by Rocky Macy
(Note: The following are more profiles of the SMITH family descendants who were defendants in the 1920 lawsuit over the estate of William C. SMITH on Newton County, Missouri.)
10. Newton SMITH was born Newton Theodore SMITH to Andrew Jackson and Clarinda (CARR) SMITH in Chismville, Logan County, Arkansas, on January 25, 1888. His father, Andrew Jackson SMITH, was William C. SMITH’s older brother, and Newton was William’s nephew.
Newton SMITH, who was called “Newt” much of his life, entered the public record with the US census of 1900 at which time he was a twelve-year-old living in the house of his parents in Washburn, Logan County, Arkansas. There he was listed as Theodore N. SMITH, which may have been the original order of his first two names, but young Newt reversed that order in subsequent years. All official documents from that point forward list Newton as the first name, and Theodore as the middle name. Newt filed a “delayed birth certificate” on himself with the state of Arkansas on February 15, 1951, in which he declared his name to be “Newton Theodore SMITH,” and thus it was legally established. His older brother, James W. SMITH, signed the document acknowledging that Newton Theodore SMITH’s information was correct.
The SMITH household in 1900 consisted of the following four individuals: Andrew J. (63), Clarinda (53), Thomas W. (16) and Theodore N. (12).
Newt SMITH married Oda Mary Frances St. CLAIR in the state of Arkansas on March 20, 1910. Oda (often referred to as “Odie”) was born in the state of Arkansas in March of 1888 and was approximately two months younger than her husband. The Arkansas County Marriages Index, (1837-1957), mistakenly listed his name as “W. T. SMITH.”
The newlyweds had established their own household in Washburn, Logan County, Arkansas, by the time the 1910 census was taken. That document recorded them as Newton T. SMITH (22) and “Olie” F. SMITH (21), and reported that they were renting a farm.
Newt Theoodore SMITH registered for the World War I draft on June 5, 1917. At that time he and Odie were living in Franklin County, Arkansas. Three years later when the 1920 census was taken, they were in the community of “Six Mile” in Franklin County. By that time they had two sons. The household included: Newt SMITH (30, Odie SMITH (26), “Boyd” (Voyd Ray, age 7), and Floyd SMITH (2). That census record indicated that they were still renting a farm.
By 1930 Newt and Odie had their family back in Logan County. That year's census found them in the community of Booneville and still renting a farm. The family members in 1930 were Newt SMITH (43), Odie SMITH (40), Voyd SMITH (19), Chloe SMITH (Voyd’s wife, age 20), and Billie SMITH (son, age 12). Billie and Floyd (from the 1920 census) would appear to be the same individual. Floyd and/or Billie was out of the home by the 1940 census, and he has not subsequently been located on any public record under either name.
The family was back at Six Mile in Franklin County, Arkansas when the census taker arrived in 1940. They were living on a rented farm, and the census reported that they had been in the same location in 1935. The census reported that Newt had attended school through grade seven. The three residents in the household at that time were Newton SMITH (52), “Ada” SMITH (51), and George St. CLAIR (Odie’s father, age 83).
Newton Theodore SMITH registered for the World War II draft in Franklin County, Arkansas, while still living at Six Mile, on April 27, 1942.
Oda Mary Frances SMITH passed away in Poteau, Le Flore County, Oklahoma, in 1959. Newt died at the same location thirteen years later in February of 1972 at the age of eighty-four. (His entry on the “Find-a-Grave” internet index incorrectly lists his name as Newton “Thomas” SMITH.) Newt and Odie are buried at Oakland Cemetery in Poteau, Oklahoma.
11. Nannie RAMSEY was born Nancy Catherine SMITH to Andrew Jackson and Clarinda (CARR) SMITH in Polk County, Arkansas, on July 28, 1870. Her father, Andrew Jackson SMITH was William C. SMITH’s older brother, and Nancy was William’s niece.
Nancy first appeared in the public record on the 1880 census for Prairie, Franklin County Arkansas, where she was listed as Nancy C. SMITH (age 9), the oldest child in the household of Andrew and Clarinda SMITH. Two younger children were also members of the household on that census: Mary F. (8) and James W. (5).
N.C. SMITH (the bride) married J.D. (James David) RAMSEY (the groom) in Logan County, Arkansas, on October 7, 1888. They were both residents of Leon, Franklin County, Arkansas, at the time of their marriage. James had been born in 1868 and his age was listed at twenty-one on the marriage license, and hers was noted as eighteen.
The 1890 census was destroyed in a fire, and the next available US census, that of 1900, found James RAMSEY (33) and “Nannie” RAMSEY (28) residing with their family in Washburn, Logan County, Arkansas. That census listed her birth month as July of 1871 instead of July 1870 as inscribed on her tombstone. That census also stated that Nancy had given birth to six children, but only five survived. However, there are only four children whose last name was RAMSEY listed on that census form: Baity W. (William Bate, age 10), Clarinda (8), David A. (7), and “Maimie” C. (Mamie Cleo, age 4). There were also two other children in the household: Etherage CAREY (age, 4 who was listed as a son), and Willie M. CAREY (age 5 months, who was listed as a daughter). The two CAREY children were not in the household in any of the subsequent censuses.
