FITHIAN MAN, 75, STRUCK BY TRAIN, KILLED INSTANTLY
Body of Henry L. Smith hurled 100 Ft. Through Air----Was Crossing Track
Struck by a fast freight train on the Big Four Railroad at Fithian, Henry L. Smith, 75, was instantly killed about 4:45 p.m. Friday, Jan. 1, 1937. Smith was walking from the home of his son Roy Smith, and either did not see the oncoming train or believed he had time enough to get across the track. His body was thrown a distance of nearly 100 feet and was badly crushed. No one saw the accident although Coroner Oscar L. Graham learned that an employee of the Fithian elevator looked out the door at the elevator office in time to see the body going through the air. Members of the train crew, communicated with later by the train dispatcher, said they did not see the man and had no knowledge of the accident. Coroner Graham was investigating the case Saturday. The inquest probably will be Monday afternoon.
Mr. Smith came to Fithian about three months ago to live with his son, Roy, who resides in Southwest Fithian and is employed by Davis Produce Company, Urbana. He previously lived at Penfield in Champaign County for nine years and resided in that county 14 years. He was born in Clark County, Nov. 15, 1861, son of Mr. and Mrs. George (sic) Smith. He married Alma Custis at Marshall in 1882. His wife died several years ago. The following children survive: Mrs. Iona Hostmeyer, Carlisle; Mrs. Harrison Elliott and William and Emmett Smith, Detroit; Mrs Ellvin Cramer Troup, Paxton; Clarence Smith, Muncie; and Roy Smith, Fithian. 45 grandchildren also survive.
The body was taken to Jeanes Funeral Home
Sources
Illinois, Compiled Marriages, 1851-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.; Name: Henry L Smith; Gender: Male; Spouse Name: Sarah A Custis; Marriage Date: 10 Nov 1886; Marriage County: Clark; Comments: This record can be found at the County Court Records, Film # 1306059 - 1306062.
1870 United States Federal Census: Name: Henry Smith: Age in 1870: 8; Birth Date: abt 1862; Birthplace: Illinois; Dwelling Number: 143; Home in 1870: Orange, Clark, Illinois; Race: White; Gender: Male; Post Office: Darien; Attended School: Yes; Inferred Father: James Smith; Inferred Mother: Martha Smith; Household Members (Name) Age: James Smith: 40; Martha Smith: 38; Isaac Smith: 18; John Smith; 15; Erastus Smith: 10; Henry Smith: 8; Emma Smith: 6; George Smith: 4; Noa Smith: 2. Year: 1870; Census Place: Orange, Clark, Illinois; Roll: M593_195; Page: 430B; Family History Library Film: 545694
1880 United States Federal Census: Name: Henry Smith; Age: 18; Birth Date: Abt 1862; Birthplace: Illinois; Home in 1880; Orange, Clark, Illinois, USA; Dwelling Number: 221; Race: White Gender: Male; Relation to Head of House: Son; Marital Status: Single; Father's Name: James Smith: Father's Birthplace: Kentucky; Mother's Name: Martha J. Smith; Mother's Birthplace: Indiana; Occupation: Doing Farm Work; Household Members (Name) Age Relationship: James Smith: 50; Self (Head); Martha J. Smith: 48; Wife; Erastus Smith: 20: Son; Henry Smith:18; Son; Emma Smith:16: Daughter; George Smith: 14; Son; Nora Smith: 11; Daughter; Lidy Smith: 9; Daughter; John S. Smith: 80; Father. 1880 Census Place: Orange, Clark, Illinois; Roll: 181; Page: 163B; Enumeration District: 041
1900 United States Federal Census: Name: Henry L Smith: Age: 38; Birth Date: Nov 1861; Birthplace: Illinois, USA; Home in 1900: Orange, Clark, Illinois; House Number: 8; Sheet Number: 5; Number of Dwelling in Order of Visitation: 84; Family Number: 84 Race: White; Gender: Male; Relation to Head of House: Head; Marital Status: Married; Spouse's Name: Sarah A Smith; Marriage Year: 1885; Years Married: 15; Father's Birthplace: Kentucky, USA; Mother's Birthplace: Indiana, USA; Occupation: Farmer; Months Not Employed: 0; Can Read: Y; Can Write: Y; Can Speak English: Y; House Owned or Rented: Own; Home Free or Mortgaged: Mortgaged; Farm or House: F; Household Members (Name) Age Relationship: Henry L Smith: 38; Head; Sarah A Smith: 32; Wife; Pearl L Smith: 12; Son; Marion E Smith:10; Son; Lona C Smith: 8; Daughter; Mary J Smith: 6; Daughter; Clarence G Smith: 4; Son; Stephen R Smith: 11/12; Son. 1900; Census Place: Orange, Clark, Illinois; Page: 5; Enumeration District: 0013; FHL microfilm: 1240242
