BIOS: Michael Franklin SMITH, Salisbury, Somerset County, PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Candace Roth Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/ ________________________________________________ History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania; Bedford County by E. Howard Blackburn; Somerset County by William H. Welfley; v.3, Pub. The Lewis Publishing Company, New York/Chicago 1906, ppg. 222/3 Michael Franklin SMITH. Michael Franklin Smith, of Salisbury, is a great-grandson of Jacob Smith, his American ancestor, who was born in Germany and emigrated to this country about the period of the Revolution, serving in the patriot army during the latter part of that war. His son, Henry Smith, was born in 1770, in Dauphin, Pennsylvania, and was a cooper. He married and was the father of five sons and five daughters. He died in 1845, aged sixty-three. John Smith, son of Henry Smith, was born in 1815, in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, and in early life followed the cooper's trade. At the age of eighteen he came to Somerset county and followed his trade in Brothers Valley. He was subsequently engaged in mercantile business in Salisbury until 1873, when he succumbed to the panic of that year. He was a member of the Allbright Methodist church, a Democrat and Republican. Mr. Smith married, in 1840, Katherine, daughter of Michael Dively, of Salisbury, and the following were their children: Harriet, wife of Samuel Mier, of Somerset, ex-member of the state legislature; Sarah A., wife of Levi Lichliter, of Salisbury; Missouri, died in 1859; Michael Franklin, see forward; Rhoda, wife of the Rev. Marshall Bowlin, of Illinois; and Harvey M., died January, 1906. John Smith, the father, died in 1888; his wife Katherine in 1887. Michael Franklin Smith, son of John and Katherine (Dively) Smith, was born June 2, 1849, in Salisbury, where he attended the public schools until the age of fifteen, when he spent two terms at Millersville State Normal school, and taught one term. He was associated in business with his father until 1873, when the financial troubles of the time rendered retirement necessary, and he then went into the commission business, handling among other things, farm products. In 1878 he went to Uniontown as manager for the Johnson grocery store, a position which he retained until 1882, when he returned to Salisbury and was in mercantile business for himself until 1888. Since that time he has been in the insurance business, to which in 1900 he added real estate. He is a Republican and a member of the German Baptist Brethren church. He was census enumerator in 1870 and several terms a member of the borough council. Mr. Smith married, March 16, 1871, Adaline, daughter of David Livengood, of Elk Lick township. This union was of brief duration, being terminated by the death of Mrs. Smith, October 27, 1871. Mr. Smith married (second) October 24, 1873, Nancy, daughter of Joseph Johnson, of Uniontown, Fayette county and they have been the parents of the following children: Nora, born July 25, 1874, died February 6, 1878; Anna, born December 3, 1875, teacher in the Allegheny county schools; Mayme, born March 16, 1877, died October 15, 1880; Sadie, born October 24, 1882, teacher in Meyersdale schools. The mother of these children died June 9, 1889, and Mr. Smith married (third) October 24, 1890, Jane, daughter of John N. Thompson, of Somerset county. By this marriage there are no children.