JOSEPH SMITH is a son of Ralph Smith, whose father, also named Ralph, emigrated from England many years ago, and located permanently in Washington county , Penn. His son, Ralph, was born in East Pike Run township, Washington Co., Penn., and was a slave until twenty-eight years of age. When a young man he was married to Mrs. Elizabeth H. (Shiveley) Hazelbaker, a widow, who bore him four children, viz.: Henry (deceased), Joseph, James (living in West Pike Run township) and Louisa (deceased). Mrs. Smith was also the mother of four children by her first marriage, namely: Daniel, Abraham, Jacob and Polly, all of whom are now deceased. The mother of these children died in 1850 and was interred in the Quaker cemetery in East Bethlehem township; in 1858 she was followed by her husband, who was buried in the Baptist cemetery at Washington. Joseph Smith was born August 20, 1806, in East Pike Run township, Washington Co., Penn., and had no opportunity to secure a literary training, being obliged to give his whole time to farm work. In early life he was united in marriage with Mary Brown, who was born in 1815, in Washington county, Penn. Their children were born as follows: Matilda, wife of Jacob Simons, a Baptist minister of Monongahela City; Joseph, deceased; Henry, a resident of West Bethlehem township; Simeon, a farmer of West Bethlehem township; William, deceased; John; James; Mary, wife of Howard Wallace; Margaret; and George, deceased. James now residing in East Bethlehem township, was married to Jennie Maxwell, who die May 2, 1892, leaving three children: Mabel, Hazel and Eli. She was a member of the African M. E. Church. The father of these children is well known in West Pike township as an honest, industrious citizen. He began life as a farm laborer, pushing coal boats during the fall and winter, and by strict economy at length saved enough to purchase 194 acres of good land. He devotes most of his time to the care of this place. Mrs. Smith died in 1880, a member of the M. E. Church; Mr. Smith is associated with the U. P. Church, and in politics he is a Republican.

Text taken from page 743 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed February 1998 by Al Roberts of Grass Valley, CA as part of the Beers Project. Published February 1998 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

[ Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]