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David Clark Smelser was born in Hart co, KY c1821. We are unsure of his father but could be Jacob Smelser who resided in Hart co, KY in 1820. Jacob Smelser moved to Crawford Co, IN before 1830. At this point we lose track of him. He was between 60 and 70 at that time so may have died. David Clark Smelser was an early pioneer of Washington co, Ia. He was married to Ann Eliza Hawthorn by M. Reynolds on January 20, 1845. He was 22 and she 21. They had 8 children.......
On December 20, 1849, David and Ann Eliza Smelser received 44 and 20/100 acres as a gift from John R. and Rachel Hawthorn (Ann Eliza's parents). Here they farmed and raised their children. On August 9, 1862, Daivid enlisted in the Union Army. He was mustered into Co G, 22 regiment of the Iowa Infantry at age 42. His company was engaged in many battles........Port Gibson, Mississippi on May 1, 1863........Champion Hill, Mississippi May 16, 1863, Black River Bridge, Mississippi May 17, 1863 and the Seige of Vicksburg, Miss from May 19, 1863 to surrender on July 4, 1863. David C. Smelser was engaged in all of these battles. From Aug 1864 to June 1865 he was detailed as a company cook to Captain Shockey. (apparently he could cook). In 1866, John and Rachel Hawthorn once again gave land as a gift.....this time to their grandson...John R. Smelser. All of the land owned by the Smelser and Hawthorn family was situated in Iowa township. The family resided in Iowa township until sometime after 1870. David, John and another unknown Smelser (Jacob Smelser living next door to David age 65) are all listed on the 1870 Washington county, Iowa census. Sometime before 1875, this whole family along with several other families from Washington county, Iowa traveled to Nebraska. Some of the families who went to Nebraska are SCRIBNER, CUMMINGS, HOUSE, and MARSH. David filed a homestead application in 1883 for 160 acres in Webster co, Nebraska. He paid $4 for it! Benjamin Frank Smelser (his son) also filed a homestead application there. This family resided in the area of Red Cloud, Nebraska for many years. Benjamin Frank Smelser married Edna Walker on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1876 in Red Cloud, NE. I have a deed of sale for a pool table which I understand he purchased for a saloon in Red Cloud, Nebraska.. Cleophas and his family resided in Jumata Village, Adams county, Nebraska in 1880. George Washington Smelser married Maggie House on June 8, 1885 in Red Cloud, Nebraska. They stayed in Red Cloud and raised a family.
Minnie Lee Smelser died on Feb 16, 1980 and is buried in Riverton, Nebraska. George Washington Smelser was a night policeman in Red Cloud NE and was known throughout the county for his physical strength so........I am sure that Minnie was very frightened when he threatened to take her to jail.
3. Ira Newton Smelser was born in June 1891. he married Nettie Leggett. They had several children. Ira died Sep 21, 1976. 4. Milford George Smelser was born April 28, 1899 in Red Cloud, Nebraska. He married Mary Melissa Smith on September 17, 1921. They had one child Everett Eugene Smelser born Sept 22, 1922. Milford worked on the railroad and was a trapper. He loved hunting, trapping and fishing and pretty much made his living at that. While living in Red Cloud, Nebraska, he is said to have preached the sermons at church when the minister was away. He was divorced from Mary and she remarried Donald Lyddon and had 3 daughters. Milford George Smelser never remarried and he raised his son to love hunting and fishing too. They moved to Clarinda, Page co, Iowa between 1927 and 1930. This is where my father, Everett Eugene Smelser grew up. As a boy, he went to school in a one room schoolhouse but his grades were terrible as he was always looking out of the window at the countryside and dreaming of fishing and hunting. His father took him out of the country school and put him in school in town and from then on, he made straight A's. He played baseball and was a boxer. He painted houses and other structures for a living. He did quite a bit of painting for the Univerisity of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. He said he used to climb the flag pole and paint it as nobody else would do it. Made quite a pretty penny for it! This biography has been censored for living persons.
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