Biographical Sketch of Jackson Smith, Gasconade County, Missouri

>From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and 
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing 
Company, 1888.

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Capt. Jackson Smith, farmer, of Bourbois Township, was born in St. 
Louis County, thirteen miles southwest of the city, in 1833, and is the
eighth of six sons and four daughters born to Henry and Jane (Watson)
Smith.  The father was probably born in St. Louis County, and the moth-
er in one of the Carolinas.  Mr. Smith's people were among the pioneers
of St. Louis County when the city of St. Louis was a mere French trad-
ing post of bark shanties.  Henry Smith married, and lived there until
1839, when he removed to Gasconade County, on Bourboise Creek, where he
built a water mill, and operated the same until his death, in 1851.  He
served a number of years as a ranger against the Indians, and was for
many years justice of the peace in St. Louis and Gasconade Counties. 
The mother of Jackson died in 1841, and of the seven children now liv-
ing only two are in the same county.  After the death of his first wife
Mr. Smith married Mrs. Mary Ann Sorrell, who bore him one child, now
deceased.  Jackson Smith received his education in the common schools,
and after the death of his father began working for himself as a farm
hand, which he continued but a short time.  He then began teaching 
school in the winter and followed farming in the summer, for about 
eight or nine years.  In 1858 he married Miss Mary, daughter of Hon.
James A. and Elizabeth Matthews, formerly of Tennessee, where Mrs. 
Smith was born, but early settlers of Gasconade County.  Her father was
county judge fourteen years, was a member of the Legislature, and was a
prominent citizen.  He died in 1871.  Her mother is still living, and 
is eighty years old.  The following five children were born to Mr. and
Mrs. Smith: Webster A., James A., Henry A. W., Scippio A. and Elizabeth
Jane.  Since 1859 Mr. Smith has been on his present farm of 240 acres,
situated two miles east of Cleavesville.  He was captain and adjutant
of the Thirty-fourth Enrolled Missouri Militia.  He was formerly elec-
ted lieutenant of Company K, but received the commission of captain and
adjutant first, and held the same until the close of the war.  A Demo-
crat politically, his first presidential vote was cast for James Buch-
anan, in 1856.  He voted twice for Abraham Lincoln and once for Grant,
but since that time has voted the Democratic ticket. His eldest brother
Judge Samuel Smith, now of Cuba, but formerly a prominent citizen of
Bourbois Township, served some years as county judge of the southern
district of Gasconade County.

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