Freeman Mills Smith (1830 - 1925)

Born 4 Sep 1830 in Rutland Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah C. (Dodge) Smith — married about 1854 in Caldwell County, Missouri, USA

Descendants

Died 9 Jan 1925 at age 94 in Contra Costa County, California, United States

Biography

Freeman Mills Smith was born on 4 Sep. 1830 at Rutland Township, Tioga Co., Pennsylvania, USA. He appeared on the census of 11 Oct. 1850 in the household of his parents, Avery Smith and Abigail Rose at Caldwell Co., Missouri.^[1]

He married Sarah C. Dodge, daughter of Dwight Dodge and Lydia Woodman (Pierce) Dodge^[2], circa 1854, probably in Caldwell County, as both of them were living there in 1850.

He and Sarah appeared on the census of 10 July 1860 at Vallejo, Solano Co., California. Freeman was working as a wagon maker.^[3] He was a wheelwright when he and Sarah appeared on the census of 5 July 1870 at Vallejo, Solano Co., California.^[4] He registered to vote on 18 Aug. 1875 at Antioch, Contra Costa Co., California.^[5] He was a farmer in 1880 when he and Sarah appeared on the census of 22 June 1880 at Township Five, Contra Costa Co., California.^[6] In March of 1885 an editor of the Pacific Rural Press in an article on Contra Costa County wrote:

"Adjoning the Wrightens is the home of Freeman M. Smith, of 160 acres, which he farms in grain.

Passing down Marsh creek we come to the farm of S.D. Welch of 160 acres, on which he has lived since 1862."^[7]

He was a farmer when he and Sarah appeared on the census of 28 June 1900 at Contra Costa Co.^[8] He and Sarah appeared on the census of 1 May 1910 at Byron, Contra Costa Co.^[9] He appeared on the census of 16 Jan. 1920 at Orwood Tract, Twp. 14, Contra Costa Co.^[10]

Freeman died on 9 June 1925 at Contra Costa Co., California, at age 94 and was buried at Union Cemetery, Brentwood, Contra Costa Co., California. His memorial has photos of his headstone shared with Sarah and links to those of family members.^[11]

Obituary

Contra County Newspaper - Name unknown

12 June 1925

Four Generations Attend Funeral

Funeral services were held on Thursday at Brentwood for Freeman Smith of east Contra Costa county and sire of a family that includes four generations. Smith, 94 years of age, is survived by three sons and four daughters, thirty-five grandchildren, twenty-five great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

The funeral services were at the home where Smith had resided for the past twenty-five years. Services were conducted by Rev. L. E. Vose and interment was made at Union Cemetery. Smith was born in Pennsylvania and came to California in 1857. He had resided in east Contra Costa county for 50 years, farming in Marsh creek district for twenty-five years before making his residence in Brentwood.

Children of Freeman and Sarah (Dodge) Smith

1. Joseph F. b. 1855 d. 1943 m. Anne
2. William O. b. 1857 d. 1918 m. Laura K. Keyser
3. Emma b. 1859
4. Martha A. b. 1861 d. 1937 m. William E. Welch
5. Samuel F. b. 1864 d. 1941 m. Daisy C. Banfil
6. Edward F. b. 1868 d. 1931 m. Florence Fletcher
7. Annie J. b. 1872 d. 1966 m(1). James Cakebread m.(2) William Hahn
8. Sarah L. b. 1874 d. 1950 m. Miguel M. Gil
9. America California b. 1876 d. 1972 m. Albert S. Nicholson
10. Nellie M. b. 1879

Census

11 Oct. 1850

Caldwell Co., Missouri.

• Smith, Avery age 56 b. NY.
• Abigal age 52 b. PA.
• Freeman age 19 b. PA.
• Mark age 13 b. MO.
• Martha age 10 b. MO.
• Cornelia Richey age 21 b. PA.
• Richey, James age 1 b. MO^[1]

10 July 1860

Vallejo, Solano Co., California.

