Francis Civil War 1862

Francis 1865

Later Years

Francis Cook "Curle" Smith was born in England or Wales on October 21, 1821 and on all of his census records states that he became a naturalized U. S. Citizen in 1840. On July 4, 1848 he married Sarah Jane Weeks in Staunton Illinois. He served as a member of the band with the Illinois Volunteer 10th Calvery for about 2 years (see his picture in his band uniform at left). In 1868 he married Mary Elisabeth Poynting in Missouri and lived with her until his death on Christmas Eve 1901 in Tuscumbia Missouri.

At the left Mary and Francis are pictured with their 3 oldest children Walter born Nov 7 1872, , George born 19 sep 1869 and Lilly born in 1877 . In the the middle picture are the three youngest children Roy born 27 Sep 1885, Maude born Jul 7 1888 and baby Eva who was born Sep 4 1892 and died in 1894. Mary Elisabeth Poynting is pictured on the right with their daughter Rosa Smith. Mary Elisabeth Poynting was Born July 11, 1852 in Wooster Ohio. At age 16 on September 20th 1868 she became the 2nd Wife of Francis "Curle" Cook Smith then about 47 they had 10 children 5 of whom lived. Mary died on the 23rd of February 1925 in Tuscumbia Missouri. Rosa along with her brother Roy Edgar Smith went on to found the Missouri Family Branch of Francis Cook Smith. Today there are 3rd and 4th generations of Mary and Francis's family still living in Tuscumbia.

Shown on the left is photo of Rosa Jane Smith as a young adult. Rosa the daughter of Francis and Mary was born on June 4, 1879. She Married James Lindsey in 1896. They had 10 children, Dolly 1898, George 1902, James 1903, Ruth 1905, Frank 1906 , Beulah 1913, Walter 1915, Christopher 1915, William 1917 and Thomas 1921. Rosa died sometime between 1921 and 1930 as her husband James is shown as a widower on the 1930 Census.

In the picture at the right is Thelma May Smith, the daughter of Walter Cook Smith and Ida Mabel Crisp. Thelma is also the grand daughter of Franics Cook Smith and Mary Elisabeth Poynting Smith. Census records show that Thelma was born in the month of December 1909.

Pictured at the left is Paul Cook Smith, grandson of Francis Cook Smith and Mary Elisabeth POYNTING Smith. Paul was the 5th child of Roy Edgar Smith and Ida May Belle Wright. Paul was born in Tuscumbia Missouri on July 18 , 1920. He Married Rosana Horton on April 21st 1951. Still living in Tuscumbia are Paul's two sons Jay Paul born July 25, 1955 and Ray Dean born April 3, 1961 Ray has two sons Jonathan and Steven Ray. Paul was 83 years 3 months and 14 day old when he passed on November 1, 2003.

Clarissa PHELPS Weeks was born around 1799 in North Carolina She Married Robert Cornelious Weeks on October 31 1826 in Stacket Mills, Davidson Co., TN. On July 23rd 1827 Clarissa gave birth to Sarah Jane Weeks who became the matriarch of our Illinois Smith Family. Clarissa was 97 years old when she died March 10,1897

Joseph Wilson Smith was the oldest child of Francis Cook Smith and Sarah Jane WEEKS Smith, he was born on the 28th of April 1849 in Stauntion Illinois. On the 3rd of November 1870 he married Flora Eulilia Sinclair they had seven children. Oldest child and daughter, Flora born abt. 1872, a son Clarence W Smith born abt. 1875, Daughter Ada B. Smith born Dec 1876, Daughter Lilly born abt. 1882, son Paul born Jan 1883, Saughter Sylvia born Nov 1887 and a son Angus born Jun 1889. The last record we have of Joseph is the 1920 Census where he at age 71 is living with his youngest daughter Lilly E. SMITH Bowen and her husband Arthur H Bowen and their three children, Arther, Mildred and Edith. On the 16th of March 1900 in Indian Territory Josesph was sentenced to serve a term of 18 months in Ft. Leavenworth Military Prison for embezelement He was given a parol in July 1900.

Francis Cook Smith Jr. was the 2nd son of Francis and Sarah. He was born on May 17, 1851 at Alton Illinois. It is said that as a young man he raised thoroughbred racing horses. He worked for the railroad most of his life. On April 3, 1876 he married Amanda Belle Newland and they had three children, George, Bertie and Alma who married Elvin Dolphin Meserole. Alma and Elvin had 4 children the youngest, a son Charles Egdar Meserole born Jan 4, 1918 - died March 22, 2005. Charles has a history of our family on the Weeks Family forum at ezboard.com (see the Weeks Family link at the end of this page) Francis Cook Smith Jr.Jr died in Boise Idaho November 16, 1919 age 68 years 5 months and 30 days

