OWEN H

Owen H. Smith was born February 9, 1827 in Houston Ferry, Harris Co., GA. His parents were Simeon Smith and Levina Perry. He married Nancy Caroline Poer December 11, 1843 in Harris Co., GA.

Nancy Caroline Poer was the daughter of Aaron Poer and Nancy Spencer. She was born May 12, 1827 in Fulton Co., Georgia and died March 17, 1907 in Harris Co., Georgia.

Owen's occupation was listed as "farmer" on census records, but at one time he was also a Reverend at New Hope Methodist Church in Harris Co., GA.

REV. OWEN D. SMITH

Owen D. Smith was born on February 9, 1824. He married Caroline Damey Poer on December 11, 1844. She was born near Cartersville, Georgia (Dekalb County). One of Caroline's sisters married a McIver and died near Cartersville, Georgia.

Children: Mary Elizabeth married Marsh Jennings

Nancy Ann married a Daniel

Elizabeth Rebecca married a Hamer

Margaret Polistine married a Parker

Benjamin Clark married a Thompson

Jim Franklin married a Parker

Sally married Charley Sands (nephew of James Henderson Sands)

Charley Morgan married a Piper

Lula Carolina married a Piper

Owen Kenney married a Chase

Ida Estelle married George Weldon

Emma Lauren died as an infant

Billie died at nine years of age

Mary Frances (Mother's Grandmother) -married James Henderson Sands (Mother's Grandfather)

Owen D. Smith bought a piece of land with Confederate money for Billie Smith, his brother, just before the money became useless and gave Billie the land. This is known as Uncle Billy's place.

Owen had some gold and silver and before the raid of the Federal soldiers (or Highwaymen) he buried all his gold, silver, and jewelry out in the swamp. He also put the horses and mules there. They had a meat box and they put it in a gulley some distance from the house. They lived on the road between West Point and Columbus, Georgia. Men rode their horses in the halls of his house and tore up everything in sight trying to find the gold, silver and jewelry. They took horses and food. Owen Smith came home on a furlow just before the end of the war. His health was very poor. The conditions in the army at this time were very bad and all hope of winning the war was gone. The Confederate Army was fighting on, without hope, without food and without clothing. The Federals were on their tracks and traced them by the traces of blood left on the trail. Owen Smith had just completed a 20 mile hike through a bad winter blizzard on iced roads with shoes. He was determined to stay home and raise a crop as the family was in a bad way for food. Calvary were sent out to round up the men who were leaving the Army by the thousands to go home and work in the fields to save their families from starvation. Owen had ten acres of new land on his farm. He would hide in the brush when the searchers came. He worked what time he could to start the farm producing again. Uncle Jim remembers going to carry food to his father, Owen. Typhoid fever came to the family. Eight members of the family were ill with it at the same time. Caroline and Margaret nursed the others, while they themselves were suffering from the disease. Their father Owen D. Smith died on June 15, 1880.

(source unknown - contributed by Rex Sands)

Owen died June 15, 1880. Owen and Nancy are both buried in the New Hope Methodist Church Cemetery in Harris Co., GA.

Obit:
Rev.Owen H. Smith b, Feb. 9, 1824 d. June 15, 1880

Whereas it has pleased Almighty God. In His providence to remove by death from our church and Quarterly conference our beloved brother Owen H. Smith, a faithful local deacon.

Resolved 1. That in the death of our dear brother, the church has lost one of its truest and best friends as well one of its most active and acceptable workers - the community a worthy citizen, his wife a devoted husband, his children a kind cheerful and provident father.

2. That while we fully realize our great loss, we will try with christian resignation to submit to this wise dispensation of God which has removed him from our Church and Quarterly Conference, to the Church triumphant to be ever with the Lord.

3. That his wife and children have our prayers and sympathies in their sad bereavement

4. that the foregoing preamble and resolutions be entered on the Quarterly conference record, and that a copy be furnished the Wesleyn Christian.

Obit:
SMITH - Mrs Nancy Caroline Smith, nee Poer, calmly fell asleep at the home of her daughter Mrs. J. H. Sands, near Five Points, Ala. March 17, 1907, after a severe illness of several months. She was born in Fulton County, Ga. May 12, 1827, and moved to Harris county, Ga, in the year 1832; was happily married to Rev. Owen H. Smith December 12, 1844. From this union there were fifteen children-thirteen of whom are now living. In 1880 she was left a
widow and was a faithful and loving mother for many years a joy and comfort to her children and grandchildren who will greatly miss her gentle ministrations and often sigh "for the touch of a vanished hand and the sound of a voice that is still" In early life she Joined the Methodist Church and was a consistent member of the same until her death. she possessed a beautiful Christisn character, and was ever ready to minister to those in need and distress, preferring always to serve rather than being served. Her funeral was preached by Rev. W. W. Gaines, her pastor. A large number of relatives and friends were present to manifest their love for her, and sympathy for the bereaved ones
We laid her body to rest In New Hope Cemetery, beside the dust of her honored husband, there to await the resurrection morn We will miss her presense here, but hope some day to meet where sorrow and parting are unknown. When the angle shall open his record, may the names of all her precious ones be found written in the Lambs Book of Life, is the Prayer of this writer.