David Smith 1844 - 1923

David Smith
 son of John & Hannah (Stuffick) Smith
Born September 16 1844
Died September 15 1923
Married
 Ellen Dieffenbacher
daughter of  Benjamin & Maria Sophia (Troxell) Dieffenbacher
Born July 27 1842
Died June 30, 1918



Children:
Mary Magdalena Smith 1866 – 1866
William Grant Smith 1868 – 1887
Emma Elmira Smith 1871 – 1871
Ella Minta May Smith 1872 – 
(Twin) Benjamin Franklin Smith 1875 – 1941
(Twin) John Edward Smith 1875 – 1930 m. Matilda Corderman
David Alfred Smith 1878 – 
Lillie Birdie Smith 1881 – 1881

1844- David Smith Is Born

David's death certificate tells us he was born September 16th 1844, to parents John & Hannah (Stoflett or Stuffick) Smith.  His birthday is confirmed on census records & his tombstone. 

1850 Census

Name: David Smith

Age: 6

Estimated Birth Year: abt 1844

Birth Place: Pennsylvania

Gender: Male

Home in 1850 (City,County,State): Anthony, Montour, Pennsylvania

Family Number: 130

Household Members:

Name Age

John Smith 63

Hannah Smith 53

Stephen Smith 28

Janes Smith 21

James Smith 18

George Smith 16

Levi Smith 12

Samuel Smith 10

David Smith 6

John Smith 3

Jane Smith 19

1860 Census

Name: David Smith

Age in 1860: 16

Birth Year: abt 1844

Home in 1860: Anthony, Montour, Pennsylvania

Gender: Male

Post Office: Exchange

Value of real estate: View image

Household Members:

Name Age

John Smith 64

Hannah Smith 57

Levi Smith 21

Samuel Smith 18

David Smith 16

John Smith 13

Sarah A Smith 6

Jonas Smith 30

Mary Smith 21

Hannah M Smith 4/12

Twins (Benjamin Franklin) Frank &  (John Edward) Edward Smith

1880 Census

Name: David Smith

Home in 1880: Anthony, Montour, Pennsylvania

Age: 35

Estimated Birth Year: abt 1845

Birthplace: Pennsylvania

Relation to Head of Household: Self (Head)

Spouse's Name: Ellen Smith

Father's birthplace: Le HI Count

Mother's birthplace: Pennsylvania

Neighbors: View others on page

Occupation: Farmer

Marital Status: Married

Race: White

Gender: Male

View image

Household Members:

Name Age

David Smith 35

Ellen Smith 37

William Smith 12

Elementa Smith 8

Benjamine Smith 5

John E. Smith 5

David F. Smith 2

John Neaser 20

Ellis Earnes 15

Etta Anderson 16

1900 Census

Name: David Smith

Home in 1900: Anthony, Montour, Pennsylvania

Age: 56

Birth Date: Sep 1844

Birthplace: Penna

[Pennsylvania] 

Race: White

Gender: Male

Relationship to head-of-house: Head

Father's Birthplace: Penna

Mother's Birthplace: Penna

Spouse's Name: Ellen Smith

Marriage Year: 1865

Marital Status: Married

Years Married: 35

Occupation: View on Image

Neighbors: View others on page

Household Members:

Name Age

David Smith 56

Ellen Smith 58

Frank Smith 24

Susan Smith 20

Edward Smith 24

David F Smith 22

John Weasner 55

1920 Census

Name: David Smith

Home in 1920: Anthony, Montour, Pennsylvania

Age: 76

Estimated Birth Year: abt 1844

Birthplace: Pennsylvania

Relation to Head of House: Father

Father's Birth Place: Pennsylvania

Mother's Birth Place: Pennsylvania

Marital Status: Single

Race: White

Sex: Male

Able to read: Yes

Able to Write: Yes

Neighbors: View others on page

Household Members:

Name Age

Edward J Smith 44

Matild E Smith 40

Clyde L Smith 16

Mary O Smith 14

George E Smith 10

Minnie E Smith 9

Sarah E Smith 6

Lawrence A Smith 3

David Smith 76

1923 - David Died

Danville News

September 15 1923

Research Notes:

From Historical and biographical annals of Columbia and Montour counties ...

DAVID SMITH, an old-time farmer of Anthony township, Montour county, located just east of Exchange, has been a lifelong resident of this section, having been born in the township (where Samuel Smith afterward lived) Sept. 10, 1844, son of John Smith.

