REV. CALEB H. SMITH AND FAMILY, Smith County, TX ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net 2 February 2001 ***************************************************************** REV. CALEB H. SMITH AND FAMILY, Smith County, TX "Some Biographies of Old Settlers." Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas Chapter XXXVII - Pages 180-184 - Picture on Page 180 Rev. Caleb Harris Smith was born in Rockingham county, North Carolina, on the 14th day of September, 1824. His grandfather, William Smith, was a Revolutionary soldier, and his father William Smith moved to Tennessee in 1843, and taught school in McNary county in that state. Rev. Caleb H. Smith, the subject of this sketch, moved to Tennessee with his father's family and married Miss Elizabeth Watkins, A daughter of Wm. Watkins. He moved to Texas in 1858, and settled in the Bascom neighborhood, in Smith county. He has been a successful farmer, and a minister of the Methodist church, of wonderful success and prominence. Rev. and Mrs. C. H. Smith had eleven children - Hastletine, Artena, Alzada, William Bascom, Lemual Buchanan, Samuel Tullis, Caleb Davis, Udora, Altonia, Marvin Dennis and Martha Mathis. The latter died when quite young. Miss Hastletine married John Gage. She died a few years after her marriage. They had one child - Dora, who married James M. Swinney. They have four living children. Artena married David H. Murray and they have six living children. Miss Alzada married Ben A. Howard and they had four children. Mrs. Howard died several years ago. William Bascom married Miss Anna Harper, of Henderson county, Texas. They have four children. Lemuel Buchanan married Miss Presilla Ray, a daughter of B. B. Ray, and by this marriage they had four children. Mrs. Smith has been dead several years. His second marriage was with Miss Alsia McGill, and they have two children. Samuel Tullis married Miss Frankie Bell, of Kilgore, Texas. They have four children and reside in Fannin county. Caleb Davis married Miss Willie Caswell, a daughter of Thos. J. Caswell, and they have three children. Miss Udora married three times, her first marriage was with Willie D. Perry; second marriage, Marshall Corsey; the third marriage, J. M. Swinney. By these marriages she had six living children. She has been dead several years. Marvin Dennis Smith was a bright young man. He died several years ago. He graduated at Southwestern University and afterwards took a course at Hill's Business College at Waco. At his death he was single. At one time he was bookkeeper for the firm of J. B. Parker & Co., of Tyler. Altonia married J. W. Steel and they have three children. Rev. Caleb H. Smith was licensed to preach in 1872, and joined the East Texas Methodist Conference in 1875; has been a member of that body for twenty-six years, doing active work as a preacher. He has been on the following circuits: Athens, Garden Valley, Starrville, Lindale, Tyler, Whitehouse and Larissa, remaining mostly the four years allowed by the law of the church. He has built churches on every circuit, was never behind with his church collections, always making good report in the increase of membership and finances. His protracted meetings have been marvels of success in his religious work. The people have confidence in his piety and religious interity. No wonder such good results follow the ministerial work of a saintly preacher, devoted to his high calling. His life has been one of constant toil to better humanity. It was the cause of the Master that he pleaded with zeal and force. He has been a useful man in the walks of life; a successful man in the affairs of life by acquiring a competency and giving his children the best educational advantages. He awaits the Great Reaper to gather up the sheaves that fall by the wayside battling in His cause. "Uncle Caleb" is ready to be called up higher. It is the Master's pleasure. He is a good, logical preacher "filled with zealous works." A confiding honesty that throws a halo of glory around him as an honest man, a devout minister, an earnest worker for the salvation of souls. He has scattered the good news, and through him, "many have returned to the fold." It is the churches built, the increase in membership, the moral standing of his religious work, shows itself, the good he has done. His noble wife, the partner of his good life, in the golden age of declining years, is ready to join with her husband in the final call. Rev. C. H. Smith served during the civil war as a private soldier. He was a loyal Confederate, standing by his home and people.