John Smith

John Smith, farmer, section 12, Evart Township, was born Sept. 7, 1833, in York, Washtenaw Co., Mich. His parents, Harmon and Eliza (Davenport) Smith, are natives of the State of New York. the removed in 1847 to Ronald Township, Ionia County. His mother descended from the Davenport brothers, - John, Isaac and Morris, - whose posterity has kept intact the lineage record from their emigration to this country in the Colonial period, and who were Quakers in religious sentiment. She was born July 19, 1812, either in Dutchess or Orange Co., N.Y. The father was born Sept. 27, 1805, in Lima, Livingston Co., N.Y.

Mr. Smith went to Iowa when 23, and after passing a year in the Buckeye State returned to Ionia. He came to the township of Evart Feb. 11, 1867, at a period when the natural condition of the county afforded ample scope for the indulgence of his tastes and proclivities for hunting and trapping, which he turned to profit, and which he has pursued more or less ever since for sport when no necessity urged. He settled on 80 acres of land, where he has since resided.

He was married, in Orient Township, Dec. 12, 1865, to Mary Ann Tennant. she was born Dec. 29, 1845, in Macomb Co., Mich., and is the daughter of William and Betsey (Burdick) Tennant, of Orient Township (see sketch). Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had six children: Harmon, born Dec. 17, 1867; Rhoda, Oct. 7, 1871; Alva, March 20, 187-. Ida born Sept. 11m 1869, died Oct 26, 1879; Alva, born April 12, 1876, deied Nov. 13, 1879; Ethan, born Dec. 7, 1873, died Nov. 1, 1879. These children died within three weeks, of diptheria. Their mother joined her little ones gone before to the land of the silent majority April 1, 1881.

Mr. Smith is a Democrat. He has been Treasurer three terms, and Highway Commissioner and Justice of the Peace one term each.

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