The RAMSEY family was still living in Washburn, Logan County, Arkansas, when the 1910 census was taken. The household contained James D. (42), Nancy C. (39), and the following children, all RAMSEYs: Clarinda (19), David A. (17), Mamie C. (15), Zebbie M. (a son, 11), Luther V. (9), Eva M (2), and Evie R. (2).
The 1920 census found the RAMSEYs still at home in Washburn, Logan County, Arkansas. Present in the home were James D. (53), “Cathrine N. (49) and the following offspring, all RAMSEYs: “Manie” (25), Vernon (18), Eva (12), Edie (12), “Zoala” A. (Zula A., a daughter, age 9), Zebb (20), and Leala RAMSEY (a daughter, 2).
The final census located on the David and Nancy (SMITH) RAMSEY family so far is that of 1930, at which time they were still residing in Washburn, Logan County, Arkansas. Tthe family members were: James D. (63), Nancy C. (59), “Mayme” (Mamie Cleo RAMSEY, 34), Eva M. (22) Evie R. (22), Zula A. (19), and “Loal” St. CLAIR (listed as a grandson, 12).
There was no longer a daughter named “Leala” RAMSEY who should have been twelve, but now there was a twelve-year-old grandson with a name that also began with the letter “L.” That child, in both cases, was likely to have been Lowell David St. CLAIR, the son of Mamie Cleo RAMSEY and Fred St. CLAIR whom she married on September 3, 1917, in Franklin County, Arkansas, three-and-a-half months before giving birth to Lowell David on December 17, 1917, in Charleston, Franklin County, Arkansas. Mamie was listed on both the 1920 and 1930 censuses as “RAMSEY,” so the marriage to Fred St. CLAIR was likely short-term.
James David and Nancy Catherine (SMITH) RAMSEY appear to have had at least eight children who survived to adulthood. They were: William Bate (or Batie) (1889-1976, married Liza Lee St. CLAIR); David Andrew (1893-1984, spouse unknown); Mamie Cleo (1896-?, married 1. Fred St. CLAIR, 2. Mr. PIPPIN, and 3. Mr. LONG); Zebb Marine (1899-1947, married May ROBISON); Vernon Luther (1902-1982, married Cora B. RAGDALE); Edie R. (ca.1908-?, spouse unknown); Eva M. (ca. 1908-?, spouse unknown); and, Zula Avis (1910-1999, married Thurman Ramon KNIGHT).
(Note: Zebb Marine RAMSEY seems to have not liked his middle name. “Marine” is noted as his legal middle name on several documents, but on his draft registration for World War II on February 10, 1942, in Baldwin Park, Los Angeles, California, he told the clerk that he had no middle name.)
James David RAMSEY, who had been born in Arkansas on May 3, 1868, passed away in the state of Arkansas on November 27, 1944, at the age of seventy-six. Nancy Catherine (SMITH) RAMSEY died almost nineteen years later on October 7, 1963, in Charleston, Franklin County, Arkansas, at the age of ninety-three or ninety-four. They are buried next to each other at the Potts Cemetery in Charleston, Franklin County, Arkansas.
12. J.W. BOYD was born James William BOYD to David Wilson and Elizabeth M. (SMITH) BOYD in Newton County, Missouri, near the community of Granby on June 26, 1870. His mother, Elizabeth M. (SMITH) BOYD, was William C. SMITH’s younger sister, and James was William’s nephew.
James’ first appearance in the public record was in the 1870 census of Granby, Newton County, Missouri, where he was enumerated as “James BOYD” a 2-month-old in the household of Wilson BOYD (27) and Elizabeth BOYD (26). The family also had four daughters, all BOYDs: Sarah (12), Martha (10), Mary (8), and “Margret” (2). Also in the household were two 20-year-old male farm laborers, Wm. HANKINS (Elizabeth’s nephew, the son of her oldest sibling, Sarah “Sallie” (SMITH) HANKINS) and James SMITH (possibly Elizabeth’s younger brother).
Somehow the family managed to get divided in the 1880 census for Erie Township McDonald County, Missouri, with what looked like three minor children in their own household (“Maggie” BOYD (13), “William” (James William) BOYD (10), and Johnnie (8). The parents, in a separate entry, were: David W. BOYD (41) and Elizabeth M. BOYD (38).
