Person:Richard Smith (18)

Richard was probably born in Guilford Township, Chenango Co., NY. Richard died of heart disease, in Jefferson Twp., Hillsdale Co., Michigan.

Richard and family resided in 1850, in Grass Lake Twp., Jackson Co., Michigan, and were there until about 1852. The estate record of Margaret's father, Philip Proper, informs us that Richard and Margaret Smith resided in 1849, in Bridgewater, Washtenaw Co., MI. In the 1860's and 1870's , this family lived in Pittsford Twp., Hillsdale Co., Michigan. Richard cleared his 80 acre farm in Pittsford of heavily timbered forest and dense ungrowth.

The Smith family farm was located on the East half of the Southest 1/4 of Section 34 and was known as "St. Joe View Farm". The 1872 Plat Map of Pittsford Twp. shows that R.S. Smith owned 40 acres adjacent to the 80 acres and home owned by his wife, M.I. Smith, in the south, central part of the township. Margaret I. Smith bought the family farm in Pittsfor Twp. on Aug 1, 1853. Their son, David L., also owned a farm in Pittsford Twp., in the southwest corner.

In 1880, Margaret Smith lived in Pittsford and Richard resided in Shultz, Barry County, with his son, David R. The 1873 Atlas of Barry County shows that Richard Smith owned 80 acres in Shultz, Hope Twp., on the south side of Shultz Rd., east of Shultz. This farm was located in Section 11 and in 1873, there were no buildings on this land. Later, RIchard's son, David owned a farm on the north side of Shultz Rd., where a log house used to stand.

In the 1883 Pensioners List, Richard resided in Ransom Twp., Hillsdale. During the Civil War, he was wounded in the right shoulder and right thumb. He was a solider in Company A, 18th Michigan Infantry. He received an $8.00 monthly pension. starting in December 1878.

Richard was probably named after his grandfather, Richard Sperry.