Brief Life History of Elijah Greenberry
When Elijah Greenberry Smith was born on 29 December 1831, in Jackson, Indiana, United States, his father, Aquilla Smith, was 43 and his mother, Elizabeth Betsy Collier, was 37. He married Nancy Casteel on 29 July 1858, in Andrew, Missouri, United States. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 2 daughters. He lived in Jackson Township, Shelby, Iowa, United States in 1880 and Audubon, Iowa, United States for about 15 years. He died on 5 February 1911, in Leroy Township, Audubon, Iowa, United States, at the age of 79, and was buried in Audubon, Audubon, Iowa, United States.
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Family Time Line
Sources (33)
- Elijah G Smith, "Iowa State Census, 1895"
- Legacy NFS Source: Elijah Greenberry Smith - Government record: birth-name: Elijah Greenberry Smith
- Elijah Smith, "Missouri, County Marriage, Naturalization, and Court Records, 1800-1991"
Spouse and Children
Children (7)
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Siblings (17)
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World Events (8)
1832 · The Black Hawk War
Convinced that a group of Native American tribes were hostile, The United States formed a frontier militia to stop them in their tracks. Even though Black Hawk was hoping to avoid bloodshed while trying to resettle on tribal land, U.S. officials opened fire on the Native Americans. Black Hawk then responded to this confrontation by successfully attacking the militia at the Battle of Stillman's Run and then left northward. After a few months the militia caught up with Black Hawk and his men and defeated them at the Battle of Wisconsin Heights. While being weakened by hunger, injuries and desertion, Black Hawk and the rest of the many native survivors retreated towards the Mississippi. Unfortunately, Black Hawk and other leaders were later captured when they surrendered to the US forces and were then imprisoned for a year.
1836 · The Massive Internal Improvements Act
The Massive Internal Improvements Act of 1836 loaned Indiana $10,000,000 to create infrastructure such as canals, railroads, and roads across the state. The act was signed by Whig Governor Noah Noble and passed by the Indiana General Assembly. However, the financial crisis known as the Panic of 1837 thwarted these plans as costs ballooned. Construction on the infrastructure was not completed and the state debt rapidly increased.
1863
Abraham Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation, declaring slaves in Confederate states to be free.
Name Meaning
English and Scottish: occupational name denoting a worker in metal, especially iron, such as a blacksmith or farrier, from Middle English smith ‘smith’ (Old English smith, probably a derivative of smītan ‘to strike, hammer’). Early examples are also found in the Latin form Faber . Metal-working was one of the earliest occupations for which specialist skills were required, and its importance ensured that this term and its equivalents in other languages were the most widespread of all occupational surnames in Europe. Medieval smiths were important not only in making horseshoes, plowshares, and other domestic articles, but above all for their skill in forging swords, other weapons, and armor. This is also the most frequent of all surnames in the US. It is very common among African Americans and Native Americans (see also 5 below). This surname (in any of the two possible English senses; see also below) is also found in Haiti. See also Smither .
English: from Middle English smithe ‘smithy, forge’ (Old English smiththe). The surname may be topographic, for someone who lived in or by a blacksmith's shop, occupational, for someone who worked in one, or habitational, from a place so named, such as Smitha in King's Nympton (Devon). Compare Smithey .
Irish and Scottish: sometimes adopted for Gaelic Mac Gobhann, Irish Mac Gabhann ‘son of the smith’. See McGowan .
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
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