Mary (Bentley) Smith (1795 - 1901)

Published in the Los Angeles Evening Express Newspaper, January, 1901. The original copy belonged to Lulu Mae Smith McHenry, granddaughter of Mary Bentley Smith. The Newspaper had faded through the years.

DEATH'S CLAIM COULD NO LONGER BE PUT ASIDE

MRS. MARY SMITH EXPIRES AT JUDGE SMITH'S RESIDENCE

IN HER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH YEAR THE VENERABLE LADY SANK PEACEFULLY TO REST

"I would wish all humankind a happy new year, and would add if asked to dictate a new century sentiment to the world at large, that I should like to see every sinner repent and to remain always hereafter a good Christian."

It was only a few days ago, New Year's day, when Mrs. Mary Smith gave utterance to the sentiment above. This morning at 10 o'clock the death angel called her to the long sleep that knows no waking. The cause was old age.

Her end was peaceful, painless and happy, simply the drawing of a slight breath, then the dark river was crossed.

As death came a smile appeared around the old lady's mouth, her countenance lighted up as if she caught a glimpse of the other side, and like a tired child drooping to sleep she drew a scarcely perceptible breath and dropped in eternity.

For several months past Mrs. Smith has been failing. This has been noticed by her son, Judge B. N. Smith, at whose home she lived, and the family. Her appetite began to fail, until within the past few days she had taken but little food into her stomach. For several days Mrs. Smith has been greatly weakened, and has been in bed. About midnight last night a change was noticed for the worse. She had lost her power of speech and later in a greater degree that of sight. The family were prepared for the end, which came at 10 o'clock this morning. Her life simple snuffed out, the machinery of life refused to do further work and stopped.

The funeral will take place Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. from the family residence, 408 East Twelfth Street, Rev. Dr. Cantine preaching the funeral sermon.

Born September 22, 1795, in the eighteenth century, Mrs. Smith lived through the last days of that century, all through the nineteenth and 11 days of the twentieth. She was at the time of her death 105 years, 3 months, 20 days old, a longer life, it is believed, than that enjoyed by any human being of white parentage so far as is known throughout the United States, if not the world.

Until near the end Mrs. Smith's faculties were not badly impaired, despite her old age. This remarkable woman, who in her infancy was dandled on the knee of a soldier of the American Revolution, and who drew a pension as the widow of a soldier of the second war with Great Britain in 1812, enjoyed a reasonably vigorous prime. She attributed much of her good health to being placed in a climate such as cannot be equaled anywhere.

Faith in the giver of all good things, in the religion of her fathers and the trust she had in her future life has been the hope of Mrs. Smith throughout her long, eventful life. To her the Bible was and always has been an inspired volume. She was a great reader, and was fond of flowers and dumb animals. She never visited a theater, nor until 85 years of age had never been on salt water. She was never subject to the ills that flesh is heir to and believed in the scriptural injunction, "Be ye temperate in all things."

Mrs. Smith was the sixth child and first daughter of Capt. Caleb Bentley and Mary Hewitt, who settled in Berlin, Rensselaer county, N. Y., shortly after the American revolution. At that time the locality was part of the commonwealth of Massachusetts. Her father was a descendant of a noted English family, who came to America in the seventeenth century. He was born in 1740, old style, which was about 162 years ago.

Mrs. Smith was married in 1812 to Capt. Nathaniel Smith, in his day a factor in New York state and an officer in the second war with Great Britain in 1812. After that unpleasantness he owned saw and grist mills, also merchandise stores, in his locality. After the panic of 1837 he moved westward, settling on the Big Foot prairie, bordering on Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. He remained there until his death, 30 years later.

Thirteen children were born to the couple, Judge B. N. Smith of the superior bench of this county being the youngest. Judge Smith brought his aged mother with him when he removed to California in 1887. Once since then has she recrossed the continent, and that after she had passed her eightieth birthday. After visiting all the locations in which she had lived, she returned to Los Angeles, content to have her life draw to a close in Southern California.

There are now surviving of Mrs. Smith's family five children. They are: Mrs. Cummings of Janesville, Wis.; Mrs. Badger, now at Santa Cruz, Cal. But whose residence is Denver, Col.; N. K. Smith of Broadhead, Wis.; John I. Smith, Bethany, Mo.; and Judge B. N. Smith of this county.

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