Lilly "Lillian Adelle Smith" was the youngest daughter of Francis Smith and Sarah Jane Weeks. She was born on the 5th of June 1867 possibly in Staunton Illinois. at age 4 lily was taken sick and lost her eyesight and was blind for the rest of her life. After going to school at Jacksonville, Illinois it was found she was gifted with an exceptionally beautiful soprano voice. Lilly received a scholarship and studied music at the Boston Music Academy . Lilly later studied in Europe and Germany and was a talented opera performer both in Europe and the United State where she refused to be billed as "Blind" having memorized the number of steps to each place on the stage her audiences never knew she was without sight. Lilly had developed her other senses to such a high degree that according to her nephew Clyde Smith she was able to tell he had new brown shoes on when he went to visit her at her home in Davenport Iowa where she taught school. When questioned how she new his shoes were new and brown Lilly replied " I can tell by the squeak of the leather they are not broken in and there is a distinct smell in the dye and wax of brown shoes" Lilly died in Davenport January 23, 1914 at the age of 46 years.

Robert Cornelious Smith was the sixth child of Francis and Sarah he was born in the Dorchester area of West Prarie Illinois on the 25th of February 1860. As did his older brothers Joseph and Frank, Robert went to work for the railroad as a young man. On July 2nd 1882 he Married Mary Laurain Barton in Sciota, Illinois. Robert and Mary had 5 children, Clyde Alna , Roy Francis, Fay Robert, Paul Merwin and Hester Lauraine Cornelia. Robert and Mary moved to Powell Wyoming in 1915 at the same time as his son, Clyde. On the left is a picture of Robert and Mary on their Wedding day and on the right is a picture of Robert and Mary in 1939. Mary died on January 13, 1940 and Robert Passed on the 9th of January 1949 at the age of 88 years 10 months and 15 days.

Fay Smith, the 3rd child of Robert and Mary Smith was born on 03 Jul 1887 in Modesto Illinois. He married Lola May Coil in Beardstown Illinois and they had 3 daughters, Elizabeth Adelle Smith 28 Oct 1917, Elaine May Smith 8 May 1920 and Enid Lucille Smith 21 Dec 1923. In the 1920's Fay and Lola had moved to California where he took up a career in the motion picture industry. Fay was in several westerns during the 1930's and is pictured on the right as Texas Ranger, Captain John Wilkes, in the film "Border Law" which was released in 1932.

Los Angeles Examiner Wed. Nov 3rd, 1948 MAN, 88 CASTS 17TH U.S. VOTE Reads this 60 plus-year-old headline The story goes on to say that eighty -eight year old Robert C. Smith, retired railroad agent went to the polls yesterday and voted in his 17th straight presidential election. A native of Illinois, Smith voted first in 1884 when Grover Cleveland was elected President. Robert died 2 Months, 6 days later on Jan 9, 1949. Never in his life time did Robert tell any one in the family how to vote instead he just stressed the importance that they always vote in every election.

On the right is a picture taken, some time in the mid to late 1940's, of the 5 children of Robert and Mary Smith. Left to right is Paul Merwin born 17 April 1899 died December 23 1989, Fay Robert born July 3, 1887 died March 25 1966, Hester Lauraine born August 22 1903 died January 6, 1998, Roy Francis born October 21, 1884 died January 17, 1955, and Clyde Alna born April 12, 1883 died May 7, 1976 It is with these family members we start to see a pattern of longgevity in our family. Paul lived 90 Yrs 8 Mo. 6 Days, Clyde lived 93 Yrs and 25 Days, Lauraine lived 94 Yrs 4 Mo. 15 Days and Robert and Mary's granddaughter, Mary Louis Smith lived 98 years and 22 days. A grandson Vaile Smith is still alive at 95 plus years.

Hester Lauraine Cornelia Smith, the grandaughter of Francis and Sarah, was born on August 22, 1903 the youngest child of Robert and Mary Smith. She never liked the name "Hester" and was know her entire life as Lauraine. Like her Aunt, Lilly Smith, Lauraine was blessed with a beautiful singing voice and in the early 1950's was for several years a featured singer on a major Los Angeles Telivision Program. In the 1930's Lauraine married William Hubber and on September 7 1942 had a daughter Maryanne Lauraine. Lauraine and Paul had some Gold claims in the Ransberg area of California. The claims never made the family rich but Paul did find one large gold nuggett abut the size of a large birds egg. Laurane lived to be 94 years 4 months and 15 days.

Clyde Alna Smith, the grandson of Francis Cook and Sarah Jane Weeks Smith was the oldest child of Robert and Mary Smith. Clyde was born on April 12th 1883 in Pulaski County Illinois no one knows for sure what town as Clyde alway delighted in telling everyone who asked that he was born in "Little Egypt" which is an area in southern Illinois which includes the town of Cario. For whatever reason no one knows when Clyde married Edith Mable Talkington the daughter of Charles Elmer and Emma Louise Talkington.It was some time before 1907. Clyde and Mable (she never went by her given name of Edith) had two daughters, Edith Alna on May 11, 1908 and Mary Louise November 30 1909. Their two sons were Paternal Twins born on August 23rd 1912 Vaile being 24 minutes older than his brother Dale. Clyde never went beyond the 8th grade in school but was a self taught man who was considered a mathatical genius and was as an expert in the field of math he taught night school at the college in Long Beach California and was puplished in the Scientific American Journal. Clyde was 93 years and 25 Days old when he died on May 7th 1976

