Forwarded with permission from Wilma Smith <[email protected]> She also has more info, contact her directly at above address. pat >Centennial History of Grant County Ind. > >"Paschal B. Smith. Though not among the oldest residents of Grant county, >which has been his home since l900, Mr. Smith has so effectively identified >himself with the spirit and activities of the county that he is regarded as >one of the most valued citizens. Mr. Smith is a big man, not only in >physical proportions, but in Character and heart, is big hearted, generous >and hospitable, and at the same time is a very practical and successful >farmer who believes in going ahead all the time. Paschal B. Smith, the >oldest of thirteen children, was born on the old Virginia homestead, February >24, l853. His education was received in the common schools, and as he grew >up he became acquainted by practical experience with the activities of his >father's farm. There he continued to live until twenty three years of age. >On July l6, l875, just one year before the centennial celebration of American >Independence, he married Elizabeth Gardner, a native of Scott County, >Virginia, where she was born September 22, l856. Her parents were Ewel and >Margaret (Barnhart) Gardner, natives of Scott County, where they lived and >died prosperous farmers. Mr. Gardner was a California forty-niner, spending >more than three years on the western coast, and having exceptional fortune in >mining and his other ventures. After returning to Virginia, he gave all his >attention to the cultivation of a large plantation. He was born in l8l0 and >died August l7, l890. His wife died March 6, l904 when past eighty years of >age. They were a Methodist family. Of the large family of children in the >Gardner household, Mrs. Smith and a brother live in Indiana, the latter being >J. Perry Gardner of Gas City in Grant county. After the marriage of Mr. >Smith and wife, they lived ona farm in Virginia until the turn of the >century. They then came to Grant County and located on the Schrader farm, >near Jonesboro, and three years later took possession and began operating one >hundred and sixty acres in the Solomon Wise farm in section fifteen of >Fairmount township. He has proved very successful in Grant county >agriculture, grows large quantity of hay, clover, corn, oats andwheat, and >with the exception of the wheat practically every pound of his crops is fed >to the stock on the place. As already noted, Mr. Smith is a hustler and one >of the best farmers in this section of the county. He and his wife have >seven sons and three daughters living, mentioned as follows l. Stephen R., a >farmer in Mill township, married Lillie Fleenor, without children. 2. >Calvin D., who married Ethel Overman, lives on a farm in Jefferson township >and had two children Virginia and Ilene the later dying in infancy. 3. >Charl,es L. is a farmer in Mill township and by his marriage to Bertha Clay >has three children, L. Vera, Virgil Lee, and Edgar R. 4. James C., who is a >foreman in the Jonesboro Rubber Company, married Margaret Jones and their two >children are Warren H. and E.E., 5. Henry C., married Susan Swartz, lives in >Jonesboro, and has a daughter, Darlene. 6. Daisy E. was liberally educated >in the grade and high schools and is now living at home. 7 Maudella, a >graduate of the high school and Marion Normal College holding a teacher's >license, lives at home. 8 Woody M. is a junior in the Fairmount Academy 9 >Joseph L. attends the public school and the younges, Gladys D. is also a >student. One child Orville S., died at the age of twenty-eight years, >unmarried. Mr. and Mrs. Smith hold to no particular church though their >children attend the Methodist Protestant Sunday School. In politics he is a >Democrat" > >Note: There numerous descendants of Samuel and Rachel Stinson Smith who are >buried on a hill on their property. The cemetery is probably in the worse >condition of any I have visited. >