yesterday's tennessee

THE SECOND FAMILY: THE WILLIAM L. SMITH FAMILY 1908-1989

The Hamlett-Smith House

William Levi Smith, Sr. born in 1860, and died in 1936
Martha Elizabeth Benson Smith born in 1868, and died in 1940
Minnie Esterlee Smith (dau.) born in 1889, and is now 95
Willie Lee Smith (son) born in 1893, and died in 1971
Cinda Malissa Smith (dau.) born 1896, and died in 1930
Grace Dexter Smith (dau.) born in 1898, and died in 1970
Martha Eliza Smith (dau.) born in 1900, and is now 85
Monme Arlene Smith (dau.) born in 1902, and died in 1963

We sold our farm and home in Henderson County, Reagan, Tennessee, when we bought this farm and moved in on November, 1908. We attended school at Jacks Creek, Tennessee, Chester County.

MINNIE (eldest): Graduated from high school at Pinson, Tennessee in Madison County in 1914. Attended college at Memphis Normal and received her permanent teacher's certificate and taught in county schools until she married in 1917.

WILLIE: Graduated from Chester County High School in 1917: Diploma from Henderson Business College in 1914, played on first boys' basketball team; attended college at Valparaiso, Indiana and cotton school in Waco, Texas; served in Armed Forces Medical Corps from Feb., 1918 until March, 1919.

CINDA: Graduated from Chester County High School in 1917; played on first girls' basketball team; attended college at Memphis Normal School and received her permanent teacher's certificate and taught in county schools for 8 years; was first woman to own a car in the area, a Dodge Touring Sedan.

DEXTER: Finished grade school and 2 years of high school at Jacks Creek and married in 1916.

MARTHA ELIZA: Finished grade and 2 years high school at Jacks Creek, and junior and senior year at Chester County High School (1922); attended Memphis Normal and received permanent teacher's certificate; taught 2 terms at Jacks Creek Elementary; attended U.T. Knoxville 1923-1927; B.S. Degree in Home Ec.; taught Home Ec. in Shelby County Schools from 2 years: did graduate work at Vassar College in 1928; did Extension work as Home Demonstration Agent for 8 years; worked for Federal Government from 1936 to 1945; returned to Tennessee and taught Home Ec. in high school for 10 years; retired and started farming.

MONNIE: Graduated from Chester County High School in 1923; attended U.T. Knoxville; graduated from Vanderbilt University; worked in county for 30 years.

MINNIE: Married Ernest Wesley Bailey; had two daughters. Martha Estelle Bailey Helm married Webb Helm and had one daughter, Carole Ann; graduated from Lexington High School; B.A., U.T. Knoxville; MA. and Ed.D. degrees from Memphis State University; taught for 42 years. Mary Beth Bailey Turner graduated from Lexington High School; received B.S. and M.S. degrees from U.T. Knoxville; a teacher; has one son, Stephen Bailey Turner, who married Kathy Hopper; two children, Stephen Bailey and Elizabeth Rae.

DEXTER: 2 sons; both graduated from Chester County High School; William served 35 years in Armed Forces; married Lou Busby; one daughter, Randi McCall, and 2 step-children, Tommie and Tonya Busby; Charles married Jean Edwards; has 3 children: Carolyn, Charles, and Cheryl.

One wedding reception June 29, 1976 - Stephen Bailey and Kathy Turner, over 100 visited or called.

Two honey-moon couples celebrated; Sister - Monnie and Glen Sims (1932), Brother - W. L. Jr. and Mary Smith (1934).

One House Celebration - National Register for Historical Places (1983), over 100 came.

William Levi Smith and Martha Elizabeth Benson Smith

W. L. Smith Family (1906)

Wiley Benson, Mary Malissa Sheppherd Benson,
Puss Ferguson (sister to Wiley Benson

William Levi Smith's family
Joseph Deaton Smith 1829 to 1870
Lucinda Woods Smith 1825 to 1893
Children: Jane (1851), Louisa Catherine (1853), Lucinda Elizabeth (1855), Mary Elender (1857), Mariam Tennessee (1857), William Levi (1860), Martha Susan (1862), Joseph Lee (1865), Cyrenia Izabella (1866), Mazy Ann (1868)

Martha Benson Smith's family
Wiley Benson 12-29-1829 to 3-9-1893
Mary Melissa Sheppard Benson 12-1-1833 to 2-16-1908
Children: John (1851), William T. (1852), Nancy Jane (1854), Chaney Ellen (1856), Sara Frances (1857), Margaret Ann (1859), Jacob C. (1861), Newton (1863), Wiley, Jr. (1865), Mary Lissy (1867), Martha Elizabeth (1868), Tennessee (1871), Thomas (1873), Edward (1875)

William Levi Smith and Martha Benson Smith's family
Children: Minnie, Willie Lee, Cinda, Dexter, Eliza, and Monnie

Mary Melissa Sheppard Bebson with Family

Wiley Benson was the son of Levin Benson, Jr. (1793 to 1875) and Christianna Benson (1803 to 1873).

Levin Benson, Jr., was the son of Revolutionary soldier Levin Benson, Sr. (1751 to 1836) and Rebecca Brummell Benson (died 1850).

Rebecca Brummell was the daughter of Jacob Brummell and Lidiah Little Brummell (daughter of Jonas Little).

Mary Melissa Sheppard Benson was the daughter of John Sheppard (1793 to 1875) and Nancy Jane Sheppard (1802-1852).

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