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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York published by John M. Gresham & Co. in 1891.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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DANIEL C. SMITH, a well-known and respected gentleman, living in the town of Hanover, who has followed agricultural pursuits for many years, is a son of Christopher and Eve (Ball) Smith, and was born in the town of Carlisle, Schoharie county, New York, on the 12th day of August, 1821. The paternal grandfather, Conrad Smith, was a native of Germany and came to America during the progress of the Revolutionary war. Having served in the German army and being trained in military tactics, he was well fitted to perform a similar service for his adopted country, and he enlisted in the Colonial army, serving as an officer until the close of the struggle. He received wounds in battle and drew a pension until his death. After the close of the war he settled in Schoharie county, pursued farming and died there when one hundred years of age, consoled by his faith in the Methodist church. The maternal grandfather, Mathias Ball, was also a native of Germany and came to this country a few years prior to the war mentioned. He enlisted and served throughout the strife and then settled in Schoharie county, but later came to Chautauqua county, and lived with his son until his death. Christopher Smith was born in Schoharie county, New York, 1779. In 1841 he emigrated to Cattaraugus county, purchased a farm of four hundred and twenty acres, which he tilled until 1849, when he moved to the town of Hanover, where he lived until his death, which occurred in 1868. His political sympathies were with the Democratic party until the slavery issue became the burning question of the day, when he severed his connection with it and allied himself with the Republican party. He was thrice married, first, to Eve Ball, by whom he had four children, three sons and one daughter; all are dead except George, who lives in Michigan, and subject. After Mrs. Smith’s death he married her sister, Catherine Ball, and later he united with Elizabeth Van Valkenberg.

Daniel C. Smith was educated in the common schools and then tilled a farm until he was thirty-five years of age. He then clerked for three years in a store owned by R. B. Smith & Co. Since that time he has followed farming, and is the owner of one hundred and thirty acres of land in the town of Hanover. Politically, like his father, he was formerly a democrat, but divided with his party upon the question of slavery and is now in harmony with the Republican party.

Daniel C. Smith married Cordelia M. Cushman, a daughter of Hiram Cushman, and their union has been blessed with seven children, six now living and one dead: Lucinda E., married Hall Gidley, who is a farmer and mechanic, living in the town of Hanover; Phila A., married John Q. A. Christy, deceased, now lives in Silver Creek; Sarah C., is the wife of Adelbert A. Newbury, a farmer living in the town of Ripley; Daniel C., Jr., married Maggie C. McAndrews, and follows the same occupation in the town of Hanover; Sidney B., married Lizzie L. Curran, and is similarly employed in the same town; and Frank, who is reading law in the office of Towne & Bishop, Silver Creek, New York.

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This family biography is one of 658 biographies included in Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York published in 1891. 

View additional Chautauqua County, New York family biographies here: Chautauqua County, New York Biographies

View a map of 1897 Chautauqua County, New York here: Chautauqua County, New York Map

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