Last week I told you a little about the brick wall on my Smith line. I am still searching for information on my James W. Smith. I have information on his wife and most of his children, just not his parents and siblings.
I have no proof of a marriage date or place of James W. Smith and Sarah Benge, but family lore says the marriage occurred in 1851 in Jasper County, MS. I have searched the marriage records both online and in the courthouse in Bay Springs, but have had no luck. I know their children's names, Arabellia Smith, Arthur Smith, Jimmy Smith, Cora Smith, Clara Smith, Celeste Smith, Evelyn Truman Smith, Emma Smith, Artemis Vernon Smith, Miranda Smith, and Horace Everett Smith (my great-grandfather). Several of the children did not live to see adulthood. The ancestors I can trace the most are Evelyn Truman Smith and Horace Everett Smith. The information I have proven on these two led me to their mother, Sarah Ann Margaret Benge. Researching her, I found a Widows Pension Application Record that led to the death date she gave for James Smith, her husband. I am unsure if this is an accurate date of death as all she stated was on or about 01 Dec 1896. No place of death is given. The application was filled out in Hot Spring County, Arkansas.
Some tips I have used in researching my great-great-grandfather may help you research your ancestors.
Revisit your old research. You never know what you may have missed on the first go. Something new may pop right out at you.
Reach out to other researchers. Many of the social media sites now have family groups you could join.
Something we hardly ever utilize is a letter-writing campaign. Contact some of your older relatives and see if they might have information to share. Some of the older generations are a walking family history treasure! If given the chance, they may answer some of your questions. In your letter, be sure to include your contact information and how you are related to them. Include a list of questions you would like answered.
Go slow and steady in your research. Take your time to research your ancestor thoroughly.
Try starting over on a particular ancestor. Would you believe that restarting my research on James Smith is how I found his wife's pension application?
I am in the process of widening my search on James Smith. I am taking each child and his wife and trying to compile a state-by-state research. I know this particular Smith line ended up in Arkansas, but I also know there was a time they were in Missouri and Mississippi. One or two even have records from Alabama!
I am creating a timeline of the ancestors I have proven information for. This timeline should help me locate more records!
Please feel free to contact me if you need help with your genealogy research.
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