Hiram Judson Smith

Hiram Judson Smith was born in Harris County, Georgia on May 2, 1839. He was the eldest child of James Carter Smith and his second wife, Elizabeth Ann Dodwell.

As a young man, Hiram was stricken with the young daughter of Isaac and Lucrettia Satterwhite. When the Satterwhite family moved from Georgia to Texas, he followed along arriving in Texas on New Year’s Day 1860. He settled in Harrison County near Marshall, where he began by working as a laborer on the farm of J. Stringer. During the Civil War, he first enlisted in Co I of the 12th Texas infantry in September of 1861. After a few months, he fell sick and was not able to complete his duty. In May of the next year, he enlisted in Co C of the 18th Texas Cavalry. He rose to the rank of sergeant and was eventually assigned to Rusk, Texas where they were building and repairing wagons for the Army until the end of the war.

In Decembers, 1861 in Harrison Co, Texas, Hiram married Ruth Ann Elizabeth Satterwhite. They had five children born in Harrison Co. In October of 1965, he joined the Primitive Baptist church in Bluff Springs and remained an active member of that faith throughout his life. He was a charter member of the Lafayette Sacred Harp Singing Convention, which was organized in Lafayette, Upshur Co, Texas during August of 1869.. He was a member of the arranging committee which drafted the constitution and bylaws of the convention. Singing played an important part in the activities of the church and Hiram was very active in the Fa-So-La type sings.

By the time of the 1870 census, the Smith family had moved to Cass Co and settled in the northwest portion of the county. Here they became members of the Dalton Primitive Baptist Church. In 1871, Hiram joined the Northeast Texas Convention. Living in the Dalton area, the Smith family farmed and did some blacksmith work. Hiram and Ruthie had eight children born in Cass Co.

The children of Hiram Judson Smith and Ruth Ann Elizabeth Satterwhite were: 1. Elmira Missouria was born October 2,1862 in Harrison Co, Texas and died there on August 2, 1863.

2. Mary Elizabeth was born February 25, 1864 in Harrison Co, Texas and died there on September 2,1865.

3. Thomas Wesley was born on April 10, 1866 in Harrison Co and died on September 29, 1942. He married Jeannie M Vandiver on February 7, 1883 in Cass County.

4. Henry Welborn “Willie” was born in Harrison Co on October 16, 1867 and died on March 30,1946. He married Mary Jane McDaniel in Cass Co on December 19, 1889.

5. Francis Minervia was born in Harrison Co on May 15, 1869 and died on September 29, 1902 She is buried at Creekmore Cemetery in Cass Co. She married Ludie Cornelius Rea on February 2, 1889 in Cass Co.

6. Lillie Leola was born in Cass Co, Texas on March 5,1871 and died there on June 22, 1897. She is buried in Dallon Cemetery. She married James Hampton on November 4, 1888. They had two children: Alice and Jimmy. Jimmy died in 1891 and is buried at Dalton. Alice was born on September 6, 1889 and married Marvin Belts in Morris Co on October 14, 1906. She died on May 7, 1968 and is buried at Cornett Cemetery in Cass Co. After the death of James Hampton, Lillie Lsola married John Warren Penny in Cass Co on December 24, 1891. They had two children. Lillie Florence Penny was born on September 18, 1892 and married Sebie L. Fuller on December 18, 1907 in Cass Co. She died December 3, 1969 and is buried at Corinth Cemetery in Cass Co. James Sloan Penny was born September 25, 1895 and married Ruth Violet Ford in Cass Co on December 27, 1921. He died on August 16, 1976 and is buried in the Linden Cemetery.

7. Luticia Cassandra “Cassie” was born January 11, 1873 in Cass Co and died there on May 22, 1943. She is buried at Dalton Cemetery. She married I. Benjamin Simmons on November 14, 1889 in Cass Co.

8. James Carter was born September 30, 1874 in Cass Co and died in Houston Co, Texas on August 6, 1947. He married Ida Penny on December 17, 1893 in Cass Co. After her passing he married Mrs. Lura V. Barnes in Morris Co on July 25, 1909.

9. Eugenia Emaline was born August 23, 1877 in Cass Co and died November 28, 1950. She is buried at Creekmore Cemetery in Cass Co. On January 25, 1909, she married Ballard B Bunting in Morris Co.

10. Harmon Joseph was born April 14, 1879 in Cass Co and died there on July 13, 1930. He is buried at Dalton Cemetery. He married Mary A Collins in Cass Co on February 9, 1910.

11. Beatrice Leon was born on August 24, 1881 and died on October 27, 1881 in Cass Co.

12. Alpha Omega was born on November 17, 1883 in Cass Co and died on July 12, 1956. She is buried in the Oakridge Cemetery at Marietta in Cass Co. She married Cratus Hancock in Cass Co on November 14,1900.

13. Eula Blanche was born in Cass Co on July 25, 1886 and died on July 19, 1971. She is buried in the cemetery at Linden. She married Samuel Leak Henderson in Morris Co on February 9, 1908.

Hiram and Ruthie lived out their final years supported by a pension he earned for his Confederate service. Ruthie died on November 19, 1917 and was buried at Dalton Cemetery. In August of 1923, there was a church sing at Stover, Texas in nearby Bowie Co. After the sing was over, people waited for the train to take them back to Naples, Texas. Hiram walked across the tracks to wait in the shade of a small tree. When the train whistled, he started back across the tracks, but was too slow and was struck by the train. He died on August 13, 1923 in Morris Co, after being carried back to Naples. He is buried beside his beloved wife at Dalton Cemetery.

Submitted by Samuel R Penny