Family of William Sigel Smith and Margaret Amanda Brown
Husband�s Notes
Marriage of William Sigel Smith and Margaret Amanda Brown recorded Book J,
Page 166, Office of the Recorder, Lawrence Co Courthouse, Mt. Vernon, MO 65712.
From History of Mt. Vernon, Mrs. Lottie Lee Sedwick:
"The Fireman's band of Mt. Vernon in 1903 (a continuation of the old
band) comprised: Claude Kendall (known as Gram'pa), Frank (Quarts)
Leathers, Clyde (Softy) Hocker, Dade (Colonel) Ryan, Harry (Chubby)
Sedwick, Jimmie Matthews, Dick (Martin) Williams, Bill Sharp, Will
Harvey, village blacksmith, BILLIE SMITH, and Fred Ryde, a baker. The
band furnished the music on Decoration Day May 30, 1903, and were the
proud possessors of brand new band uniforms in which they had their
picture taken on this day.
{Photo at LCHS museum, Jones Memorial, Mt. Vernon, Mo.}
DOB is from information written by Izenia Josephine Smith Burns in Apr
1907, and supported by 1870 census. Looks as if he {or grandmother}
later shaved about 6 years off his age.
For 1870 and 1880 census see brother, James A.L. Smith.
1900 census, East half Mt. Vernon Twp, Lawrence Co, Mo, South St., #252-
255: Smith, Wm. S., head, WM, Jun 1870, 29y/o, md 12yrs,
Mo,unk,unk,teamster, rents; Edith A., wife, WF, Mar 1872, 28y/o, md 12
yrs, IL,IL,IL; Charles, son, WM, Apr 1892, 8y/o, Mo,Mo,IL,at school;
Clarence, son, WM, Dec 1894, 5y/o, Mo,Mo,IL; Carter, Clinton G.,
brother-in-law, WM, Dec 1874, 25y/o, md 0yrs, IL,IL,IL, day laborer.
1910 census, Water St, Mt. Vernon, Lawrence Co., Mo., #85-87: Smith,
Wm. M.{S}; 43y/o,M2 5yrs, teamster, genl hauling; Margaret A., wife,
29y/o, M1 5yrs, 3/2 children, Mo,IL,Mo; Raymond, son, 4y/o; Helen W.,
dau, 1y/o; Charles D., son, 18y/o, laborer, odd jobs.
1920 census, Water St., Mt. Vernon, Lawrence Co., Mo. #6/7; Smith,
William, head, owns/mortagaged, MW, 53y/o, md, read/write; Mo,US,US,
teamster, city work; Margaret, wife, FW, 38y/o, md, read/write;
Mo,IL,Mo; Raymond, son,MW, 13y/o, read/write, Mo,Mo,Mo; Helen, dau,FW,
10y/o, read/write, Mo,Mo,Mo; Mildred, dau, FW, 5y/o, Mo,Mo,Mo.
Excerpts from "Backtracking" by Claude Kendall, 1944, published possibly
Lawrence Co. Record. {undated and unidentifed newpaper clipping.}
"When Billy Smith was a boy...he lived for several years with Frank
and Josephine (Mullens) Burns*. Frank was a teamster..The boy was the
constant shadow of the older man and literally walked in his footsteps."
Article describes Billy's venture into St. Louis as a coachman
recommended by Reece Millsap.
{*Note: Josephine Mullens Burns was Izenia Josephine Smith, sister of
William Sigel Smith. All four of Sarah Smith�s children used the
Mullins name for some time.)
"Passing in review one can't forget the grand old pioneer home where
Billy, his brother, Abe, and Josephine and Louella {Louisa} Mullins grew
up--the home of Uncle Leroy Mullins and wife--"Grandma." It was Uncle
Leroy, armed with a black snake whip, who gave Dr. Hocker the horse race
of his life for turning a bunch of cattle into his cornfield. The
quaint old primitive home--now replaced by the modern residence of
Know{l}es Smith--was always stocked with plenty. The two huge rooms--a
fireplace in each, rope beds that needed no springs for Grandma's
feather beds were thick with goose hair that would bring a king's ransom
on today's market. It was fun for a kid to mount a chair and make a
high dive to disappear somewhere in its snuggly embrace; mornings meant
a somersault to reach the floor. And there was a smoke house nearby.
We've eaten many a biscuit baked at that hearth, with a sandwiched slab
of ham--an ace drawing card for numerous other visits. Often there were
half-moon dried apple (or peach) pies with milk. How insignificant was
city life to one who had once known this!
