Wayne County
History & Genealogy
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Although we have tried to be as accurate as possible in our research, mistakes happen, if you know of any corrections or additions to this family history please contact me, thanks Laurie lselpien@msn.com
pictures taken around 1955
Above is the house and barn owned by William Harrison Smith. It was built on land that was originally owned by the first known smith John R. I knew it as Clarence and Hazel SMITH Lane’s farm, my grandparent’s. The house had two small bedrooms on the left and a front room that ran their length on the right. It had a large kitchen and dinning room across the back. The house had only one closet and pantry. In the 1970’s the pantry was converted into a bathroom. Two wells had supplied the water and a propane furnace in the front room supplied the heat. The house also had a basement, which was more like a cellar. The barn has long since gone it collapsed in the 80’s. I don’t know who are the owners today.
First Generation
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1. William Harrison SMITH.1,2
Born on 17 Nov 1840 in Wayne County Ill.
Died in Orel Township, Wayne County, Il. on 5 Mar 1923, he was 82.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne City IL.
Occupation: Farmer.
Religion: Olive Branch Church.
Death cert.#:0960061 Orel Twp. Wayne Co. Il.
In 1861 when William Harrison was 20, he first married Lydia BOND, daughter of Elisha BOND (1812-) & Sarah "Sallie" CROSS.
Born on 29 Apr 1834.
Died on 27 Oct 1863, she was 29.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne Co. Il. 1910 census
They had the following children:
2 i. Charlie (1861-1932)
3 ii. Calvin (1863-1943)
On 7 Jul 1870 when William Harrison was 29, he second married Hannah Anne HARSHBAGER3,2, daughter of William HARSHBAGER (1820-1894) & Emily J. BROWN (1824-1889).1
Born on 16 Jan 1849 in Wayne County, IL.1
Died in Orel Township, Wayne County, Il. on 29 Dec 1928, she was 79.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne Co. Il.
Occupation: Farmer.
Religion: Olive Branch Church.
Death Cert#0960196 Orel Twp, Wayne Co. Il.
They had the following children:
4 i. Oliver Maurice (1871-1948)
5 ii. William Walter (1874-1947)
6 iii. Ruben Riley (1876-1954)
7 iv. Mary Anne (1879-1944)
8 v. Erlie Louise (1883-1962)
vi. Tamer Vermadell2.
Born
in 1886.
Died in Orel Township, Wayne County, Il. on 19 Oct 1947, she was 61.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery.
Death Cert# 0043908 Orel Twp. Wayne Co. Il.
Tamer Vermadell married Perry DRAPER.
Born in 1890.
Died in 1967, he was 77.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne County IL.
Military Service: Served in WWI.
Picture of Tamer Smith (Left) donated by Sharon Pilkington
vii. Nellie2.
Born on 24 Oct 1893.
Died on 14 Mar 1936, she was 42.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne Co. Il.
Nellie married Victor HALL, son of George HALL & Katy Agnes GOOD (1875-1970).
Born on 25 Dec 1897.
Died on 13 May 1970, he was 72.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne Co. Il.
Picture of Nellie Smith (Left) donated by Sharon Pilkington
viii. Esty2. Esty died in Coles Co. Il.
On 24 Dec 1913 Esty married Walter MEYERS.
Born on 7 Feb 1896.
Buried in Mt. Evergreen Cemetery Centralia IL.
Second Generation
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2. Charlie SMITH.1,4,2
Born on 9 Sep 1861 in Wayne Co. IL.
Died in Four Mile Twp., Wayne Co. IL on 27 Dec 1932, he was 71.
Buried in Crouch Cemetery,.
Occupation: Farmer, bought Smithville Corner Store, Apple orchard.
Death Cert# 0960198.
On 3 Feb 1884 when Charlie was 22, he married Alice DAVIS1,2, daughter of William C. DAVIS & Mary Jane WARFIELD.5
Born on 1 Nov 1862.
