A Brief History of the Atkins, Stewart, and Smith Families - New Page 1
A Brief History of the Atkins, Stewart, and Smith Families - New Page 1
A Brief History of the Atkins, Stewart, and Smith Families - New Page 1
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Unfortunately, no record <strong>of</strong> Louis (or Lewis) Clevel<strong>and</strong> <strong>Smith</strong>, Sr. can be found in <strong>the</strong> US census<br />
in 1860. Lewis would have been about 33 years old in 1860. As we will see later, he did not<br />
marry until 1871.<br />
Note: Two spellings <strong>of</strong> Lewis have been found: Lewis <strong>and</strong> Louis. His military draft card spells it<br />
Louis as we will see later, so that is probably <strong>the</strong> correct spelling.<br />
1870<br />
Louis Clevel<strong>and</strong> <strong>Smith</strong>, Sr. could not be found in <strong>the</strong> 1870 census. The reasons are unclear at this<br />
time.<br />
1880<br />
Louis Clevel<strong>and</strong> <strong>Smith</strong>, Sr could also not be found in <strong>the</strong> 1880 census.<br />
1890<br />
The 1890 census was mostly lost to a fire in 1921.<br />
1900<br />
Louis Clevel<strong>and</strong> <strong>Smith</strong>, Sr. presents us with a major tracking problem. His parents, Thomas <strong>and</strong><br />
Nancy are clearly documented in <strong>the</strong> 1850 <strong>and</strong> 1860 census. However, Louis is only listed in <strong>the</strong><br />
1850 census as a single man working on someone else’s farm. He does not appear in US census<br />
taken in 1860, 1870, 1880, <strong>and</strong> 1890. He is also not listed in <strong>the</strong> 1900 census. O<strong>the</strong>r data sources<br />
suggest he died in 1888.<br />
On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r h<strong>and</strong>, we have a record <strong>of</strong> his marriage. The Arkansas Marriages 1851 – 1900<br />
database lists <strong>the</strong> marriage <strong>of</strong> Lewis (actual spelling) <strong>Smith</strong> <strong>and</strong> Jane Brinkley on 5 January 1871<br />
in Conway, Arkansas. Cross referencing this item to o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>Smith</strong> family public trees on<br />
ancestry.com, it is safe to assume that Lewis is Lewis (Louis) Clevel<strong>and</strong> <strong>Smith</strong>, Sr. <strong>and</strong> that Jane<br />
is Sarah Jane Brinkley.<br />
Since census data is lacking, I will document Louis between 1850 <strong>and</strong> 1900 using Public Family<br />
trees from www.ancestry.com.<br />
Louis Clevel<strong>and</strong> <strong>Smith</strong>, Sr. was born in Lawrence County, Indiana, on 1 May 1827 to Thomas S.<br />
<strong>and</strong> Nancy <strong>Smith</strong>. For some time between 1827 <strong>and</strong> 1871, he worked as a farmer. There is no<br />
evidence that he was married in this time frame.<br />
Sometime before 1871, he moved to Faulkner County, Arkansas, possibly to Conway. On 5<br />
January 1871 he married Sarah Jane Brinkley in Conway, Faulkner County, AR. At <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong><br />
this marriage, Louis was 44 years old while Sarah was about 18 years old having been born in<br />
August 1853 in South Carolina.<br />
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