My Genealogy Hound

Nathan Fletcher Smith, merchant and farmer, Magnolia, Ark. Mr. Smith is another of the representative and substantial citizens of Columbia County, Ark., who owes his nativity to Georgia, his birth having occurred in Jones County of that State September 17, 1819. His father, John Smith, was born in Maryland, and was of Irish-Dutch descent. He died when our subject was but a child. His wife, whose maiden name was Miss Sophia Childers, was a native of Georgia, and died where her son, Nathan F., now lives, about 1881. Grandfather Smith was a Revolutionary soldier. Nathan F. Smith, the only child born to the marriage of his parents, remained in Jones County, Ga., until twelve years of age, and then moved to Upson County of that State, where he grew to manhood. He was married there, about 1836, to Miss Elizabeth Sockwell, who was a native of that State, and the fruits of this union were ten children—five sons and five daughters. Three sons died in infancy, one at the battle of Corinth and the other soon after returning from the war. Two daughters are now living: Mary M. (wife of James D. McKamy) and Lucinda R. (wife of Lloyd Young), all residing in this county. Mr. Smith was married to his second wife, Miss Sarah E. O’Neil, a native of Talbot County, Ga., born in 1839, and three children are the result of this union: Sarah M., Anna and Lena C. Mr. Smith emigrated from Georgia to Russell County, Ala., about 1840, and there made his home until 1857, when he came to Columbia County, Ark. He purchased a farm the second year he was here, and moved where he now lives in 1875. He has about 5,000 acres of land in this county, 2,000 acres in one body where he resides, and has seventy-five acres under cultivation, located ten miles west of Magnolia. He was postmaster of Magnolia from 1881 to 1885, has been justice of the peace of the county for about eight years, was registrar, also county assessor two years, and took the census of the county in 1880. In connection with farming he also carries a general stock of merchandise, and is very successful in this as in all other enterprises. He was reared a Democrat, but since the war has been a Republican. His first presidential vote was for Martin Van Buren. Mr. Smith had two sons in the Confederate army, but was strongly opposed to the war. He is a Royal Arch Mason of Magnolia Lodge, and is an influential citizen.