Died in Arrington Twp., Wayne Co., IL on 22 Jun 1917, she was 54.5
Buried in Rawls Cemetery/ later moved to Crouch.5
Death Cert# 0043396 Arrington Twp. Wayne Co. IL.
They had the following children:
9 i. Harrison Condetti "Condy" (1885-1962)
10 ii. Ralph Roy (1886-1955)
11 iii. Ezra H. (1889-1952)
12 iv. Ina (Ida) Pearl (1889-1954)
13 v. Charles Hoyt (1891-1952)
14 vi. Irna (Earna) C. (1894-1967)
15 vii. John R. (1895-1961)
3. Calvin SMITH.
Born on 16 Oct 1863.
Died in Four Mile Twp., Wayne Co. Il. on 27 Sep 1943, he was 79.
Buried in Thomason Cemetery, Wayne Co. IL.
Death Cert# 127 Four Mile Twp. Wayne Co. Il.
Calvin married Francis (Franny) CRISEL, daughter of Jack CRISEL & Eliza.
Born on 1 Jan 1870.
Died on 24 Oct 1959, she was 89.
Buried in Thomason Cemetery, Wayne Co. IL.
They had the following children:
16 i. Ethel (1898-1967)
ii. Ernest.
Born on 23 Dec 1907.
Died in 1970, he was 62.Ernest married Winfred KITTLE.
17 iii. George "Horsefly" (1895-1943)
iv. Louis Richard. Born in 1911. Louis Richard married Stella ANDERSON.
4. Oliver Maurice SMITH.1
Born on 22 Dec 1871.
Died in Orel Township, Wayne County, Il. on 21 Feb 1948, he was 76.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne County IL.
Occupation: Farmer,.
Death Cert# 0008823 Orel Twp. Wayne Co. Il.
Oliver Maurice married Myrtle MYERS1, daughter of Martin MYERS.
Born in 1880.
Died in 1955, she was 75.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery.
They had the following children:
18 i. William Homer (1899-1977)
19 ii. Ona (1902-)
Born on 15 Feb 1874.
Died in Arrington Twp., Wayne Co., IL on 13 Jan 1947, he was 72.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne County IL.
Death Cert#; 0004294 Arrington Twp., Wayne Co. 
Il.
On 17 Oct 1900 when William Walter was 26, he married Martha Louvisa RICHARDSON2, daughter of Edward Polk RICHARDSON (1844-1922) & Nancy Ann RAWLS (1851-1937).
Born on 17 Apr 1883. Martha
Died in Orel Township, Wayne County, Il. on 6 Oct 1932, she was 49.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne county IL.
Death cert. #: 0960153 Orel Twp., Wayne Co., Il.
Pictures of William Walter (Left)and Martha RICHARDSON Smith(right) donated by Sharon Pilkington
They had the following children:
i. James Maitland.
Born in Sep 1901.
Died in Sep 1901.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne County IL.
20 ii. Frieda Mabel (1903-1995)
ii. Maude2.
Born on 27 Aug 1905 in Wayne County, Illinois.
Died in Wayne County, Illinois on 13 Jul 1961, she was 55.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne Co., Il.
Occupation: ran a restaurant in Wayne city.
Cause of death: Shot 6 times.
Maude married Les KELSEY. Born on 8 Feb 1901. Died on 23 Nov 1967, he was 66. Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne Co., Il.
21 iv. William Maurice (1908-1983)
2. Ruben Riley SMITH.
Born in 1876.
Died in 1954, he was 78.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne County IL.
Ruben Riley married Bertha DAILEY.
Born in 1885.
Buried in olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne City IL.
They had one child:
22 i. Flossie
3. Mary Anne SMITH.
Born on 18 Jan 1879 in Wayne County IL,.
Died in Wayne County IL, on 14 Feb 1944, she was 65.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne County IL.
