My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Greene County, Illinois published by Donnelley, Gassette & Loyd in 1879.  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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SMITH, BENJAMIN, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 12, P.O. White Hall. The subject of this sketch deserves more than a passing notice, as he is one among the oldest settlers of Greene County; was born Sept. 25, 1799, in Connecticut; came to Alton, Ill., in 1818, when there was but two families in that place; is a carpenter by trade, and built the first house in that village; started from Connecticut in 1816, came to New York State and lived for one season, then to Fort George, Canada, where he stopped for some time, then a party of them came down the Ohio, on a flat boat, to New Albany, there left their boat and walked across the country to Alton. Was married to Miss M. E. Beacon, in 1820, who was born March 17, 1799, in Massachusetts; have nine children, six of whom are dead: Carrie A., born March 20, 1823; Minerva, born Dec. 1824; Harvey A., June 10, 1830; Theresa O., born Nov. 1, 1832; Angeline M., born April 9, 1835; Ira, born Nov. 26, 1838; entered land from the government in 1825, and owns 480 acres.

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This family biography is one of 744 biographies included in The History of Greene County, Illinois published in 1879.  View the complete description here: The History of Greene County, Illinois

View additional Greene County, Illinois family biographies here: Greene County, Illinois Biographies

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