Edward Whitfield Smith was born at Wreckington, Durham, England on the 30th day of January, 1837. He was the third son of Thomas Smith and Mary Usher. To greet him were Ralph, Thomas and a Sister. He was baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on the fourth day of January 1846. At the same time, his mother and elder brother, Ralph were baptized. Henry Campbell, a Priest of record in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints performed the ceremony in a shaded pool of clear water near Witton Castle, Durham, England. On February 17, 1846, he was confirmed a member of the Church by George T. Waugh at a meeting in Woodside Cottage, Durham England.
Then came repercussions, denunciations, persecution, and ridicule from former friends and neighbors who had listened to the rumors and falsehoods about the Mormon Church and were influenced by their ministers to revile against the Church of Jesus Christ and all who joined it.
As a result of this persecution, Edward's Father, Thomas Smith, moved his small family from place to place, always seeking a locality where they could live in peace and worship the true and living God. Accordingly he would move from time to time but so active were those influenced by the power of darkness that there was no peace. Money was increasingly hard to earn and in Thomas was born the desire to take his family away from all this unfriendliness to a new land, a land where freedom of worship was assured. In his heart grew the hope that soon he would be able to take them to the United States of America, to Utah, the land of Zion.
So strong was this desire that he studied the gospel that his wife and children had accepted and when his knowledge of it was sufficient he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on the first day of January 1850. He had a firm conviction that his Father in Heaven would open the way for him to accomplish his purposes and plans for protecting his family.
Glowing reports about Australia as a land of opportunity came to his ears and Thomas began to inquire into the rumors and facts. Some of his relatives offered to take him to Australia and pay his way, so that in the land down under he might be able to obtain the means to carry out his desires in regards to his family.
Tom between the necessary long absence from his family, his love for them, and his impelling drive that urged him to take them to Utah, he finally made his decision: He would go to Australia, make the money necessary then take his family to the land of freedom, the land of Zion. It was the power of Elias moving invisibly upon the hearts of his children, gathering them out of every nation, one of a city and two of a family.
Perhaps Thomas didn't recognize the full urge of this call that lay upon him so heavily, but his decision was made after prayerful consideration. He kissed his lovely wife and five beautiful children good-by, and with their tears and parting endearments misting his own determined starry eyes he resolutely sailed from England on the 10th day of July, the pleasant summer of 1852.
Then the money began to come in regularly. At last, success was with Thomas. Mary, his good wife, and Edward and the other children carefully laid the surplus aside into their immigration fund They sacrificed and saved and developed to a high degree the spirit of thrift which in later life characterized the entire life of the boys, and the girls also of this family especially it was strong in Edward. The letters from Australia came and the messages of love and devotion from the husband and father, and the fund grew until it was enough to do the job for them. It was enough to take them to America and Utah, the home of the Latter Day Saints. Off went a letter with cheerful information and they waited for Thomas' return so they could all emigrate together.
A letter came at last, not in Thomas' handwriting, and with her heart almost standing still, Mary gathered her family around her and read it to them. Their father was dead He had passed away in Australia after a short illness.
Thomas had given his life that his family might live in peace. Mother Smith settled the affairs, covered the pain and loss in her heart, wiped away the tears and set forth to fulfill the desires to Thomas and herself.
In the meantime, Edward was ordained to the Priesthood and became a deacon in the church on the 7th day of October 1854. Those ordaining him included Elders, John Rutledge, John Jones, his brother Ralph Smith who had previously been ordained an Elder, and Henry E. Phelps. At this time they were residing in the Durham Branch of Newcastle Conference, which in our time would be a branch in one of the mission districts. Then in November of 1854, with the money their father had sent, Edward, his mother, two brothers, and one sister left their home for Liverpool where they would set sail for the United States of America, the land of Zion.
They viewed the stormy sea with mountainous waves tossing up to meet dark overhanging clouds, foamy whitecaps whipped with a high gale roared past the breakers and lashed the harbor. Swallowing their fear and placing their trust in God who had brought them thus far, they mounted the gang-plank, walked past the worried captain, and lining the rail for a moment they waved goodbye to "Merry Old England." It had been their birthplace and home. Friends and neighbors were there. In their veins flowed the proud blood of English Peers, yet it had turned them out because of their new found truth. Fresh in their minds was the memory of two short years before when their father had set sail, never to return, and ahead of them was the teeth of a story sea bared in foamy crests daring them to embark upon it. Breathing a silent prayer for safety, Mary took her small family to their quarters and felt the grasp of an angry sea as it lifted their vessel further and further away from port. The captain's face grew lined with lack of sleep, his eyes were red from peering through the storm and because he was a seaman of the first class and a good God-fearing man in the bargain, he turned back after two days and two nights and sought refuge in the harbor. On his lips breathed the words, "We have been saved from total destruction only by the mercy of God".
Sixteen days later the sea grew calm, apparently satisfied that it had impressed all with its power: and again, on December 8, 1854, the little vessel nosed its way out of the harbor and plowed forward, its destination, America with all hands and passengers safely aboard. For 34 days it took its leisure way across the wide Atlantic Ocean, strutting a little, dipping, tossing, rolling easily with the swells and always moving closer to the land of Zion. Eagerly, Edward watched and waited, and the days flew by for him though they dragged and tugged at the heart of his mother, Mary. Many nights her pillow was wet, and often also Edward's thoughts turned with thanksgiving to his father who had made it all possible. But so anxious was he to reach his destination that he sums it all up in a few short sentences, Quote: "On the 8th of December we set sail again and on the 11th of January arrived in New Orleans, U.S.A. Then set out for St. Louis on the Mississippi River and in 10 days arrived there." Thus he dismissed the hardships of the early ocean travel and the trip up the muddy Mississippi in a tramp steamer which took in all 44 days and left them practically without funds, no jobs, no home, and right in the middle of a new fresh land among strangers. And with the same eagerness which characterized this family, Edward along with the other members of the family immediately set about to remedy the drawbacks which faced them.
They journeyed on up the Illinois River for an additional 225 miles to Kingston, Boria County, Illinois and promptly went to work in the coal mines. Because of the physical handicap, Edward sought other work such as bookkeeping and clerical work in stores and also teaching. Due to his eager sunny disposition he found work to do. His mother and sister also found work to keep them busy and together they stored up another fund for their trip across the plains to Utah, their final destination. For they never once lost track of the purpose of their immigration and they would not be side tracked with the apparent prosperity in the central part of America. They wanted to reach Utah, the land of the Mormons.
Edward was ordained a Teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood on the fourteenth day of July 1855 by Elders J. Case, Matthew King, David Morgan, John Simpson, and George Foster, who were all missionaries of the Mormon Church, and on the following 11th of November he received the ordination of and to the office of Priest. This latter ordination was performed by Thomas Walker, David Morgan, and George Foster. And all the time the family were saving, and working, and saving some more in preparation for their immigration to Utah.
On the 11th of May of the following year, 1856, Edward was appointed Branch Clerk of the Kingston Branch, then cam the persecution, anti-Mormon demonstrations and propaganda, falsehood and mistruths, and these were leveled against the Smith family as well as against the others of the same faith in this area. Edward was singled out, because of his likeable disposition and education he was crowded around with so-called friends who tried to get him to renounce his faith.
His own words tell the graphic description of this time of his life. "About this time", he said, "I was besieged with much persuasion by people to denounce the Church, for they said it was all false and the Prophet Joseph Smith was an imposter. But I stood my ground and testified to them that I knew different and that I believed that the Church of Jesus Christ was true and that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God."
"On another occasion," he continued, "While in Illinois Elder Combs came to our house and held a meeting - - - -"
This was on the 13th day of September in 1857 after they had been persecuted, harassed and mobbed, their horses, stock and other provisions along with that of other saints had been stolen and every insult imaginable had been heaped upon them. Let his own words continue the story:
"I came down with chills and fever and was put to bed. Others of the family had the same sickness in a greater or lesser degree. We were all sick. Some of the neighbors tried to get us to have a certain doctor in to treat us as he was reputed to be good.
One night I had a dream that I should not have this doctor as he was a Mormonhater, and it was shown me that he could easily give me the same medicine that he had given to others who had all died, so I told my mother abut it. We decided to write and have an Elder of the church who may come our way to come and administer to me. In about a week, Elder Combs came and administered to me.
Mormon-haters heard of his coming and gathered in front of our house and put on a demonstration. One elderly man swore and told what they had done at Nauvoo to our prophet and declared that they intended to mob the elders now.
My mother went out in front of the house and told them how they ought to be ashamed for she had a sick son who was unable to get out of bed, and that she being a poor widow, she wished they would go away. In the meantime, Elder Comb went out the back door and hid in our cornfield until they went away."
Edward soon regained his health and continued teaching night school for a few young men who worked at the coal mines. His physical handicap, before mentioned, is explained in his own words:
"I was handicapped on account of an accident I suffered while yet a very young child in England. I was unfortunate in that I hurt the left side of my body, and my parents took me to the best doctor available. But (the doctor) proved to be careless. In taking care of my arm which was bandaged, they left it too tight and so long that the flesh came off between the elbow and the shoulder, leaving it in a pitiful condition and finally leaving me handicapped for life."
"On another occasion," he stated in his diary, "My life was spared by the hand of the Lord." (This was while he was at Kingston, Illinois, and about the same time as the previous mentioned incident with the mobbers. )
But to continue his narrative: "I went to the doctor's home at night to get him to come and attend a man who had broken his leg. The doctor was not at home, and I returned several times. The last time, I saw that his house was in darkness, so I went to his stable to see if his horse was there, thinking that I would not bother his family. The horse was there, and I went back to the house to call the doctor. When I talked to him, he had a gun in his hand."
The mobbers had been horse stealing from the Mormons, and, apparently, they hadn't been too particular about whose horses they took, for the doctor wasn't a Mormon.
Edward continues, "He, the doctor, pointed the gun at me and told me how he had thought I was a horse thief and that he had the gun trained on me and tried to pull the trigger, but something stopped him from doing so, otherwise I would have been killed."
The persecution continued against the Church with some of the members moving to other parts, some moving to the West to Utah and still some of those who were lukewarm in the faith leaving the fold of Christ and joining His enemies. But the Smith family remained faithful.
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The Branch, however, dwindled in membership until on the 13th day of September 1857, Elder T. McComb called a meeting and disorganized the Branch at the same time re-baptizing all those still faithful and ready to re-affirm their testimony by establishing a record in America. Edward, along with his mother, sister, two brothers, were re-baptized on the 16th day of September 1857, and. on the same day, Edward was ordained to the office of an Elder.
Then the necessity and circumstances moved upon the Smith family to begin their trek to the Rocky Mountains, to the Mountain of the Lord's House.
Mary had preserved with love and reverence a fancy set of bed curtains from England. They were her pride and joy. After all other heirlooms had been traded for the necessities of life to feed and clothe her family and herself, there still remained these delicate lace curtains. But it was time again for sacrifice. She lifted them from her trunk, wrapped her memories and hopes around them and traded them for a team of steers.
The steers were in turn traded for sound oxen, with them came the purchase of a wagon from John Suggat, and old acquaintance from England. The gathering of willows to make bows on the wagon and a borrowed wagon cover to finish the job and protect them from the cold and weather. At last, it seemed that they were ready to start for Nebraska and the overland route.
The heavy hand of trouble followed on the heels of persecution. Disappointment followed disappointment, long stops had to be made for repairs, or to recover the stolen cattle and oxen, or to obtain provisions. A long year of this passed, and they found themselves only as far as Fulton, Canton County, Illinois, where they battled the cold of a most severe winter and fought to survive.
Edward's oldest brother, Ralph (my great-great-grandfather) had left a short time earlier with another company and gone to Utah with Florence, Nebraska, as their immediate goal, but with few provisions, Utah seemed a long distance away for Mary.
In Edward's own words: "Without money and but very little provisions, but with the strong desire to reach Florence, Nebraska, and fervent hope, that when we got there, a way would be opened for us to go on through to Utah. We went on our way.
My mother would call at the farms and houses along the way and usually got what we needed to eat, and sometimes she received sums of money which enabled us to continue our journey west."
They remained in Fulton until April 20, 1859, before they could move on to Florence. The journey took until May. In Florence they remained three weeks seeking a way to go on west for all that faced them ahead was hostile territory and non-productive acres with only occasional stopping places and no farms where work could be had. After three weeks of prayerful work, they were ready to move on.
Facing west on the 13th of June 1859, they prodded the oxen into movement. Slow and steady, ever forward, they plodded, gathering wild berries on the way, hunting grouse, deer, rabbits, and buffalo, their hearts filled with the hope of a better life even while their rough shoes wore blisters on their feet as they tramped by day across the hot prairies or huddled in their meager blankets during the cool prairie nights.
On the way, they traded an oxen for a horse and for a while they traveled with one horse and one oxen Then the horse died and another oxen was bargained for. Two months later, on the 29th of August, they entered the Great Salt Lake Valley. But rest was not yet, for within five days they harnessed up their oxen and moved north to the lovely Cache Valley to verdant Logan where they had a reunion with Ralph.
Standing by the tired oxen, dust covering their covered wagon which held all that remained of their earthly possessions, but with their hearts and eyes brimming over with gratitude and thanksgiving, they offered their prayers to God the Eternal Father.
"We remained (in Fulton) until the following spring when we commenced our journey through the States on April 20, 1859 without money and but very little provisions. With the desire of reaching Florence, Nebraska, hoping that when we got there that away would be opened up for us to go through to Utah.
We reached Florence in the later part of May and stayed there about three weeks when a way was opened for us to go on to the Valley, which journey we started on the 8th of June 1859 and finally reached Great Salt Lake City on the 29" of August and on the 2nd of September, we started for Cache Valley. After 11 days on September 13th, we arrived at Logan, Utah, where we found my brother Ralph."
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The boys set to work drawing logs from the nearby mountains. Winter was close upon them, and it promised to be a hard one. The frame of a one-room log cabin took shape, built against Ralph's house.
"When we first arrived in Logan, we hauled logs from the mountains and built a room on one end of my brother Ralph's house, it being one of the first houses completed in Logan. This was in the northeast part of the small village. There was no time for seed and harvest, and the supply of food was low. Then winter set in. Snow fell and the temperature dropped. The food supply diminished and at times became exhausted."
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The fireplace was kept going night and day to give heat, and the sharp sound of the falling ax was the custom of the day. Sheep's wool was carded and spun into cloth, and the nimble fingers of Mary framed and shaped it into clothing for her family. Then one day the north wind was gone and spring peeped through her green mantle and sighed a gentle breeze over the valley.
With the memory of that hard winter behind them, Edward planted four acres of wheat, one and one half acre of corn, one half acre of potatoes, three fourths acre of barley, and many other vegetables. And he did all this in between his days teaching school in a small log cabin with dirt floors and a dirt roof. He became the first school teacher in Logan, and his classes grew with his popularity. At last the blessings of the Lord seemed to be coming back to them in rich abundance. Edward, thinking back at his own emigration,
Quote from E.W. Smith journal. This note was found among history notes by Jack L. Burns. Quote from E.W. Smith journal. This note was found among history notes by Jack L. Burns.
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(Edward) volunteered to return to Nebraska as a teamster to help bring other religious immigrants west to Utah but he records of this. "My services were not needed".
Additional work was found with Benson and Thatcher on their mill-race. They had run a canal from the Logan River around the brow of the hill until they had sufficient elevation then flumed it down over a huge wheel which in turn activated and operated a flour mill.
Edward's work was with the books and other odd jobs for which he received in five weeks, $98.12 and 1 cents. The 1 cent piece was a flat copper coin about the size of our present day quarter. Summer passed too soon, and fall came early with the icy paint brush of old man Frost stunting his corn, so it had to be cut for fodder. But at the end of the harvest, Edward had 29 ± bushel of wheat, 2 bushel of barley, 5 bushel of potatoes and enough corn fodder for his cow.
Although farming was a sideline, he found time to do it and had many interesting experiences in following it. He took particular pride in his harvests. Of these he states: "I once borrowed 10 bushel of wheat from Brother Rice of Providence and paid him one peck to the bushel interest, or 2 1 bushel. Although I taught school, one of the first schools in this new country, with the help of my brother, Ralph, I raised nearly 200 bushel of wheat, 18 bushel of barley and 15 bushel of corn besides an abundance of vegetables."
"We experienced many hardships and wants during the winter. In the spring, I commenced to teach school. Then I tried farming operations putting in four acres of wheat, one and one half acres of corn, one half acre of potatoes, three fourths acres of barley and many other vegetables, etc and at the end of harvest I had 29 -1 bushels of wheat, two bushels of barley, 5 bushels of potatoes. The corn had to be cut for fodder as the frost came early."
About this time, the surveyors of the city of Logan became active and discovered that the log cabin built by Mary, Ralph and Edward for Mary and her family to live in, was in the middle of the street, so they had to move the house from the upper part of town to the lower part.
In the fall of 1865, Edward turned his eyes southward toward Southern Utah and Northern Arizona, and sold out all his belongings with the intention of moving, but something very pleasant interrupted his intentions. For awhile he had been looking around, particularly in Wellsville, he had found a pair of quiet blue eyes belonging to Miss Ann Johns. The trip south was forgotten and replaced by other interests. From the first night they met at a dance, and he took her home, to the night one year later when they recited their vows, his attention to her was constant and his spirited team of trotters learned by memory the rutted road from Logan to Wellsville on the 30th day of March.
Quote from E. W. Smith journal. This note was found among history notes by Jack L Bums
in 1867, one year after they met, they were married and sealed in the endowment house in Salt Lake City, the ceremony being performed the Bishop Edward D. Wooley. With his new bride at his side, Edward moved into Malad Valley to take up farming with his wife's parents and her brothers, James and John. With them, he settled three and one-fourth sections of land near Malad City, Idaho, broke up six acres, dug ditches, built corrals, dug a fifty-foot well with disappointing results - there was no water.
This occasioned another move to a source of water, and he chose South on the Malad River to a point south and east of what is now called Samaria, Idaho. This place was called Johnstown in honor of his wife's people. They settled in a place called Portage, where he worked against time preparing a dugout for a shelter for his wife who was expecting. But the perverse winter arrived early and before the dugout was finished. Edward and Ann moved in with her parents.
On Jan. 3, 1868 a lovely baby daughter came to be with them. They named her Mary Ann John Smith.
In the spring, Edward taught school for three months then put his hand at farming once more. The Portage Cooperative store was organized with Edward furnishing part of capital. He also found time to help burn 500 bushel of charcoal for the mail station on Bear River then known as Hampton Station. Later, he was elected school trustee, county assessor and collector of taxes from that school district, and all this before and during 1870.
Ever anxious to increase his earnings, Edward cut firewood and posts and hauled them to Brigham City, Bear River City, and Corinne. Corinne, at this time was a prosperous (gentile) city of 20,000 population and formed the center of a mule train business which hauled freight from the end of the railroad into Montana. Edward saw at first hand the saloons and gambling houses that lined the streets and heard the disparaging remarks made against the Mormons. He witnessed the agitation against the Indians and with others knew that the headquarters for this agitation was in Corinne.
This agitation grew so violent that through it the people of Corinne were led to believe that the Mormons and Indians had ganged together ready to attack and massacre the entire population of Corinne. They were supposed to have an army encamped north of the city of Bear River ready to march, and all this in spite of the fact that the Mormons had taught the Indians peaceable ways and had encouraged them to plant 100 acres of wheat, 25 bushel of corn, 6 acres of potatoes and 4 acres of vegetables, all of which was ready to harvest. Whatever the reason for the agitation, as a result of this scare, U.S. troops were sent out from Fort Douglas and drove the Indians out of the country leaving their crops to spoil, a sacrifice to the ignorance of unjust men. Thus was created another incident that caused the Indians to loose faith in the U.S. Government.
The crops were left untended, there was nothing else to do, so the saints set to and harvested them for the Indians. Brigham Young was led to exclaim that one day the fine woodwork of the saloons of Corinne which had witnessed this plot against the Indians and Saints would furnish stables for cows. Brigham's prophesy was literally fulfilled when Corinne became a ghost town.
At this writing, however, Corinne is a progressive Utah Community.
On March 26, 1869, Lettia was born to Edward and Ann. In the fall of 1870, the grasshopper scourge descended upon their crops and destroyed nearly everything. Helplessly, they watched the work of the past summed disappear into the hungry insects, and again they found solace in prayer. On the 16th of August 1870, a baby daughter came and was promptly named Phebe.
Three years later, the Utah Northern R. R. started its line from near Collingston, Utah, into Montana and Edward obtained work on it. He earned a little over $100.00 in six weeks time.
Their first baby boy made his appearance on the 21st day of August 1871, and he was named Edward Phillips. A second baby boy followed soon after on the 13th day of October 1872 and drew the name of Thomas J. Smith. This latter one remained only a short time to bless their home then he joined his grandfather beyond the veil. Thomas J. Smith died on the 3rd day of February, 1873, a little less than four months old.
Following the death of their last baby, Edward found work as station agent in Logan. And there he moved his family, in August of 1873. Later he became a baggage and freight agent.
During his active service for the railroad, Edward worked as relief agent in Corinne, Utah; Eagle Rock, Montana, and at various other jobs And while he was engaged, his lovely wife Ann presented him with the rest of their family.
On November 3, 1873, a son, Joseph. Margaret, a pretty baby girl came on December 9th, 1874, and Angeline put in her appearance on the 23rd of March, 1876. Emma was born on the 27th day July, 1877. One son Oliver remained with them for one year, one month and three days before bidding them goodbye to join his grandfather and little brother. He was born October 23, 1878 and died November 25, 1879.
The next year there were no new babies, but Hyrum announced his own arrival on the 7th day of April, 1881. Julis waited until February 24, 1883 to put in her appearance, and one year later on the 27th of August 1884, their last child, a baby girl, Eunice, was born. At the date of this writing, September 9, 1955, Eunice is the only living child of Edward's and Ann's union.
Edward stands at the head of a large posterity, and the end is not yet. He and his wife Ann had 13 children, 46 grand children, 140 great grand children, and 231 great great grand children for a total of 430 souls, and still more to come.
Edward's life was full and active in spite of his physical handicap. He stood a tall six feet, with heavy eyebrows that accented his eager blue eyes. He lived and worked for the good of his family and loved ones. He walked erect, his body in control, and he believed in exactness, keeping himself to the rigid pattern as closely as he expected his children to follow.
His sincere friendly voice was sharp in reprimand, quiet in praise and his countenance shown when his children did well and gained success. With his wife as his mainstay, and his church work as his guide he filled many positions of responsibility for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He acted as secretary for the Teachers Quorum for 22 years; was president of the Elders Quorum for 7 years and was Assistant Sunday School Superintendent for three years.
He was happy to have his son Edward go on a mission to the Southern States. And when he retired from active duty due to illness in August of 1890, he was proud that his two sons, Edward and Joseph were qualified and could carry on with the work on the railroad that he had been so happy to do. When the Lord permitted him to be afflicted, he added a gift to Edward for in his hands was the gift and power of healing, and he was in demand for the administering of the sick. Under his administering he saw many healed instantly by and through the power of the Lord that was in him.
He and his wife, Ann, were present, their hearts full of joy, at the dedicatory services of the Logan Temple and from 1890 until the day of his death, Edward spent many days working in that beautiful edifice officiating and as an ordinance worker. In his diary under the date of January 3th, 1884 is recorded a birthday party: "For our daughter Mary Ann, it being her sixteenth birthday".
In 1896-97 he acted as collector for the Logan Journal (newspaper), and served as Police Judge of Logan. Also as assessor and collector for many years. When the Cache Stake High Priests were organized, he was appointed to be president over that body of the Priesthood which position he held up to near the time of his death.
In March of 1910, he looked back through the years to his life in England and traced the event in his life from that time since, thanked once again his earthly father and mother for bringing him to America and to Utah, gathered his posterity around him, blessed them all, kissed his wife and family goodbye and quietly departed this life on March 29th, 1910.
His funeral, held on April lst, 1910. was one of the largest to be held in Logan Tabernacle at that time, drew from far and near the many friends and neighbors of his new world. Coming to pay their last respects to an unselfish friend and loved one they praised his name and paid him the compliments reserved for a great man.
From the countryside of England in far off Durham, across the wide Atlantic, sharing the trials and hardships of pioneer life, of privation, he made for himself and his posterity a way of life in a new land. He followed a star. The same on that had sent his father to Australia, and there exacted his life. The same one that had piloted his mother and himself to America. And that star led him to the land of promise and gently buried him in its soil, his eternal progression assured.
For that star was his testimony and faith, the driving power that kept him moving always forward even in the face of insurmountable odds and adversity. It caused him to plant a bushel of seed and reap 29 bushel of harvest. It inspired him to create an estate where there had been none before wresting a home from a new world and establishing his eternal right to that legacy.
And thus he leaves his posterity. They, looking back through the years may well close their eyes, while their lips frame the words: "Thank you, Grandfather Edward Whitfield Smith. It is wonderful to know you."
Compiled by Thomas LeRoy Worley Eldest Grandchild 9 September 1955
Transcribed from an original copy by Jack Leon Burns Great-Great Grandchild 11 September 1999