HISTORY OF YUBA & SUTTER COUNTIES, CA, pp, 801-02:
JAMES WILLIAM SMITH -- The greater part of the life of JamesWilliam Smith has been spent in California, for he was only six yearsold when he crossed the plains with his parents. He was born inMissouri, June 18, 1851, a son of William Anderson and Martha Susan(Hiatt) Smith, both native of Kentucky. William Anderson Smith leftSt. Joseph, Missouri in 1857, and in ninety days arrived at Kirksvilleon the Sacramento River in Sutter County. he settled on the YoloCounty side of the Sacramento River, two miles north of Smith's Ferry,and there bought 240 acres of land, which was used for his extensivestock business. In 1861 he received an offer of $29,000 for his"brand"; but the flood of 1862 destroyed his entire herd, a single cowbeing all that he was able to save. he then moved his family toLakeport in Lake County, where he bought a ranch of 160 acres; andbesides his ranching he teamed to the mines. In 1874 he moved back toSutter County and settled in the Winship district, purchasing 120acres, which he farmed for the balance of his days. He passed away atthe age of sixty-four, his wife surviving him until she wasseventy-eight years old. The marriage of Mr. Smith occurred atYorkville, California, September 16, 1877, uniting him with Miss SarahElkins, a native of Nevada, and a daughter of David and ElizabethElkins. David Elkins was a farmer in Sutter County for a number ofyears, and then removed to Mendocino County, where he engaged in thestock business until his death. Mr. Smith remained with his parentsfor four years after his marriage, and then purchased 95 acres sixmiles south of Meridian on the Sacramento river, in Sutter County,where he ran a dairy and is still engaged in the dairy business,though not on an extensive scale. nine children were born to Mr. andMrs. Smith: Virgil Cleveland, at Live Oak; Martha, now Mrs. Lemen ofMeridian; Kirby Lee, in Colusa; James Eswin; Valletta, now Mrs. JohnD. Lay, residing in the O'Bannion Corners district; Georgia, now Mrs.Daly of Arbuckle; Robert, at Meridian; Esther Ann, now MRs. Taylor ofMeridian; and Arthur. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have fourteen grandchildrenand two great-grandchildren. Mr. Smith is independent in politics.For may years he has been a trustee of the Winship district school.He was listed as a resident in the census report in Sutter Co., CA,1880.
She was listed as a resident in the census report in Sutter Co., CA,1880.