BIO: James B. SMITH, Clearfield County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Sally Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm _____________________________________________________________ From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr., Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 666 & 667. _____________________________________________________________ JAMES B. SMITH, a retired farmer and highly respected citizen of Pike township, who resides on his well improved farm of seventy acres, situated one mile southwest of Curwensville, Pa., was born in Pike township, March 16, 1828, and is a son of John and Nancy (Jordan) Smith. John Smith was born in Germany and remained in his native land until young manhood, when he came to America, landing at Philadelphia. From there he came to Clearfield county and settled on a tract of 1,000 acres. He cleared up about seventy-eight acres along the river. Later he came to the farm which is now owned by his son, James B. Smith, where, with the assistance of his children, he cleared forty acres, and he continued to live on this farm until the close of his life, his death occurring at the age of eighty-two years. He was a man of sterling character, honest and upright in all his dealings. In politics he was a Democrat and on several occasions was elected to township offices. He married Nancy Jordan, a daughter of Martin Jordan, and they had fifteen children born to them, all in Pike township: William, David, Sarah, John, Hannah, Susan, Katherine, James B., Mary Jane, Rachel, Nancy, Elizabeth, Emily, Lavina and Harvey. The mother of the above family died aged seventy- three years, and both she and husband were buried in the old McClure cemetery. They were members of the Presbyterian church. James B. Smith attended school in his boyhood at the Oakland school-house. His life has been devoted to agricultural pursuits and he has remained on the home farm. Here he has, at various times, made many improvements, and all the buildings now standing were erected by him. For some years past he has lived retired from active farm work but he still enjoys overlooking the industries which he so successfully managed alone for so long a time. He has witnessed many changes in methods of farming and has seen the introduction of farm machinery that in his youth was not yet dreamed of. On October 15, 1861, Mr. Smith was married to Miss Adaline Way, who was born at Curwensville, Pa., a daughter of Samuel and Hannah Way. Mrs. Smith died October 15, 1905. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith eight children were born, namely: John L., who died when fifteen months old; Samuel, who married Ella Way, a daughter of David Way, resides on the home farm and they have eight children - Verna, Maude, William, Louella, Gussie, Ruth, Lester and Harry; William, who lives at Grampian, married Mrs. Lucy (Bloom) Johnston, widow of Elmer Johnston and daughter of James Bloom, has one daughter, Bertha; Frederick, who married Mary Davis for his first wife and Sarah McDorment for his second wife, resides in New York and has four children - Lizzie, Howard, Lulu and Claire; James B., who married Cora Fritz, a daughter of Daniel Fritz, has had six children - Eva, Daniel, George, Irwin, Jay and Hazel; Charles, who resides at Curwensville, married Alice Norris, a daughter of Clark Norris, and they have had four children - Firman, Raymond, Sarah and Max; Dock, who lives at Curwensville, married Cora Moore, a daughter of Samuel Moore, and they have three children - Samuel, Frances and Lenore; and Minnie, who married James Edmiston, who resides on and assists in operating the home farm, and they have three children - William, Dortha and Lodema. Mrs. Smith was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Smith has been a Republican since the formation of the party. He has served twice as road supervisor in Pike township. He is a member of Susquehannah Grange.