Person:George Smith (350)

George was born 17 February 1823 to John and Mary Jane Lockhart Smith. He was married to Jane White, daughter of Ruben R and Isabella Welch White on 11 December 1845 in the newly formed Decatur County. George moved from Decatur County to Lexington, Henderson County and began merchandising, he returned to Decaturville five years later. George then entered business with Young and Storm until 1874. He then began operation as G.W. Smith & Son Company. George served in the Civil War with Company A, 18th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Newsom's Cavalry), Confederate Army. He died 27 December 1883 in Decatur County and is buried next to Jane in the Decaturville City Cemetery. He was a member of Masonic Lodge No. 218 and trustee of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Decaturville

Decatur County, Tennessee : history and families, 1846-1996.:

John A. and Mary Jane Lockhart Smith

John A. Smith and Mary Jane Lockhart (1783-1867) came from North Carolina via Warren County, TN., and settled in Henderson County on the Perry County line, in what later became Decatur County, about 1819-20. They had the following children: Joseph, Jacob, Elizabeth, James, John, Mary “Polly”, Andrew Jackson, Prudence and George Washington (1823-1883). George Washington, a Confederate veteran, married Jane White, daughter of Reuben White. They had 12 known children: Reuben, a Confederate veteran, Isabel, John, Mary Patten, George Washington Jr., Andrew, William H., Jane, Amanda, Joseph Ed., R.E., Lee and Dixie.

George Washington Jr. (grandfather of writer) married Isabel “Monnie” Luton. Their four children who lived to be grown were: Daisy, Myrtle, George [Luton] and Myron (WW I veteran and champion sharpshooter).

Myron (May 2, 1893 – Nov. 18, 1928) married Narcia Ellison (Apr. 11, 1896 – Apr. 13, 1968)

Narcia taught school for several years; then worked in the County Court and for the office of Price Administration. She retired as director of Decatur County Welfare System. They had four children.

1. Trudell was a WWII veteran (July 27, 1921) and married Geneva Doran – two children, Myron Terrell (May 12, 1956 – Aug. 26, 1984) and Sheila Gail Moses. Sheila has a daughter Abigail Sharon.

2. Monnie (Sep. 18, 1922 – Mar. 15, 1982) married O. K. Lewis – two children, Phillip Christopher and Mark Ellison. Phillip married Linda Sims – two children Jennifer Marie and Julia Noelle.

3. Marie (Sep. 18, 1922) married Elva Kirk Richardson – two children, Priscilla Anne and Stephen Fred. Priscilla married Frederick M. Firkin – two children, Jonathan Dead rick and Rebecca Marie. Stephen married Cynthia Ann Camp – two children, Chelsea Ann and Andrew Kirk.

4. Melba (Oct. 17, 1926 – Nov. 15, 1993) married Fred Donald Wright – three children, Donald Myron, Wade M. and Linda K. Donald married (1) Barbara Garvin – daughter Amanda Lauren; married (2) Melissa Reed. Wade married Sandra Collins – no children, Linda married Tom Steger – two children, Clayton Nash, and Heidi Marie.

John A. Smith signed the petition to form Decatur County from Perry County in 1845. The Smith family consisted of farmers, schoolteachers, merchants, bankers, civil servants and hotel owners. The Smith Hotel stood for many years near where the bank now stands in Decaturville.

One of the Smiths in this family built Smith School House, just off Highway 69, near a Baptist Church. I can remember going to school there when I was a child. The benches were hand-made with square nails and pegs. I have one of the two original benches known to be in existence.

This family also built and gave the community a church called Smith’s Chapel. Mary Jane Lockhart Smith is buried in the cemetery there [Henderson County].

There are many stories that have been handed down through the generations that were told to my generation by my grandfather. Monnie recorded many of these stories before she died. They gave a good history of the times when Decatur County was first occupied by the settlers.

View George Washington Smith's grave marker at FindAGrave