• Smith, Freeman age 29 b. PA wagon maker
• Sarah age 23 b. NY.
• Joseph age 5 b. MO.
• William age 3 b. MO.
• Emma age 1 b. CA.^[3]

5 July 1870

Vallejo, Solano Co., California.

• Smith, Freeman age 39 b. PA wheelwright.
• Sarah age 37 b. NY.
• Joseph age 14 b. MO.
• William age 12 b. MO.
• Emma age 11 b. CA.
• Martha age 9 b. CA.
• Samuel age 5 b. CA.
• Edward age 2 b. CA^[4]

22 June 1880

Township Five, Contra Costa Co., California.

• Smith, Freeman M. age 49 b. PA farmer.
• Sarah wife age 42 b. NY f. b. NH m b. VT.
• Joseph son age 24 b. MO Farmer.
• Annie son's wife age 20 b. IL (poor image could be Ireland or even California which is crossed out.) f b. Ireland, m b. England.
• William O. son age 22 b. MO.
• Samuel son age 18 b. CA.
• Edward son age 12 b. CA.
• Annie J. dau. age 8 b. CA.
• Sarah L. dau. age 6 b. CA.
• America dau age 3 b. CA.
• Nellie M. age 1 (dau. based on parent's place of birth, field is blank) b. CA.
• Welch, William son-in-law age 29 b. IL farmer.
• Martha dau. age 20 b. CA (Index does not include the entire family but review of image makes it clear that they are all together.)^[6]

28 June 1900

Contra Costa Co., California.

• Smith, Freman M. b. Sep 1830 age 69 m 50 yrs b. PA m&f b. CT Farmer.
• Sarah wife b. April 1840 age 60 m 50 yrs (sic) 10 children 10 living b. NY.
• Samuel son b. Jan 1867 age 33 single b. CA Farm Laborer.
• Nellie dau b. Dec 1879 age 20 single b. CA^[8]

1 May 1910

Byron, Contra Costa Co.

• Smith, Freeman age 79 b. PA m. 57 y.
• Sarah C. wife age 73 b. NY 11 children, 9 living^[9]

16 Jan. 1920

Orwood Tract, Twp. 14, Contra Costa Co.

• Smith, Freeman age 89 b. PA widower.
• Welch, Martha A. age 50 dau widow b. CA^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} 1850 US Census. Year: 1850; Census Place: District 11, Caldwell, Missouri; Roll: M432_393; Page: 184A; Image: 368. 1850 US Census Avery Smith.
2. ↑ Norman E. Dodge, Dodge Family Association, Descendants of Dwight Dodge, 10 Sep. 2005.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Year: 1860; Census Place: Vallejo, Solano, California; Roll: M653_69; Page: 259; Image: 259; Family History Library Film: 803069. 1860 US Census. Freeman Smith.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Year: 1870; Census Place: Vallejo, Solano, California; Roll: M593_90; Page: 181B; Image: 364; Family History Library Film: 545589. 1870 US Census Freeman Smith.
5. ↑ Freeman Mills Smith, "California, Great Registers, 1866-1910".
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Year: 1880; Census Place: Township 5, Contra Costa, California; Roll: 64; Family History Film: 1254064; Page: 688C; Enumeration District: 049; Image: 0621. 1880 US Census Freeman M. Smith.
7. ↑ Pacific Rural Press, Volume 29, Number 13, 28 March 1885.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Year: 1900; Census Place: Supervisors District 5, Contra Costa, California; Roll: 85; Page: 25B; Enumeration District: 0413; FHL microfilm: 1240085. 1900 US Census. Freman M Smith.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Year: 1910; Census Place: Township 14, Contra Costa, California; Roll: T624_75; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 0176; FHL microfilm: 1374088. 1910 US Census Freeman M Smith.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Year: 1920; Census Place: Township 14, Contra Costa, California; Roll: T625_95; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 28; Image: 707. 1920 US Census Freeman M Smith.
11. ↑ Freeman M. Smith memorial at Find A Grave.

Acknowledgments

• Profile researched and started by Phil Smith.