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Below is a family biography included in The History of Phelps County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  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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Joseph A. Smith, retired merchant of Rolla, is a native of Grainger County, Tenn., and was born in 1832. He remained on his father’s farm until sixteen years of age, when he commenced as a salesman in a general store, which business he followed until hostilities broke out between the North and South. His sympathies being with the Southern people caused him to enlist in the Confederate army, in April, 1862, in Company I, Fifty-ninth Regiment Tennessee Infantry Volunteers. He was in the siege of Vicksburg, New Hope Church, and all through the battles in the Shenandoah Valley, being in many severe skirmishes. He was captured at Vicksburg, and after being exchanged was in the cavalry service. He was in service until peace was declared, after which he returned home, and in 1866 immigrated to Phelps County, Mo., where he and T. C. Harrison established a general store at Arlington. In about three years Mr. Smith sold his interest to Mr. Harrison and came to Rolla, where he resumed merchandising. December 31, 1868, Mr. Smith married Miss Mary E. Godwin, of Grainger County, Tenn., where she was born in 1843. The fruits of this union are seven children: Ella, Tenna, Carrie, Joseph H., James M., Annie and Kate. After coming to Rolla Mr. Smith followed merchandising until the spring of 1888. For the last four years the firm was Smith Bros., he and his brother, James L., being the partnership. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. Mr. Smith is a Democrat in politics, and was tax collector of Grainger County one term. He is the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Dyer) Smith, and grandson of Thomas Smith, who was a native of Virginia. [For farther particulars of parents see sketch of James L. Smith.]

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This family biography is one of 71 biographies included in The History of Phelps County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Phelps County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Phelps County, Missouri family biographies, click here

To view a map of Phelps County, Missouri: Phelps County, Missouri Map

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