Obituary; from undated and unidentified clipping:
Wm. Siegel Smith was left an orphan in his early childhood. An
elderly couple by the name of Mullen cared for him a few years and then
a married sister reared him to manhood. Mt. Vernon, Mo., was his birth
place, on January 25, 1872, and he spent his entire life here.
He was married first to Edith Carter. To them were born three
children. Only one, Charles Smith, lived to maturity. He died last
year in Kansas City.
In 1905 he was married to Margaret Brown. To them were born four
children. A little boy died at two and one half years. The others,
with their mother, survive. They are Raymond of Sarcoxie, Helen Johnson
of Mt. Vernon and Mildred Waggener of Kansas City.
In his young manhood Mr. Smith accepted Christ and was baptized. In
1910 he and Mrs. Smith united with the Christian church of Mt. Vernon.
He was a member also of the Modern Woodmen of America.
About three years ago Mr. Smith suffered a stroke. He had not been
able to do any work since. He had been dangerously sick about five
days. On December 31st he passed from us at the age of 73 years, 11
months and 5 days.
He leaves to mourn their loss his widow and children, already
mentioned, eleven grandchildren and many friends and other relatives.
Thus do we commit him into the care of Him who doeth all things well.
Another clipping states: died at his home 11:55 Monday morning;
formerly an employee of a lumber company, retired; services at Fossett
funeral home Mt. Vernon; Rev. Virgil Walker officiating; burial in city
cemetery.
Standard Certificate of Death, State of Mo: 6331:
Place of Death: Mt. Vernon, Lawrence Co.
In this community: lifetime.
Full name: William Sigel Smith
male; white; married
Spouse: Margaret Smith; 64y/o
Age: 73 yrs 11mos
Birthplace: Mt. Vernon, Mo.
Father: unknown
Mother: unknown
Informant: Raymond Smith, Sarcoxie, Mo.
Buried: 2 Jan 1946, Mt. Vernon {City Cemetery}
Funeral Director: H. D. Fossett, Mt. Vernon, Mo.
Date of Death: 31 Dec 1945; 10am
Attended: Dec 1 46 {sic} to Dec 31 46 {sic}
Cause of death: Angina Pectoris; duration 1 day.
Physician: P.A. Holmes, Mt. Vernon, MO.
Margaret Amanda Brown Notes...
Obituary; undated, unidentified clipping: (one is from Mt. Vernon paper
and the other from Springfield News-Leader):
Services for Mrs. Margaret Amanda Smith, 98, Mt. Vernon were at 2 p.m.
Saturday (June 9) in the Max L. Faucett Chapel with the Rev. Bennie
Yount officiating. Burial was in the Mt. Vernon cemetery.
Mrs. Smith died at 4:50 a.m. Thursday (June 7) in the Aurora Nursing
Center following a long illness.
She was a member of the Mt. Vernon First Christian Church. Mrs. Smith
lived in Mt. Vernon most of her life.
Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Mary Helen Johnson, Mt. Vernon,
Mrs. Mildred Waggoner, Kansas City; two sisters, Mrs. Flora Akins,
Redondo Beach, Calif., Mrs. Lora Allen, Coffeyville, Kan.; thirteen
grandchildren, thirty-two great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-
grandchildren.
jjr note--Grandmother saved boxes of photographs and newspaper
clippings, rarely labeled or dated!! She was a wealth of information
about the community. She had worked as a maid at the hotel in Mt.
Vernon 1898-1904. That�s how she met grandpa. The kitchen and back
porch of the house on West Water street was the old abode of the jailor.
The kitchen of the boarding house grandmother ran next door was the 1868
county jail. The brick that Dianne dropped on Merrell�s head from the
tree between the houses was from that jail. A long low shed grandpa
used for his horses on the back of the property was the 1867 city
calaboose. The back of the hotel on the NW corner of the square was
clearly visible from her house and the bus stop was at the McCrae Courts
bungalows across the street. It was hard to get in or out of town
without Grandmother knowing about it! Many of her boarders were folks
visiting family members at "the Hill." (Missouri State Sanatorium)
Dianne remembers helping grandmother strip the beds and clean the rooms
at the boarding house, then grandmother would scrub her down in the back
yard with a stiff bristle brush and homemade lye soap. I don�t think she
knew that tuberculosis was airborne--but no one in the family ever had TB
either. Must have been the lye soap.
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