Albert Franklin Smith
Albert Franklin Smith, who has occupied his present comfortable home, a very attractive residence at Mt. Pleasant, O., for the past twenty-one years, belongs to a well known family of this section. He was born in Smitlifield Township, Jefferson County, O., October 14, 1859, and is a son of George W. and Deltorah (Barkhurst) Smith.
George W. Smith, who is a retired resident of Mt. Pleasant, was born here seventy-five years ago, the only child of Reese and Sarah (Frazier) Smith. Reese Smith was married four times, his union with Sarah Frazier being his first one. His second marriage was to a Miss Gardner, and they had one child, Jane. Of his third marriage, to Love Meek, there was no issue. His last marriage was with Martha Fisher, and they had the following children: Lycurgus, Harry, Edward, Melvin, Charles, Ross, Belle, Maria, Mina, Florence, and a babe that died at Martin's Ferry. Reese Smith was born at Pleasant Grove, Belmomt County, O., and came to Mt. Pleasant in early manhood, where he worked at the blacksmiths' trade for a number of years. Later he discovered a process for manufacturing steel and transferred his interests to Martin's Ferry.
George W. Smith married Deborah Barkhurst, who was bom in Smitlifield Township, Jefferson County, and died in January, 1887. Her father was married three times and had twelve children in all, three of whom were born to his first union—Nancy, Rebecca and Mary—one to his second marriage—Deborah—and eight to his third marriage, with Hannah Marshall—William, John, Jacob. Elizabeth, Margaret, Jane, Martha and Hannah. To George W. Smith and wife the following children were born: Albert Franklin, Walker, Roy, Robert, Isaac, Isabella, Hannah Mary, Louisa, Helen and Elizabeth, and of those Isaac, Louisa and Elizabeth are now deceased. Both the Smith and the Barkhurst families were of the Methodist faith.
On November 29, 1882, Albert Franklin Smith was married to Miss Hattie Withrow, a daughter of Merrick and Mrs. Sarah (Hogg) (Simeral) Withrow. Mrs. Smith has one sister, Miss Ella Withrow, and she had also a brother, who died in infancy. By her marriage with Mr. Simeral she had four children—Mary A., George, James and Elizabeth—all now living. The ancestry of Mrs. Smith may be traced as follows:
Merrick Withrow was born on a farm in Mt. Pleasant Township, this county, in 1832, and in early manhood moved to Mt. Pleasant, where he learned and later followed the tailors' trade for many years. His death took place in 1885. His parents, Gordon and Eliza (McMasters) Withrow, were married February 18, 1829. Eliza McMasters, daughter of David and Anna (Starr) McMasters, was born May 4, 1812, and died in 1904, aged ninety-two years. David McMasters, who was a Methodist preacher, was married in Virginia, and from there went to North Carolina and later, in 1808, to Ohio. His birth took place in 1784 and his death in 1827. David McMasters married Anna Starr, who was born in 1789 and died in 1845.
Merrick Starr, the great-great-grandfather of Mrs. Smith, was born in 1754 and lived to be about eighty years of age. His parents were Merrick and Phoebe Starr, and they came to Mt. Pleasant from Virginia in 1807 and he built two log houses side by side, one for his own family and one for his daughter. His son, Merrick Starr, married Anna Pearson, a daughter of Benjamin and Mary Pearson. Grandfather Gordon Withrow was born at Stevensburg, Va., in 1802, and died in 1847.
The mother of Mrs. Smith was born at Mt. Pleasant in 1827 and died in 1893. She was a daughter of John and Miriam (Brown) Hogg, who were married in 1812. John Hogg was born at Bedlington, England, in 1788 and came to Mt. Pleasant in 1809, where he died in 1857. He was a merchant and also owned seven tanneries at one time. His wife was born in Virginia and was taken to Brownsville, Pa., and from there came to Mt. Pleasant with her parents, who were Joel and Barbara (Schumann) Brown. He was a Quaker and she a Seceder, and at the time of death he was laid to rest in the Quaker graveyard at Short Creek and she in the Seceder graveyard. The great-grandfather, Merrick Starr, was also a Quaker.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith have six children: Ralph Starr, who is a resident of Mt. Pleasant, and was married December 23, 1903, to Miss Cornell Barnes; Lee Crawford, who lives at home; George Rowland, also living at home; Deborah, who is a senior in the High School; and Eleanor and Merrick Brown, who are at home. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Presbyterian Church. In politics he is identified with the Republican party.
20th Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio, by Joseph B. Doyle. Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910