On 6 Nov 1901 when Mary Anne was 22, she married Lin Boyd KINGSTON. Occupation: Horse trader.
They had one child:
i. Georgia.
Picture of Mary Ann SMITH was donated by Sharon Pilkington
4. Erlie Louise SMITH.6,7,8
Born
on 16 Apr 1883 in Four Mile Twp., Wayne County, Illinois.
Died in Elgin Kane County Il. in 1962, she was 78.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne Co. Il.
On 24 Feb 1904 when Erlie Louise was 20, she married Charles R. CLOSE7,9,10,11, son of John CLOSE (1855-1926) & Martha Jane ELLIS (1856-1946).
Born on 23 Apr 1881.
Died in Loda, Illinois on 2 Jan 1953, he was 71.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne Co., Illinois.
NOTE: John and Martha Close buried in Thomason Cemetery. OBIT
Charlie & Erlie Smith Close picture from Albert Morgan
They had the following children:
i. Dessie B. 7,6,11.
Born April 4, 1909
Died Dec 2, 1977 Paxton Illinois.
Buried Glen Cemetery, Paxton Illinois
Married Dec 12, 1927 to Arlo Johnson Linder son of Jobie Sylvester and Nancy Jane BOYD Linder
Born Feb 17, 1906
Died Oct 16, 1970 Paxton Illinois
Buried Glen Cemetery, Paxton Illinois OBIT
ii. Alma Blanch7,6,11. Born on 30 Oct 1911. Died in Wayne Co., Illinois on 9 Jun 1983, she was 71.Buried in the Glen Cemetery, Paxton Illinois. OBIT
On 27 Oct 1930 when Alma Blanch was 18, she married Alfred Frederick CORK12, son of William Berryman CORK (1874-1932) & Clara Mae ELLINGWOOD, in Covington, Fountain Co. Indiana. Born on 19 May 1910 in Kent Twp., Warren Co. Indiana. Died in Kankakee, Il. on 2 Aug 1989, he was 79.
iii. Edna7,11.
On 19 Jun 1930 Edna married William Robert CORK12,11, son of William Berryman CORK (1874-1932) & Clara Mae ELLINGWOOD, in St. Louis Mo.
Born on 25 Mar 1906 in Williamsport, Indiana. William
Died in Elgin, Kane Co., Il. on 5 Apr 1983, he was 77.
They 
the following children
Burlen
Delmar
Versial
Omer
Ray
Karen married Stephens
Diana married Hamn
Jean Cork
Born July 1, 1926
Died Mar 3, 1990
Buried Glen Cemetery Paxton Illinois
Married Louis “Bud” Schwing son of Louis Edward & Rosa Schwing
Born Apr 13, 1923 Lawrenceburg Indiana
Died June 21, 1983 Mercy Hospital, Urbana
Picture and Obits donated by Sharon Pilkington
iii. William O.6,7,11 (Died as Infant).
Died in 1905.
Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne Co., Illinois.
iv. Muriel7,6,11 (Died as Infant).
a. Died in 1907.
b. Buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Wayne Co., Illinois.
Third Generation
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5. Harrison Condetti "Condy" SMITH.1,13,2
Born
on 5 Mar 1885 in Wayne County, Illinois.
Died in Decatur Macon City Hospital, Assumption, Illinois on 5 Oct 1962, he was 77.
Buried in Old Stonington Cemetery.
Occupation: Farmer.
On 12 Mar 1911 when Harrison Condetti "Condy" was 26,
he married Sara Ann TROTTER1,13, daughter of Joseph
TROTTER & Caroline JINES, in Wayne County, Illinois.
Born on 11 Dec 1894 in Hamilton Co. IL.
Died in Pana Nursing Center, Christian County, Pana, IL on 14 Jan 1974, she was 79.
Buried in Old Stonington Cemetery.
Pictures from Jim Smith
They had the following children:
23 i. Robert Raymond (1915-1981)
24 ii. Helen Blanche (1915-)
iii. William Harrison. Born on 14 Apr 1920.
