moral township, March 27, 1849. After marriage, Mr. Smith rented
land in Marion
county, on which he spent some time in farming, but eventually bought
forty-seven acres
to which he devoted his attention until 1897, when he removed to his
present place of
residence in Moral township. When he took possession of this farm of
eighty acres it was
but little improved, but it was soon developed into a productive tract
that will compare
with any other place of its size in the township. He has fenced it
thoroughly, built a
fine residence and barn, put out fruit trees andotherwise brought it up
to modern
requirements. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Baptist church at
Acton, of which
he was treasurer for two years. He held the position of road supervisor
for twelve years
and has been elected Justice of the Peace, but refused to serve. He has
five children and
a numerous collection of fine grandchildren, of whom he is naturally
proud. Charles E.,
the oldest son, was born June 16, 1871, married Pearl Parrish, resides
in Indianapolis
and has one child, Amel. James Benjamin, the second son, was born
October 30, 1874,
married Mary Oliphant, resides in Moral township, and has two children,
Tresse and
Esther. Elenora married Clarence Smock, of Indianapolis, and has had
eight children:
Elsie, Jessie, Fremont, Sidney, George, Charles, Walter and Naomi,
deceased. Ezra and
Edith (twins), were born June 13, 1882; Ezra married Alice Moore and
has one child,
Leone. Edith married W. Murnan and has one child, Herbert.

>From _Chadwick's History of Shelby County, Indiana_ by Edward H.
Chadwick, B.A.,
assisted by well known local talent,
B.F. Bowen & Co, Publishers: Indianapolis, IN, 1909, pages 896-897.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming

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