James W. BOYD married Sarah Amanda COLLINS on October 5, 1893, in Lawrence County, Missouri, and by the time of the 1900 census they had their own household with two children in Anderson, McDonald County, Missouri. That BOYD family included James W. (29), Sarah A. (29), a daughter, Letta A. BOYD (5), and a son, David W. L.B. BOYD (3). That census stated that both parents could read and write, that the family was living in a rented home, and that James was employed as an “engineer” at a flour mill.
When the 1910 census rolled around the parents had begun using their middle names, and the family had expanded to include five children. They were still living in a rented house in Anderson, McDonald County, Missouri, and the father still listed his occupation as “engineer,” although by this time it was with a “Stationary” industry. The household members, all BOYDs, were listed as: William J. (40), Amanda (38), Lethea A. (16), Roy W. (13), Marie B. (7), Pearl L. (5), and Augustin (2).
By 1920 the BOYD family was residing on a rented farm in Anderson, McDonald County, Missouri, and the father / head-of-household, Wm. J. BOYD (49), gave his occupation as a farmer. Others in the household, all BOYDs, included: Mandy (48), Roy L. (22), Marie (18), Pearl (15), and Clifford (12).
In 1930 the BOYD family was still living on a rented farm - on an “improved highway" - in Anderson, McDonald County, Missouri, and the father, who was listed on the census as James W. BOYD (59), stated that his occupation was that of a farmer. Also in the household were the farmer’s wife, Amanda S. BOYD (56), and a 22-year-old son named Augustine L BOYD.
So far none of the members of James William BOYD’s family have been located on the 1940 census.
It is unclear as to exactly how many children James William BOYD and his wife had - primarily because there seemed to be a tendency in the family to change given names. Mr. BOYD was, in various documents, known as James William, James W., William, and William J. Mrs BOYD was at times referred to officially as Sarah, Sarah A., Amanda, Amanda S., and Mandy.
But tracking and identifying the parents was not nearly as tricky as trying to identify the children. There seemed to have been at least five: a girl born around 1895, a boy about 1897, a girl around 1903, another girl about 1905, and a boy around 1908.
The oldest daughter was listed as “Letta A.” on the 1900 census where her age was given as five. She was still with the family on the census of 1910 where her name was recorded as “Lethea A.” and she was noted as being 16-years-old. She was no longer residing with the family when the 1920 census was taken, and efforts to locate a marriage or death record for her have not met with success.
The next oldest child, a son, was named as “David W.L.B.” on the 1900 census and listed as being 3-years-old. There was no one by that name on the 1910 census, but there was a 13-year-old boy listed by the name of “Roy W.,” who was the right age and gender to have been the same individual as “David W.L.B.”
The next oldest child, a girl, first appeared on the 1910 census with the family as “Marie B.”, age seven. She is on the 1920 census as “Marie,” age 18, and disappears from the record after that entry. Again, efforts to locate a marriage or death document on Marie have not yet met with success.
The next oldest child, a girl, first appeared on the 1910 census with the family as “Pearl L.,” age five. She was still with the family in 1920 when she was listed on the census as “Pearl,” age fifteen. Pearl BOYD of Anderson, Missouri, which was likely her, married Floyd SMITH of Quapaw, Ottawa County, Oklahoma, in Neosho, Newton County, Missouri, on August 20, 1921. The marriage license stated that she was over eighteen, though she would have been closer to sixteen, and it further stated that the groom was over the age of twenty-one. (Eighteen and twenty–one were likely the ages that young people could officially marry without parental consent at that time.)
There is also a “Pearl BOYD” buried at the Anderson Cemetery in Anderson, McDonald County, Missouri, that has been recorded in the internet “Find-a-Grave” index. That Pearl had a date of birth of December 31, 1905 and died on June 30, 1923. There was no mention of a husband in that entry. Pearl is the only person with the surname of “BOYD” known to be buried at the Anderson Cemetery.
The final child, a boy, appeared on the 1910 census with the family as “Augustin D.,” age two. A twelve-year-old boy appears with the family on the 1920 census, but he is listed as “Clifford.” By the time of the 1930 census when the father and mother are both in their fifties, there was only one of their children still residing at home: 22-year-old “Augustine L.” BOYD. Nothing further has been found regarding Augustin D., Clifford, or Augustine L. beyond the 1930 census.
James William BOYD died in Joplin, Jasper County, Missouri, on September 29, 1945 at the age of seventy-five. His wife, who signed her name “Mrs. Amanda BOYD,” was the informant on his death certificate. That document stated that he had been born in McDonald County, Missouri, and that his parents were “Wilse” BOYD and “Bess” SMITH. The death certificate further stated that he had lived in Joplin for four years immediately prior to his death, and that he was to be buried in the Anderson Cemetery in Anderson, Missouri. (He does not currently have a marked stone at that cemetery.)
It is currently unknown where or when Sarah Amanda (COLLINS) BOYD passed away or where she is buried.
(More profiles of SMITH family descendants who were defendants in the 1920 lawsuit over the estate of William C. SMITH will follow.)
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