William Harrison
Picture taken 1981
Picture Provided by Jim Smith
25 iv. Virginia Faye (1924-)
26 v. James Melvin (1927-1999)
v. Earna14.
Born on 29 Aug 1929.
Died on 29 Aug 1929.
Buried in Pointing Cemetery.14
vi. Charlie.
Born on 29 Aug 1929.
Died on 29 Aug 1929.
Buried in Pointing Cemetery.14
27 viii. Sadie Anne (1934-)
10. Ralph Roy SMITH. Born in 1886. Died in 1955, he was 69.
Ralph Roy married Easter WILLIAMSON. Born in 1889. Died in 1997, she was 108.
They had the following children:
i. Fayola. Born on 2 Oct 1922.Fayola married Chester GOLAB. Born on 10 Jul 1922. Died on 10 Jan 1985, he was 62.
28 ii. Ruby (1924-)
iii. Roy. Born on 4 Dec 1926. Roy first married Eleanor PEYTON. Roy second married Doris GREEN. Born on 16 Nov 1927.
29 iv. Norma Fern (1932-)
30 v. Harold (1934-)
11. Ezra H. SMITH. Born in 1889. Died in 1952, he was 63. Ezra H.. married Alma STAGEMAN. Born in 1896.
They had the following children:
i. Marietta . Born in 1922. Died on 14 Aug 1968, she was 46. Marietta married Roy D. SANNER. Born in 1917.
31 ii. Charles A. (1923-1982)
32 iii. Donald J. (1930-1988)
12. Ina Pearl SMITH.15,2
Born on 30 Nov 1889 in Wayne County IL,.
Died on 24 Aug 1954, she was 64.
On 24 Dec 1924 when Ina Pearl was 35, she married Milton FIELDS.5 Born on 13 Dec 1891. Died in Bell Prairie, Hamilton Co. IL in Aug 1976, he was 84.
They had the following children:
33 i. Woodrow Rields (1916-)
34 ii. Mavis Maurine (1921-)
13. Charles Hoyt SMITH.2 Born on 10 Jul 1891. Died on 1 May 1952, he was 60.
Charles Hoyt married Bertha MOORE. Born in 1895. Died in 1957, she was 62.
They had the following children:
35 i. Everett (1916-)
36 ii. Edna Marie (1917-)
37 iii. Mary Louise
Born in 1894.
Died in 1967, she was 73.
On 20 Dec 1916 when Irna (Earna) C. was 22, she married Jacob Leon JONES16,17, son of Isaac Newton (Squire) JONES (1860-1943) & Rozella ESTES (1858-1913).16
Born on 23 Feb 1895 in Opdyke, IL.
Died in Chicago Cook Co. IL on 23 Feb 1969, he was 74.
Buried in Skyline Memorial Park,.
Occupation: Illinois Central Railroad Conductor.
They had the following children:
38 i. Helen Rosella (1918-)
39 ii. Alice Leona (1920-1990)
40 iii. Ralph Leon (1922-)
15. John R. SMITH II.2 Born in 1895. Died in 1961, he was 66.
John R. first married Dorothy SPANGLER (WANGLER).
They had one child:
i. Suzanne.
John R. second married Laura WESNER. Laura died in 1963.
They had one child:
i. Sharon.
16. Ethel SMITH. Born on 1 Sep 1898. Died in 1967, she was 68.
Ethel married Guy Herbert BUCHANA. Born on 11 Jul 1896. Died in 1960, he was 63.
They had the following children:
41 i. Bonnie Lucille (1919-)
42 ii. Sarah (1921-)
iii. Guy Herbert. Born on 12 Apr 1926. Guy Herbert died on 12 May 1945, he was 19.
43 iv. Alva "Digger"
44 v. Barbara
vi. Millie. Millie married William FOTSCH.
vii. Ralph. Born on 26 Apr 1937. Died on 27 Oct 1973, he was 36. Ralph married Rosemary HICKS. Born on 20 Oct 1947.
