James Edward Smith (1867 - 1939)

Born 10 Mar 1867 in Roane County, West Virginia, United States

Husband of Bernice Guellen (Fleshman) Smith — married 12 Dec 1889 in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States

Died 9 Feb 1939 in Rainelle, Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States

Profile manager: Lorie Brown [send private message]

Biography

James Edward Smith was born on March 10, 1867 in Roane County, West Virginia, USA.^[1] His parents were George Smith, b: ca. 1826 in Hesse, Germany, and Sarah (Unknown) Smith, b: ca. 1846 in Pennsylvania, USA. On the 1870 US Census, he was declared as 2 years old, living with his parents and 3 siblings in Roane County, West Virginia where his father was working as a Laborer. ^[2]

On December 12, 1889, at 22 years old, he married 17-year-old Bernice G. Fleshman, b: October 7, 1872 in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. They married in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, USA, and settled there. The couple had 7 children, one of whom (Unnamed) died at birth. ^[3]

On the 1900 US Census, James E. Smith's family was reported: ^[4]

1900 US Census: Quinnimont, Fayette Co., West Virginia, USA

Name....Role....Sex...Birth-Date...Birth-State..Occupation (if any)

James E Smith, Head, M, Mar 1867, West Virginia, RR Engineer

Bernice J Smith, Wife, F, Nov 1871 (sic), West Virginia

Minnie F Smith, Daughter, F, Aug 1889 (sic), West Virginia

Irene Smith, Daughter, F, Mar 1893, West Virginia

Elsie Smith, Daughter, F, Jan 1896, West Virginia

The Census also reported that Bernice had bore 4 children, 3 of whom were still living as of June 1, 1900.

Ten years later, the April 1910 US Census reported the Smith household living on a rented farm in Greenbrier County:^[5]

1910 US Census: Meadow Bluff, Greenbrier, W. Virginia, USA:

Name........Role....Sex....Age....Birth-State.....Occupation (if any)

J. Edward Smith, Head, M, 42, West Virginia, Coal Yard Laborer

Bernice Smith, Wife, F, 38, West Virginia

Minnie Smith, Daughter, F, 19 West Virginia

Rena (Irene) Smith, Daughter, F, 17, West Virginia

Elsie Smith, Daughter, F, 13, West Virginia

Robert Smith, Son, M, 8, West Virginia

Gladys Smith, Daughter, F, 6, West Virginia

Charlie Smith, Son, M, 4, West Virginia

George Nickle, Boarder, M, 16, West Virginia

The 1910 US Census also reported that Bernice Smith had bore 7 children, 6 of whom were living with their parents in 1910.

On January 1, 1920, the US Census reported the Smith household still living in Meadow Bluff District, Greenbrier County, West Virginia:^[6]

1920 US Census: Meadow Bluff, Greenbrier, W. Virginia, USA:

Name........Role....Sex....Age....Birth-State.....Occupation (if any)

J. Edward Smith, Head, M, 53, West Virginia, House Carpenter

Bernice Smith, Wife, F, 47, West Virginia

Elsie Smith, Daughter, F, 21, West Virginia

Robert Smith, Son, M, 19, West Virginia, Laborer Lumber Mill

Gladys Smith, Daughter, F, 16, West Virginia

Charles Smith, Son, M, 13, West Virginia

Howard Smith, Son, M, 9, West Virginia

Eleanor Smith, Daughter, F, 5, West Virginia

James & Bernice had had 2 more children and their 2 oldest daughters had married and left home between 1910-1920.

On the April 1930 US Census, the Smith household was still living in Meadow Bluff, Greenbrier, West Virginia:^[7]

1930 US Census: Meadow Bluff, Greenbrier, W. Virginia, USA:

Name........Role....Sex....Age....Birth-State.....Occupation (if any)

J. Edgar [sic] Smith, Head, M, 61, West Virginia, House Carpenter

Bernice G. Smith, Wife, F, 57, West Virginia

Howard G. Smith, Son, M, 19, West Virginia

Elliner [Eleanor] Smith, Daughter, F, 15, West Virginia

Gladys E. Harris, Daughter, F, 21, W. Virginia, Telephone Operator

James C. Harris, Son-in-law, M, 21, W. Virginia, Mine machinery

James Edward Smith died on February 9, 1939 in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. He was buried at the Rainelle Cemetery, Rainelle, Greenbrier, West Virginia, USA. The photo of his gravestone shows the space reserved for his wife's name etc. defaced/obliterated. ^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ My family from the Virginia/West Virginia areas on RootsWeb: James E. Smith
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ4P-39J : 12 April 2016), James E Smith in household of George Smith, West Virginia, United States; citing p. 58, family 436, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 553,192.
3. ↑ BroylesFamily1596-2008 on RootsWeb: Bernice Gullen Fleshman
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9CN-C24 : accessed 1 February 2019), Bernice J Smith in household of James E Smith, Quinnimont district (Precincts 4-6), Fayette, West Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 21, sheet 12A, family 190, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,758.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPNH-V32 : accessed 1 February 2019), Bernice Smith in household of J Edward Smith, Meadow Bluff, Greenbrier, West Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 40, sheet 1B, family 13, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1681; FHL microfilm 1,375,694.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN2R-WSG : accessed 1 February 2019), Bernice Smith in household of James E Smith, Meadow Bluff, Greenbrier, West Virginia, United States; citing ED 61, sheet 9B, line 86, family 168, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1953; FHL microfilm 1,821,953.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XM4K-7MK : accessed 1 February 2019), Bernice G Smith in household of J Edgar Smith, Meadow Bluff, Greenbrier, West Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 22, sheet 8B, line 93, family 163, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2533; FHL microfilm 2,342,267.
8. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #92707965 retrieved 1 Feb 2019 James E. Smith

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