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Subject: [SMITH] William, Tenn. Volunteers, Mex-American war
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 2002 16:04:14 EST

Looking for information on the individuals below.
Thanks


WILLIAM SMITH, OUR GRANDFATHER
We do not know the date of his birth. As a young man he en-listed with the
Tennessee Volunteers and served under General Zachary Taylor against Mexico
at the annexation of Texas into the Union. They were first sent to Corpus
Christi in May, 1846 to Brownsville (non existent at the time) where the
entire Command constructed Fort Brown, named after Major Jacob Brown, who was
killed in action against the Mexicans. Subsequently they won battles at Palo
Alto, Resaca de Le Palma and Buena Vista.

Information after he got out of the Army is scarce. Mother could only
remember what she had been told. That he walked from Tennessee to Melbourne,
Arkansas, with his rifle on his shoulder and his fiddle under his arm.

He married Elizabeth Alor [Aylor]. Born to them nine girls:

Easter - She had 11 children, Nancy Gray being one of them

Margaret - One boy

Orlena - 3 Boys

Sarah Alice - (Sis) - 3, Josle, Maggie & Tennie

Minerva - Allen, Tom, Walter, Albert & 2 girls

Tennie - 2 Walter & Minnie

Phoeba [Phoebe] Ann - 1 Boy Robert

Tins - (One couldn't be recalled).

Second marriage to ELIZLA WILLIAMS. Born to them three boys and three girls:

William (Bill) - Died young from back injury received when a falling tree
pinned him down.

Annie - Married Mitchell. They had 1 girl Edna, and 2 boys Otie and Bedford
Forrest. Bedford lived with us a few years.
Aunt Annie married again to a Smith.

Jim -

Nellie - 5 boys & 5 girls: Lillian, Ernest, Bodgim, Anna,
Herman, Elsie, Mary, Linnie, Bryan & Jesse
Our Mother was born Jan. 27, 1872, died June
8, l959. Married November 12, 1890.

Bennet (Bennie) [Benny AKA Wiley] -

Judy -

William Smith died about 1888.


A few things I remember from talking with Mama from time to time. Her father
had black eyes and hair, which he always wore just above shoulder length. The
girls would tease him about cutting his hair but he wouldn't let them. (This
might have a connec-tion to his Indian heritage.)

She couldn't remember much about her mother. But she smoked a corn cob pipe,
and Mama had the distasteful job of cleaning it. Probably one good reason she
couldn't stand tobacco.

She had a very hard time after her Mother died, and the family finally broke
up. She told me how hard she had to work just to have a place to live, and
more often than not it was more like slave labor. At one place she tack much
abuse from the family, and then they turned her out. She carried all her
personal belongings and left with no idea where she could find a place to
stay and work. She was so discouraged she just sat down by the road and
cried. She finally decided to go see Aunt Fannie (Ambrose [Ambrose Jeffery])
and ask for her help. And Aunt Fannie got her placed with another family.

Her school days were very limited. She said schools then did not go by grades
as we know them. But the best she could estimate, she got what might be a 3rd
grade education. But she learned a lot from life that didn't come out of
books.

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