James Smith

Brief Life History of James

When James Smith was born on 12 July 1857, in Manchester, Clay, Kentucky, United States, his father, Campbell Smith, was 30 and his mother, Sarah Wells, was 28. He married Sarah Ann Riley on 21 November 1878, in Knox, Kentucky, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 3 daughters. He lived in Magisterial District 1, Clay, Kentucky, United States in 1900 and Clay, Kentucky, United States for about 10 years. He died on 11 August 1927, in Knox, Kentucky, United States, at the age of 70, and was buried in Sprule, Knox, Kentucky, United States.

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Family Time Line

James Smith
1857–1927
Mary Clouse
1871–
Marriage: 28 May 1897
Sallie Smith
1898–1984
Theophilus Smith
1898–
Joseph "II" Smith
1900–1920
Martha "Ellen" Smith
1903–1964
James T Smith
1905–1926
Robert Smith
1909–1976
Lillie Smith
1912–1983

Sources (30)

  • James Smith in household of Campbell Smith, "United States Census, 1870"
  • James Smith, "Kentucky Births and Christenings, 1839-1960"
  • James Smith, "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954"

World Events (8)

1861

Kentucky sided with the Union during the Civil War, even though it is a southern state.

1863

Abraham Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation, declaring slaves in Confederate states to be free.

1876 · The First Worlds Fair in the U.S.

The First official World's Fair, was held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. 37 Countries provided venues for all to see.

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.

Possible Related Names

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