45 viii. Charles
ix. Vernon Ray.
Born on 22 Feb 1895.
Died in Wayne City Village, County, IL on 25 Dec 1943, he was 48.
Buried in Thomason Cemetery, Wayne Co. IL.
Death cert. #:0000169 Wayne City, Wayne Co., Il.
George "Horsefly" first married Nettie EDMINSON.
Born on 17 Feb 1903.
Died on 26 Aug 1940, she was 37.
Buried in Thomason Cemetery, Wayne Co. Il.
They had the following children:
46 i. Dorothy Mae (Babe)
ii. Georgia.
47 iii. Helen
George "Horsefly" second married Louis DICK18.
18. William Homer SMITH.
Born on 18 Jan 1899.
Died on 15 Apr 1977, he was 78.
William Homer married Lillian S. TROTTER.
Born on 1 Mar 1907.
Died on 25 Sep 1993, she was 86.
They had the following children:
48 i. Bernard Paul (1926-1993)
49 ii. Edward Dale
iii. Joyce Ruth.
50 iv. Janella
19. Ona SMITH. Born on 16 Dec 1902.
Ona first married Lester DAVIS.
They had one child:
51 i. Norman (1922-)
Ona second married Floyd PIERCE.
20. Frieda Mabel SMITH.2
Born on 22 Feb 1903.
Died on 30 Sep 1995, she was 92.
On 26 May 1924 when Frieda Mabel was 21, she married Grady WRIGHT, son of Joseph Hooker WRIGHT & Jennie Lind HIND.
Born on 30 May 1902 in Wayne County Ky.
Died in Wayne County IL on 20 Jan 1977, he was 74.
They had the following children:
52 i. Dorman Dean
ii. Joyce Corrine. Born on 2 Jan 1935. Joyce Corrine married WEAVER.
53 iii. Grady Gene (1925-1994)
iv. Marjorie Eleanor.
v. Audrey Ruth.
vi. Walter Joseph.
Born on 28 Oct 1908 in Wayne County, Illinois.
Died on 11 May 1983, he was 74.
Buried in Maple Hill Cemetery, Fairfield Wayne County Illinois.
Occupation: Deep Rock Oil Co.
Religion: ordained a Deacon Olive Branch Church 1931.
Cause of death: Cancer.
William Maurice married May MALONE.
They had the following children:
54 i. Carla Ann (
ii. William.
22. Flossie SMITH.
Flossie married Syrus (Homer) McKINNEY.
They had the following children:
i. Marvin Dale.
ii. Darrell (Twin).
iii. Darlene (Twin).
Fourth Generation
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23. Robert Raymond SMITH.
Born on 6 Feb 1915.
Died in Poplar Bluff Mo. in Mar 1981, he was 66.
On 5 May 1934 when Robert Raymond was 19, he first married Lorraine DRAPER. Born in 1893.
They had the following children:
i. Virgie Ann
ii. Beverly Jean
On 7 Jun 1944 when Robert Raymond was 29, he second married Francis HOWARD (STOUT).
They had the following children:
i. Robert
ii. Sharon
iii. Patricia
iv. Richard
v. Yvonne
vi. Brenda
vii. James
viii. Sandra
24. Helen Blanche SMITH. Born on 27 Feb 1915 in Dahlgren, Wayne Co. IL.
On 5 Mar 1933 when Helen Blanche was 18, she married William Presley EVERLEN19, son of John Presley EVERLEN & Annie Mariah Harp , in Christian County, Illinois.
Born on 25 Jul 1906 in St. Elmo IL.
Died in St. John's Hospital, Springfield, Sangamon Co., IL. on 11 Mar 1981, he was 74.
Buried in Old Stonington Cemetery.
Occupation: Farmer, custodian for Old Stonington Cemetery.
