Freestone County, Texas Births The Malakoff News Friday, December 12, 1952 Page 6 Mrs. Mary Smith, Malakoff Resident, Since '29, Celebrates 85th Birthday Celebration of the 85th Birthday of Mrs. Mary G. Smith a resident of western Henderson County since, 1888, was held at her home in Malakoff last Sunday. The occasion marked the eighty-fourth year since Mrs. Smith was brought as an infant to Texas by her parents, Captain John Miles, a Confederate Calvary Officer, and wife, Mrs. Salina Middleton Miles. Her parents came with other relatives from Mobile, Alabama to Galveston on a Gulf migration ship and then up the Trinity River by river boat to land at the Old Cook's Ferry and begin their new lives during the re-construction period in Texas. Mrs. Smith has soent her life in Texas in Freestone, Navarro and Henderson Counties, and is the widow of the late Lee W. Smith, an early settler in the Mallard Prairie Community in Western Henderson County where he built and operated the first steam powered gin there. In 1902, when the T&NO Railroad was extended from Kemp to Nacogdoches, Mrs. Smith and her husban moved to the new town of Eustace where they established the first cotton gin and one of the first general merchantile stores there, and later engaged in farming and real estate businesses. Since 1929, Mrs. Smth has lived at her present home in Malakoff, not too far from the early Miles Homestead site located about one mile east of town. During the day Mrs. Smith recallled and related many of her memories of the pioneer days in this section of Texas. Some seventy-odd guest, consisting of relatives and family friends, enjoyed a pioneer style dinner prepared by Mrs. Miles B. Smith, a daughter-in-law, assisted by Mrs. John L. Miles and Miss Lorene Lucas. Honor guests seated at the table with Mrs. Smith were: John L. Miles, a brother; Mr. and Mrs. Howard Miles of Gilner; Mrs. J. A. Jackson of Malakoff; Mrs. J. B. Towns, Sr. of Corsicana; Mrs. Mae Smith and Mrs. Iona Smith of Dallas, and Mrs. Jim Cherry of Malakoff. Included among other guests were: Miles B. Smith, a son, and his daughters, Sunny and Sally; Mr. and Mrs. Joe Smith and children; Mrs. Frank Davis; Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Williams and children; Miss Lois Campbell; Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Smith and daughter; Mrs. Simmie Lewis and children; H. L. Smith and Mr. and Mrs. Leland McKee all of Dallas. Mr. and Mrs. Aubra E. Smith of Mabank. Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Smith and Mr. and Mrs. D. S. Tomlinson of Garland. Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Smith; Mr. and Mrs. Horace Campbell and daughter, Linda; Mrs. F. D. Shaw; Mrs. S. C. Campbell; Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Wheeler of Eustace. Mr. and Mrs. Herschal Campbell and children of Kaufman. Mr. and Mrs. Buddy Thompson of Bryan. Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Towns, Jr. of Corsciana. Mr. and Mrs. B. O. Campbell of Athens. Memories of the occasion will be preserved by reels of moving pictures taken by Miss Lois Campbell, a granddaughter. The guests brought many nice presents and extended their best wishes and hopes that Mrs. Smith will complete a full century of her life in Texas.