Thomas Louis Smith (1850 - 1903)

Born 12 Jan 1850 in Accomac, Accomac, Virginia, United States

Husband of Elizabeth (Kirk) Smith — married 11 Nov 1878 in Woodland,Yolo,California,United States

Descendants

Died 11 Jan 1903 at age 52 in Sutter, California, United States

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Biography

Name

Name: Thomas Louis /Smith/

Given Name: Thomas

Surname: Smith

SECG Louis

A Given name was found in addition to a first name in the NAME tag.

Birth

Birth:

Date: 12 Jan 1805

Place: Accomac,Accomac,Virginia,United States

Longitude: W75.665276

Latitude: N37.719444

COR

LAD 75

LAM 39

LAS 55

LAN 1

LOD 37

LOM 43

LOS 10

Death

Death:

Date: 11 Jan 1903

Thomas Louis Smith was born 12 Jan 1850 in Virginia.

He married Elizabeth Ann Kirk 11 Nov 1878 in Woodland, California. ^[1][2]

Name: Thos L Smith

Gender: Male

Event Type: Marriage

Marriage Date: 11 Nov 1878

Marriage Place: Woodland, California, USA

Spouse: Lizzie A Krik

Thomas died in 1930 and is buried in Sutter Cemetery in Sutter, California. ^[3][4]

Obituary

Tom L Smith, Former Sheriff Of Sutter County, Dies

One of Sutter county's best known pioneers was taken by death when Thomas L Smith, 79, died at 8 p.m. Wednesday in a Stockton hospital.

Smith was a native of Accomack county, Virginia, where he was born Jan. 12, 1850. He came to California at the age of 18 years, residing for a time in San Francisco and later in Stanislaus and Yolo counties, moving finally to Sutter county in 1881. He had resided continuously in Yuba City since 1891, when he fist won election as sheriff of Sutter county,.

One daughter, Mrs. Seaforth Grant of Yuba City, a niece, Mrs. Harry F. Johnson of Berkeley, and three grandchildren survive him. A son, William E Smith was killed in an accident two years go. Mrs. Smith, the former Elizabeth Kirk of Woodland, died several years ago.

Decline in the pioneer's health began following the death of his wife and the accidental death of his son.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday from the Jones and Ullrey chapel in Yuba City.^[5]

Notes

THOMAS L. SMITH

Prominent among the most experienced, enterprising, and successful sheep-growers in Northern California, and decidedly one of those who have helped to place Sutter County on the map, is Thomas L. Smith, of Yuba City, who hails from Virginia, in which State he was born on a farm in Accomac County, on January 12, 1850. He is descended from one of the oldest families in the old Dominion, his great-grandfather Smith having seen service as a patriot in the Revolution. His father, John B. Smith, was the owner of a choice plantation of 1800 acres; and he married one of the accomplished ladies of the South, Miss Sarah A. Kellam. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were representative citizens in many ways. Both are now dead, but their good works live after them.

Three of Mr. Smith’s brothers served in the Civil War, James Smith served throughout the war in a Virginia regiment, and died in Virginia. George W. Smith came to California in 1849 on a sailing vessel, around Cape Horn. He followed mining here until the war broke out, when he returned East and also enlisted in a Virginia regiment, serving the cause of the South until the close of hostilities. He then started back for California, and was never afterwards heard from. Nathaniel Smith was a gradate in medicine from a Northern medical school, and served in the Union Army during the Civil War. He is now practicing his profession in Virginia, although past eighty years of age.

Thomas L. Smith attended the public school in his locality, and also Margaret Academy in his native county. At the age of eighteen he left home to make his own way in the world, coming to California by way of the Isthmus in 1868. He first worked in a hotel in San Francisco, as he was badly in need of funds upon his arrival in this State. He then came down to Stanislaus County and found employment with A. J. Patterson, of Stockton, who owned a large range on the present site of the city of Oakdale. He herded sheep for Mr. Patterson and made himself so useful that his employer recognized his reliability and made him superintendent. In 1872 he engaged in the sheep business in Modoc County, continuing thus until 1876. During this period he had several skirmishes with Indians. Selling out in 1876, Mr. Smith located in Woodland and purchased a livery stable, which he conducted until 1881, when he again sold out and located in Sutter County. Here he bought a ranch at Harkey’s Corners and followed ranching and stock-raising. In 1890 he won the nomination for sheriff of Sutter County on the Democratic ticket, and he was elected. He took over the office in January, 1891, and filled the position with credit. He was reelected in 1892 for a four-year term, the change in tenure having been made by the legislature of 1891, and served until January, 1897, when he began raising sheep. This business he has continued up to the present time, and runs from 7000 to 8000 sheep. He had his summer range in Plumas County and his winter range in Butte and Colusa Counties. His home ranch is now devoted to growing alfalfa. In his business he has associated with him his son, William T. Smith, and they have been very successful in their extensive operations. Mr. Smith is deeply interested in Sutter County, past, present and future, for he has helped to make it what it is. He has made his home in Yuba City since the time when he was elected sheriff.