They had the following children:
i. John Presley “Harrison”(Feb 17,1934)
ii. Alice Kay (July 12, 1936-)
iii. Karolyn Sue (Aug 21, 1938 – Apr 7, 1989)
iv. Patricia Lee (Mar 8,1940- July 4,1983 Decatur, Macon City Hospital)
v. Augustus Tom (Jan 3,1943)
vi. Helen Kathleen (Mar 15, 1945
25. Virginia Faye SMITH. Born on 20 Jul 1924.
On 26 Feb 1944 when Virginia Faye was 19, she married Lester E. (MOON) MULLEN14,20, son of Lyman MULLEN & Irma, in Pawnee, Illinois.14
Born on 16 Jun 1918 in Beecher City, Effingham Co., Illinois.
Died in St. John's Hospital, Springfield, Sangamon Co., IL. on 16 Oct 1995, he was 77.
Buried in Oak Hill Cemetery,.
Occupation: gas station Morrisonville Illinois and farmer Raymond Illinois.14
NOTE: Lester had both legs amputated just below knee joint when 13 or 14 due to train accident.
They had the following children:
i. Sandra S.20
ii. Lester Randy14,20
26. James Melvin SMITH.21
Born
on 20 Jan 1927 in Stonington, Christian Co., Il.14
Died in Danville VA Hospital, Danville Vermilion Co., Il. on 14 Mar 1999, he was 72.14
Buried in Oak Hill Cemetery,.
Occupation: Oliver's Garage to 1951 then Georgia Pacific Paper 1951-1972.
Military Service: U. S. Army Vet served April 13, 1945 to October 28 1947.
On 1 Sep 1945 when James Melvin was 18, he married Teresa Elaine DURBIN, daughter of Joseph Glenn DURBIN (1899-1934) & Mary Mae NORRIS (1906-1979), in Taylorville, Christian Co., Illinois.14,21 Born 1927.
Picture from Jim Smith
They had the following children:
i. Janet Elaine
ii. James Thomas
iii. Nancy Jean
iv. Tina Marie
27. Sadie Anne SMITH.
Sadie Anne first married Harry FORT (FOOTE).
They had the following children:
i. Doreen
ii. Ernie
iii. Sam
Sadie Anne second married Charles BARNES.
Sadie Anne third married Ernest DURBIN.
They had the following children:
i. James T.
ii. Beth Ann
iii. Vivian
28. Ruby SMITH. Born on 23 Jul 1924.Ruby married Donald REED. Born on 30 Jun 1920.
They had the following children:
i. Michael D.
ii. Kathryn Anne
iii. Robert Allen
29. Norma Fern SMITH. Born 1932.
Norma Fern first married Willard JACKSON.
They had one child:
i. Sally
Norma Fern second married Floyd FOREMAN.
Born on 5 Apr 1925.
Died on 8 Oct 1990, he was 65.
30. Harold SMITH. Born on 11 Jan 1934. Harold married Wilma FENTON.
They had one child:
i. Kevin Dean (1960-)
31. Charles A. SMITH. Born in 1923. Died on 17 May 1982, he was 59. Charles A. married May L. ROLLER. Born in 1921.
They had the following children:
i. Charles A.
ii. Cheyl A.
iii. Constance
iv. Alma Christine
v. Curtis A.
vi. Cecelia A.
vii. Christopher
viii. Steven A.
32. Donald J. SMITH.
Born on 7 Oct 1930.
Died on 29 Feb 1988, he was 57.
Donald J. married Joan SILVERS. Born 1929.
They had the following children:
i. David J.
ii. Donna J.
iii. Debora J.
iv. Denise M.
v. Mary Ann
vi. Daniel
vii. Donald
33. Woodrow Rields FIELDS. Born in 1916. Woodrow Rields married Zella RAWLES. Born in 1917.
They had one child:
i. Judith Ann
34. Mavis Maurine FIELDS. Born 1921 in Hamilton County IL.