Vermilion county Illinois, JOHN E. SMITH ==================================================================== Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives Joy Fisher ==================================================================== p. 218-219 JOHN E. SMITH is classed among the able and highly intelligent young farmers of Vermilion County, who are active in sustaining and extending its great agricultural interests. His well appointed farm on section 26, Pilot Township, is in all respects finely improved, and compares well with other estates in the vicinity. He has stocked it with cattle, horses and hogs of fine grades, and he is cultivating it with good results so as to make money. He is a native born citizen of this county, Dec. 3, 1854, being the date of his birth. His father, George G. Smith, was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, Aug. 31, 1828, and he came to this county in company with his parents, who were of German antecedents and birth, in 1836. They thus became the pioneers of Vermilion County, and were respected residents here till death closed their earthly career, the grandfather of our subject dying in 1864, and the grandmother in 1842. The following is recorded of the nine children born to the parents of our subject: Elizabeth married George Wilson, of Ohio, now a farmer of Blount Township, and they have two children; Elias D., a farmer of Blount Township, married Clara Smith and they have three children; Sarah lives with her parents; Eva married Andrew Lanham, of Blount Township, now of Ross Township, and they have one child; Wesley, a farmer, married Emma Sperry, of Blount Township, und they have one child; Marshall, Woodard and Josephine are the others. John Smith received the preliminaries of a sound education in the public schools, which he attended till he was twenty-one years old, and then being ambitious to advance still farther in his studies, he attended the State Normal School, where he pursued an excellent literary course that thoroughly fitted him for the profession of teaching that he afterward adopted. He was successfully engaged at that vocation eight years, but after marriage he abandoned it to give his attention to agriculture, and bought eighty acres of finely improved farming laud. He subsequently sold that and purchased his present farm of 160 acres of land equally good, and well adapted to general fanning. It is under high cultivation, and is provided with a comfortable, conveniently arranged set of farm buildings. Mr. Smith has much financial capacity, is endowed with good mental qualities that have been stimulated by a liberal education, and he carries on his farming operations with intelligent skill that will one day place him among the wealthy and substantial citizens of this township, if he prospers as he has heretofore done. In his politics he is an ardent champion of the Democratic party, and has been since the days when he cast his first vote for Samuel J. Tilden, the great New York statesman, his last vote for president being in favor of Grover Cleveland. The marriage of Mr. Smith with Miss Mary E. Firebaugh, of Blount Township, occurred March 25, 1876. She was born Dec. 11, 1853, in the aforementioned township, her parents being William R. and Melvia (Flora) Firebaugh, the father being of German descent. They emigrated from Ohio to Indiana, and thence to Illinois. The mother departed this life in 1872. The father still resides in this county. They were the parents of five children: Curtis married Christina Porter, of this county, and they have two children; Elizabeth married George Snyder, of this county, now living in Oakwood Township, and they have two children; Robert, a farmer, married Leo Fairchilds, of Blount Township, and they have two children. Emma married Milton Fairchilds, of Blount Township. The following is the record of the five children born of the pleasant wedded life of Mr. and Mrs Smith: Irvin W., was born June 3,1877; Edwin R., Jan. 23, 1879; Alfred G., Jan 9, 1881; Everett J., Sept. 5, 1884; Alga, Nov. 6, 1886.