Untitled Document

NATHAN P. SMITH

Smith was born in Ohio in 1830, and came to Illinois with his parents in 1840, when ten years old. His father (Stephen Smith) was a native of Massachusetts, and emigrated to Ohio when a young man, and there married Anna Belt, who survived him, living With her son Frank on the old homestead in section 4 in this township.

He first came to Illinois in 1838, and entered forty acres of prairie in section 4 and 120 acres of timber land in Richland Grove, also a tract of timber land on Pope creek. Returning to Ohio lie brought his family to Illinois in 1840, and settled on the forty acres of prairie he had previously entered in section 4. He died in 1845, leaving eight children, four boys and four girls. Two of these have died since, Lyman and Mattie (formerly wife of T. G. Woodham). Four of the survivors reside in this township : Nathan P., Chauncey, Frank, and Mary (wife of James Durston). Two daughters (married) live, one in Iowa and one at Moline, Illinois.

Mr. Smith was a blacksmith, and opened on his place the first blacksmith shop in the township. Nathan P. spent his youth upon the farm, and in the winter of 1847, when seventeen years old, taught his first school in Richland Grove township, agreeing to teach for $12 per month, and was to have 815 if the patrons were suited. When his school closed he made out his bill at $15 per month, and it was paid without question. He afterward taught four winters in Oxford, Henry county, and 'four winters at the Hopewell district in this township, also taught at Henderson Grove

. In 1860 he married Mary Ann Woodham, and built his present resi dence, and settled in the N. of the N. E. of Sec. 9, which he had been improving for some years previously. The farm consists of 100 acres of prairie, besides which he has twenty acres of timber. He has two children, Minnie (the elder) and Charles. He was supervisor of this township three successive years during war times. In politics he is a republican, but is not very partisan.

History of Mercer and Henderson County

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Illinois Ancestors