1910 United States Federal Census: Name: Henry L Smith: Age in 1910: 52; Birth Date: 1858; Birthplace: Illinois; Home in 1910: Wade, Clinton, Illinois, USA; Sheet Number: 14a; Race: White; Gender: Male; Relation to Head of House: Head; Marital Status: Married; Spouse's Name: Alma Smith; Father's Birthplace: Indiana; Mother's Birthplace: Indiana; Native Tongue: English; Occupation: Farmer; Industry: Farming; Employer, Employee or Other: Own Account; Home Owned or Rented: Rent; Farm or House: Farm; Able to read: Y; Able to Write: Y; Enumeration District Number: 0017; Years Married: 24; Out of Work: N; Enumerated Year: 1910; Household Members (Name) Age Relationship: Henry L Smith: 52 Head; Alma Smith: 42; Wife; Pearl Smith: 21; Son; Marion Smith: 19; Son; Lona Smith: 18; Daughter; Mary Smith: 16; Daughter; Clarence Smith:14; Son; C Roy S Smith: 10; Son; Cleo E Smith: 6; Daughter; Emmit E Smith: 3; Son. 1910 Census Place: Wade, Clinton, Illinois; Roll: T624_236; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 0017; FHL microfilm: 1374249
1920 United States Federal Census: Name: H L Smith; Age: 59; Birth Year: abt 1861; Birthplace: Illinois; Home in 1920: Grandville, Jasper, Illinois; House Number: Farm; Residence Date: 1920; Race: White; Gender: Male; Relation to Head of House: Head; Marital Status: Widowed; Father's Birthplace: Illinois; Mother's Birthplace: Illinois; Native Tongue: English; Able to Speak English: Yes; Occupation: Farmer; Industry: Grain; Employment Field: Own Account; Home Owned or Rented: Rented; Able to read: Yes; Able to Write: Yes; Household Members (Name) Age Relationship: H L Smith: 59; Head; R S Smith: 20; Son; Cleo Smith: 16; Daughter;Emmit Smith:13; Son. 1920 Census Place: Grandville, Jasper, Illinois; Roll: T625_372; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 101
1930 United States Federal Census: Name: Henry Smith; Birth Year: abt 1861; Gender: Male; Race: White; Age in 1930: 69; Birthplace: Illinois; Marital Status: Widowed; Relation to Head of House: Father; Home in 1930: Compromise, Champaign, Illinois, USA; House Number: April 26; Dwelling Number:19; Family Number: 20; Attended School: No; Able to Read and Write: Yes; Father's Birthplace: Illinois; Mother's Birthplace: Illinois; Able to Speak English: Yes; Occupation: Laborer; Industry: Farm; Class of Worker: Wage or salary worker; Employment: Yes; Household Members (Name) Age Relationship: Roy Smith: 31; Head; Rose Smith: 32; Wife; Henry Smith: 9; Son; Ethel Smith: 7; Daughter; Maria Smith: 6; Daughter; Gertrude Smith: 2; Daughter; Dorothy Smith: 0; Daughter; Henry Smith: 69; Father. 1930 Census Place: Compromise, Champaign, Illinois; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 0027; FHL microfilm: 2340144
Illinois, U.S., Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947: Name: Henry Lincoln Smith: Birth Date: 15 Nov 1861; Birth Place: Clark Co , Illinois; Death Date: 1 Jan 1937; Death Place: Fithian, Vermilion, Illinois; Burial Date: 4 Jan 1937; Burial Place: Martinsville, Clark, Ill.; Death Age: 75; Occupation: Farmer; Race: White; Marital Status: W; Gender: Male; Father Name: George Smith; Father Birth Place: Illinois; Spouse Name: Alma Smith; FHL Film Number: 1766278
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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Henry by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA.
However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line.
It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Henry: