Much of my information on the Smith's came from my Great Aunt, Jeanette Smith McCracken, FEB 1903 - FEB 2000. As a child, she had met some of the Ohio family members. Following her sketchy information, I did visit Ross County, Ohio. Here is what little I know.

Louis (Schmidt) Smith = Jeanetta (or Jeanette) Lyons

• Louis: b. August 1819 in Bavaria, GER. Settled in Union Twp, Ross County, OHIO, near Yellowbud. d. Jan. 1904 and bur in Spring Bank Cemetery
• Jeanette: b. NOV 1828 in Tennessee or Virginia, d. MAY 1886, bur. Spring Bank
• View photo of Smith headstone in Spring Bank Cemetery, Yellowbud, Ohio (Ross County)
• View the linage tree for this family

They had four children (George B., Lewis P., Rebecca Jane, unknown) that all died of Scarlet Fever in 1860. One child, Jeanetta survived, only to die at age 22 in 1881 after marrying George B. Thompson. Five more children were born after the Fever, they were:

• John B. Smith (1861-1920) = Josephine Wilson(1858 - 1920)
• Oat Smith (b. circa 1862/3, d. ?) = ?, had five boys (Claude a farmer, unknown a doctor in Columbus, unkown a lawyer, unknown, and Clark, the youngest).
• Edwin Booth Smith (MAY 1865 - FEB 1944) = Josephine Van Dongen [ MY GREAT GRANDPARENTS ] E.B. moved first to Decatur, IL, married Josephine, then moved to northeastern Missouri, settling in LaBelle. Both are buried there. E.B. raised horses, see a horse for stud poster. It is said that his middle name was given by his mother who was from a Southern family.
• Richard Albert Smith, b. circa 1867, married Ella ? and moved to Decatur, as well.
• Emma Smith (1869-1958) = Cary Brown, both bur. in Spring Bank Cemetery.

If any of the above sounds familiar, I would love to hear from you. Send me an email at jdpoinde@facstaff.wisc.edu

Jeanette Agnes Smith McCracken, my Great Aunt, was a heroine of mine. She was born near Decatur, Illinois, on February 27, 1903 to Edwin Booth Smith and Josephine Van Dongen. Jeanette was a lady before her time. She graduated from the University of Illinois and became a high school math and science teacher. She tutored me in Algebra and Physics when I was in school. During one visit in the 1980's, I brought along some new technology called slow-scan television. With it, we transmitted still frame television pictures from rural LaBelle, Missouri back to the University of Wisconsin using her telephone line. She thought that was pretty neat. She married Doctor Harry L. McCracken. Jeanette left us for the next life on February 1, 2000. For more details, visit her memorial page. NOTE: the memoriaI includes pictures from her funeral that some may be sensitive to.

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