Mr. Smith was married in Woodland, on November 11, 1878, to Miss Elizabeth A. Kirk, a native daughter, born near Woodland and a member of one of the old California families. Her father was Thomas Downard Kirk, born in Giles County, Va. The Kirk family trace their lineage to Scotland and members of the family were early settlers of Virginia. The great-grandfather of Mrs. Smith, John Kirk, was born in Scotland. He emigrated to Virginia and served in the Revolutionary War, and was with General Washington when he crossed the Delaware and captured the Hessians. Grandfather Major Thomas Kirk, served in the War of 1812 with the rank of Major. He brought his family to Missouri; and from there, in 1849, he crossed the plains to California, and here engaged in stock-raising in Yolo County. Major Kirk married Ruth Howe, lineal descendent of General Howe of the English Army. Thomas Downard Kirk, while in Missouri, enlisted for service in the Mexican War, serving until its close. In 1853 he came to California with cattle and horses, over the plains, and engaged in ranching and stock-raising near Woodland. In 1864 he located in Sutter County, and continued framing until his death. He had married, in Calaveras County, Mary J. Kirk, also a native of Giles County, Va. Her mother had passed away and her father started with his children across the plains, but he died of cholera on the Platte River. His children continued on to California, where they had uncles living who had arrived in 1849. Mrs. Kirk spent her last days with Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Thomas D. Kirk died at the age of eighty-three. He was a man of pleasing personality and much influence. Being well-posted, he was active in civic affairs and in politics, where his advice and opinions were always sought. He was a member of the Society of Mexican War Veterans. Elizabeth Kirk was the second of her parents’ four children, and was educated at Hesperian College at Woodland. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had two children: a son, William T., who married Miss Birdie Baldwin, by whom he has three children, Thomas T., Lillian Elizabeth, and William Walter; and a daughter, Mary Ruth. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Yuba City Woman’s Club. In national politics Mr. Smith is a Democrat. Fraternally,he is a Mason.

Sources

1. ↑ California US County Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1849-1980
2. ↑ "California Marriages, 1850-1945", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4168-VG6Z : 24 March 2020), Thomas L. Smith, 1878.
3. ↑ FAG Memorial
4. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVGV-D9JP : 6 July 2020), Thomas L. Smith, ; Burial, , ; citing record ID , Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
5. ↑ Independent-Herald Mar 1929. Page 1 newspapers.com

• Source: S54466168 Title: History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles Date: 1924 Data Changed: Date: 20 Jul 2013 Time: 21:15:51 CREA Date: 20 Jul 2013 Time: 21:15:12 Quality or Certainty of Data: 3 Page: 495-496
• Source: S98147502 Title: Sutter California Cencus Date: 1880 Data Changed: Date: 21 Jul 2013 Time: 07:41:00 CREA Date: 21 Jul 2013 Time: 07:40:46 Quality or Certainty of Data: 3
• "California Births and Christenings, 1812-1988", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2XL-GX5 : 6 January 2020), Thomas Louis Smith in entry for Mary Ruth Smith, 1888.
• "California Marriages, 1850-1945", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:H9WF-MC3Z : 24 March 2020), Thomas L. Smith in entry for Seaforth Grant, 1924.
• "California Great Registers, 1850-1920," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VTXH-6LB : 25 July 2019), Thomas Lewis Smith, 25 May 1896; citing Voter Registration, Yuba No 1, Sutter, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 978,591.
• "California Great Registers, 1850-1920," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VYDJ-T35 : 25 July 2019), Thomas Lewis Smith, 06 Nov 1876; citing Voter Registration, Battle Creek, Tehama, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 978,592.