Biographical Sketch of Joseph A. Smith, Phelps County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, 
Pulaski, Phelps and Dent Counties, Missouri" The Goodspeed Publishing
Company, 1889.
**********************************************************************

Joseph A. Smith, retired merchant of Rolla, is a native of Grainger
county, Tenn., and was born in 1832.  He remained on his father's farm
until sixteen years of age, when he commenced as a salesman in a gen-
eral store, which business he followed until hostilities broke out
between the North and South.  His sympathies being with the Southern
people caused him to enlist in the Confederate army, in April, 1862,
in Company I, Fifty-ninth Regiment Tennessee Infantry Volunteers.  He
was in the siege of Vicksburg, New Hope church, and all through the 
battles in the Shenandoah Valley, being in many severe skirmishes.  He 
was captured at Vicksburg, and after being exchanged was in the cavalry
service.  He was in the service until peace was declared, after which
he returned home, and in 1866 immigrated to Phelps county, Mo., where
he and T. C. Harrison established a general store at Arlington.  In
about three years Mr. Smith sold his interest to Mr. Harrison and came
to Rolla, where he resumed merchandising.  December 31, 1868, Mr. Smith
married Miss Mary E. Godwin, of Grainger county, Tenn., where she was
born, in 1843.  The fruits of this union are seven children: Ella, 
Tenna, Carrie, Joseph H., James M., Annie and Kate.  After coming to
Rolla, Mr. Smith followed merchandising until the spring of 1888.  For
the last four years the firm was Smith Bros., he and his brother, James
L., being the partnership.  Mrs. Smith is a member of the Missionary
Baptist Church.  Mr. Smith is a Democrat in politics, and was tax
collector of Grainger county one term.  He is the son of Samuel and
Elizabeth (Dyer) Smith, and grandson of Thomas Smith, who was a native
of Virginia.  (For further particulars of parents see sketch of James
L. Smith.)

====================================================================
     USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing
         free information on the Internet, data may be used by
         non-commercial entities, as long as this message
         remains on all copied material. These electronic
         pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit
         or for presentation by other persons or organizations.

         Persons or organizations desiring to use this material
         for purposes other than stated above must obtain the
         written consent of the file contributor.

         This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb
         Archives by: Joe Miller <mio@netins.net>
		      Penny (Eisenbarger) Harrell <Incog3678@aol.com>

====================================================================