The picture on the left was taken on Mary Louise's 90th birthday in 1999 and the one on the right in 1926. Mary Louise Smith was born on November 30 1909 in Illinois the second child of Clyde and Mable Smith. As a child she suffered from asthma and when the doctors considered her condition life threatening her father and mother moved west to the drier mountain climate of northern Wyoming to the town of Powell near Heart Mountain there her condition improved. When her family moved to Billings Montana she met and and married Harold Tannehill. On March 19th 1929 she gave birth to a daughter, Louise Tannehill. When Harold and Mary Louise built their home in Billings they were the first house on a street in a sparsly populated area of Billings and the City Fathers allowed them to name the street, they chose the name Harvard and the area today is in a densly populated. Mary Louise was 98 years and 22 days old when she passed away at 10:00 in the morning on the 23rd day of December 2007

Vaile Smith is the odest son of Clyda and Mable Smith having arrived 24 minutes ahead of his paternal twin Dale. Vaile liked to joke that because he was the oldest Clyde and Mable should have named the twins "pete and repete" Of the two boys Vaile was the quietest in school where classmates used to joke that Vaile was the "quiet" twin and Dale was the "rambunctious" twin Vaile being quiet and reserved where Dale who loved to fight was a Golden Glove State Champion in his lighweight class. Vaile and his first wife, Margaret Elizabeth Botonis, had a daughter, Donna Vail, born in Los Angeles, CA January 27, 1940. On August 30 1941 Vaile married Katherine "Kitty" Lucille Newsome and on July 21st 1942 their daughter Carol Ann Smith was born followed by Tyler Vaile Smith who was born on the 18th of November 1944. Pictured with Vaile and Kitty at Vaile's 90th Birthday August 23, 2002 on the right are Donna Vail, Tyler and Carol Ann. After nearly 62 years of marriage Kitty passed away the following year on Feb 11, 2003

Living proof that a long life is a "Smith Trait" Vaile Smith is pictured at the right as two of his grand nieces watch Vaile blow out the candles on his cake at his 95th birthday party. Never one to be fussed over Vaile likes to think that it was just another typical Smith Family gathering that happend to coincidently land near his birthday. Spry, alert and cheerfull Vaile commented on the things that happen in life over which we have no controll. Expressing regret over losing his wife of nearly 62 years 7 years ago and the loss of his brother Dale in 1976, who he was very close to, Vaile tells us that as much as he misses them we have to remember "that's Life" and says we have to go on. The absolutly wonderfull party and famly gathering was put on and held at the home of his daughter, Carol Ann SMITH Brown and her husband, Owen in Agua Dulce California. There were about 50 family members and friends that attended the event.

Clyde Alna Smith and Mabel Talkington these pictures were taken taken in the 1930's the picture at the far right is part of a group photo of the 24th session of the Wyoming House of representative in 1937 it hangs on the 3rd floor of the House Chambers at the State Capital Building in Cheyenne Wyoming. Next to that picture is another of the 25th session of the legislature when Clyde had again been elected from Casper in 1939.

Mary Louise and Edith Alna Smith, daughters of Clyde and Mable Smith are standng behind a rail on a balcony in Beardstown Illinois in 1914 about one year before the family moved to Wyoming. Mary Louise was 5 and Edith 3 1/2 when the picture was taken.

The picture on the right was taken about 1947 or 48 at a family gathering at Clyde and Mable's house in Los Angeles California. The grandchildren remember the house and the time well. Clyde and Mable had a huge black walnut tree in the back yard and Mable had a large rocking chair where she would scoop the little ones up in her arms where once in her lap with her arms around you, you were in the most wonderful place in the world. Pictured left to right are Vaile Smith, Edith SMITH Mc Fadyen, Clyde Smith, Mable Smith, Mary Louise SMITH Tanahill and Dale D Smith. It is hard to see in the picture but Dale is wearing a pair of Arapaho Indian moccasins. A few years after this picture was taken Mable suffered a severe stroke and was confined to a rest home untill death released her to a better world on the 25th of September 1954 at the age of 69 years 10 months and 2 days.

Vaile & Dale in the Stove Black About. 1915. This picture was taken by Clyde Smith one afternoon when he had returned home from taking pictures in Powell Wyoming. The family story has it that Clyde had been out taking pictures and when he returned home in the evening his wife Mable ask him if he still had plates for his camera and powder for the flash. She told him to go quietly to the back door and get his camera set up and also made him promise not to get mad but just take a picture when she opened the door. It seems as though sometime during the day Mable had polished the wood stove with Stove Black and the two mischievous twins had found the can and little boys being little boys had taken great delight in applying it to both themselves and their night shirts. I was told that at one time an Eastern Publication had asked Clyde for the rights to use the picture but that he declined their generous offer.