John Smith, father of David Smith, was born about 1800 in Berks county, Pa., and died in 1881, at the age of eighty-one. He was married in Lehigh county, Pa., to Hannah Stufflick, also of Berks county, who died in 1887, at theage of eigh ty-three years. Mr. and Mrs. Smith came to what is now Montour county from Lehigh county, about 1835, settling where Samuel Smith afterward resided. Mr. Smith was always a farmer. His first purchase was two hundred acres, to which he added as prosperity enabled him, owning four hundred acres at the time of his death, which occurred April 25, 1879. He and his wife, who died in October, 1882, are buried in the Turbotville German Reformed Cemetery. They were strict church members. They had a family of twelve children, of whom two survive, David, the eleventh in the family, and Levi, now living retired at Norristown, Pennsylvania.

David Smith was reared on the farm where he was born and received his education in the neighborhood. There he did farm work until twenty-one years old, when he married and moved to another place in Anthony township, at the crossroad schoolhouse, where he followed agricultural pursuits on his own account for something over twenty years. He made practically all the improvements on that place, and put up all the buildings except the barn, erecting a good house, at a cost of between $2,000 and $2,500, besides the labor. From there Mr. Smith moved in 1889 to his present location, east of Exchange, where he is still carrying on general farming and stock raising, and he owns a steam threshing machine which he operates during the season, finding plenty of work in the locality. He has always been enterprising and industrious, and has frequently had other interests to attend to in addition to his farming. In July, 1885, he was commissioned to carry the United States mail daily between Danville and Exchange, and was engaged at this work for two years and six months. He has served his township five years as supervisor, to which office he was first elected in 1883, and he has always been active in politics in the interest of the Republican party. He was reared in the faith of the Reformed Church, and holds membership at Strawberry Ridge, where his wife also belongs.

On Sept. 26, 1865, Mr. Smith was married to Ellen C. Dieffenbacher, who was born July 22, 1841, in Derry township, Montour county,daughter of Benjamin and Mary Sophia (Troxel) Dieffenbacher. Her father, bom in Derry township May n, 1812, died May 11, 1900, at the home of David Smith. During his later years he made his home with his three daughters, Mrs. William Berger, Mrs. Joel Bitler and Mrs.Smith. The mother, born in Lehigh county, Pa., Oct. 9, 1823, died July 16, 1876, and was buried at the Strawberry Ridge cemetery. Mr. Dieffenbacher was one of the organizers of that church. He and his wife were married June 18, 1840.

Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, of whom four are living: Ella Minta May, born Nov. 28, 1872, is the wife of Williams Mills, of Exchange, and has two children; Benjamin Franklin, born Aug. 16, 1875, married Susie Snyder, of Anthony township, and they have three children; John Edmund, born Aug. 16, 1875 (twin of Benjamin F.), now farming with his father, married Tillie Corderman and has five children; David Alfred, born March 6, 1878, married Ella Cowell, of Anthony township, and has two children. The deceased are Mary Magdalena, born July 22, 1866, died Aug. 20, 1866; William Grant, born Sept. 27, 1868, died Oct. 6, 1887; Emma Elmi ra, born March 27, 1871, died Sept. 6, 1871; Lillie Birdie, born Jan. 4, 1881, died Aug. 25, 1881.

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DAVID SMITH, farmer and United State mail carrier, P. O. Exchange, was born in what is now Anthony Township, this county, where Samuel Smith now lives, September 10, 1842, son of John and Hannah (Stufflick) Smith. John Smith, father of David, came to this county from Lehigh and settled where Samuel now resides about 1835. He was married in Lehigh County, to Miss Hannah Stufflick and when they came to Montour County he bought 200 acres, and to this he added until he had 400 acres at the time of his death, which occurred April 25, 1879; his widow survived him until October, 1882. They are buried in Turbotville German Reformed Cemetery. John Smith was always a farmer, and was a strict member of the church. Mr. and Mrs. John Smith were the parents of twelve children, of which David is eleventh. Our subject was reared at the place of his birth, and was married September 26, 1865, to Miss Ellen Dieffenbacher, a native of Derry Township, this county, and daughter of Benjamin and Sophia (Troxell) Dieffenbacher, former of whom was born in Derry Township, this county, May 11, 1812, and latter in Lehigh County, Penn., in 1823. She died July 31, 1876, and is buried at the Strawberry Ridge Church. Mr. Benjamin Dieffenbacher was one of the organizers of that church. He now makes his home with his three daughters: Mrs. William Berger, Mrs. Joel Bitler, and Mrs. David Smith. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. David Smith removed to their present location, and since that time they have made all the improvements on the place, with the exception of the barn. The house was built at a cost of between $2,000 and $2,500, besides the labor. They are the parents of eight children, of whom five are living: William Grant; Ella Minta May; Benjamin Franklin and John Edmund, Elmira and Lillie Birdie. Mr. Smith received his commission to carry the mails daily between Danville and Exchange, from the United States Government in July, 1885. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Strawberry Ridge Reformed Church, as is also their eldest son. Mr. Smith in politics is a Republican. (History of Columbia and Montour Counties Pennsylvania, Battle, 1887, pg. 189 Transcribed by Tammy L. Clark)