William Smith

William Smith's son, Jacob, married Susan Warner and they came from Maryland to Seneca County about 1833. He was employed as a carpenter, shoemaker, and maker of ax handles and related tools. About 1842 he bought 150 acres, which, with the help of his sons, he developed into a fine farm and lived there the remainder ofhis life, dying about 1885. His wife died in 1887. They had eight children: Ellen, John, Lewis, Daniel R., George, Alyann, Margaret, and Jacob.

John and Lewis married sisters, the daughters of Peter and Dora (Biles) Shidler. Mr. Shidler was a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and his wife came from Germany. They settled in Seneca County about 1833 and bought 80 acres of land which they made their home until their deaths, 1869 and 1896, respectively.

The brothers and their families settled in Henry County about 1870. Lewis bought a farm in northwestern Damascus Twp. and John bought one nearby in Harrison Twp. Here they began farming and raised a family. John's family included Ann, Ida, Jonas, Rosa, and Delmar. After the death of John's wife, Jemima, in 1881, he married Caroline (Brillhart) Baughman and they had a daughter, Erma. John died in 1927 and Caroline predeceased him by several years.

Delmar married Blanche Fiser in 1900 and they had five children: a daughter and Lester died in infancy, Eva, Marian, and Donald. They began housekeeping on Delmar's father's homestead, and later moved to the Fiser home, nearby, which they purchased. Blanche died in 1942 and in 1946 Delmar married Maud (Patterson) Wilcox and they moved back to the Smith Homestead. Delmar died in 1949 and Maud died in 1971.

His daughter, Eva, married Orley Sturdavant (son of Elmar and Alice) in April, 1925, and they had six children: Marilyn, deceased, was the wife of Dr. Gerald Huber, and the mother of Peggy (Mrs. Steve Brenner) and Cliff of Defiance; Janelle is married to Julian Rohrbaugh and they have two children, Susan and James. They live in Bryan; James was killed in an airline crash during the Korean War. He was in the Air Force; Anella, married to Charles Houts, has three sons, Steven, Mark, and Jeff and they live in Napoleon; Neal married Opal (Elling) and their children are Joe, Cyndi, and Karen. They live near Neal's parents, in Shunk; Linda is married to John Yaney of Napoleon and they have two children, John Jess and Carrie.

Marian completed her education at Flower Hospital School of Nursing and married Harry Ziems in October, 1938. They had three children, Fredrick, andtwin daughters: one died in infancy and Mary Kaye died at the age of 15. Fred married June Hall and they have four children: Julia, Fred, Jr., Todd, and Joe. They all live in Toledo.

Donald married Irene Jennings, daughter of Ray and Geneva (Whitehead) Jennings, in April, 1937, and they continued to farm the Fiser farm. In 1938 they also purchased the Smith Homestead then owned by Jonas Smith, an uncle.

The parents of two children, they still live on the Fiser Homestead. Their son Thomas, died at age 21. Their daughter, Barbara, married Patrick Parsons from Liberty Center. They have three children, Lori Lynn, Lisa Lee, and Steven Thomas, and they live in the house built by John Smith in 1876.

Submitted by Mrs. Pat Parsons