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From Early History and Pioneers of Champaign County, Milton W. Mathews and Lewis A. McLean, Champaign County Herald, Urbana, IL, 1886, pg. 136: "Mrs. Margaret Smith is one of the oldest living settlers in the county, having been a resident of this immediate vicinity for near sixty years. She was born December 13, 1814, in Washington county, West Virginia, at Glades Springs. Her father's name was James Beatty, of same county. Her mother's name was Hester Fulton, of London county, Virginia. Her parents died when she was about seven years old. She was married January 31st, 1833, to Jacob Smith, in Shelby county, Kentucky. Mr. Smith was born in Shelby county, Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Smith came to this county October 16, 1833. They came in an old Virginia wagon, drawn by oxen, and settled on a part of the farm now owned by the family, about a mile east of Urbana, where they built a log cabin. Mrs. Smith says, "We first lived in this cabin with two rooms and a leanto with a lynn bark loft, puncheon floor, no windows. We were happy and thought we were fortunate in having such a good house. Monday after we came the first town lots in Urbana were sold at auction. The Brumley school house near us was the first school house in the neighborhood. Andrew Stephenson, John Gardner and Chancy Standish were among the first teachers. Mr. Smith built a new house in 1837, which was a good one for that day. The flooring was sawed by a whip saw, and the lath was made by hand, all by Mr. Smith." Mr. Smith was school director, road overseer, etc., but did not care for offices, found enough to do to attend to his own business, which he did, and by industry and good management, in which he was ably assisted by his wife, had six hundred acres of well-improved land all paid for when he died, in March, 1854. The habits of economy and thrift have extended to the children who, to-day, are among the best and most successful farmers in the county. There were born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith the following childreen: Elizabeth, who is at home; Malinda J., died at the age of 3 years; James N., farmer, living near; Eliza A., married a Mr. Turner, and lives in Woodbury county, Iowa; Sarah Margaret, married Mr. Shroyer and lives in Oswego, Kans.; William H., a farmer, living in Kimball county, Texas; Armstrong B., a farmer, in Urbana township; John T., died in infancy; David M., a farmer, and Jacob Mervin, a farmer. Mrs. Smith has been a member of the Baptist church in Urbana for over 30 years and is an earnest, faithful christian. She lives quietly on the old farm which she has seen brought from a wilderness until it now is in a high state of cultivation. Her daughter, Elizabeth, and her son, Mervin, and family share the old home with her, and here, surrounded by grand-children, she enjoys the fruit of a well-spent life of industry and takes pleasure in looking back and talking of the privations as well as the joys of the early days." Lineage: Margaret was the daughter of: James Beattie (ca 1783, VA-ca 1821, MO) and Hester Fulton. James was the son of David Beattie (ca 1744, VA-1814) and Mary Beattie. David was a Captain at the Battle of King's Mountain during the Revolutionary War. David was the son of John Beattie (1711/18, Ireland-1790, VA) and Elinor Gilmore. John is believed to have been the son of Arthur Beatty (1673, Ireland-1741, Ireland) and Martha Cairnes. Arthur was the son of John Beaty (? - 1681, Ireland) and ?. Family Anecdotes: Jacob and Margaret Smith lived on Main Street in Urbana, Illinois. Jacob died in 1854 and Margaret raised her family alone. At the time of his death, the oldest child was 21 and five were age 10 or under. It was during this time that Margaret became acquainted with Abraham Lincoln. The Smith family lived on his circuit rider route and he frequently stopped by to visit. It is said in the family that he and Margaret enjoyed arguing politics. Submitted by: |
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Margaret Jane Edmundson Buchanan Beattie (Lineage 4) was born 13 Dec
1814 at Glade Spring, Washington Co, VA and died 24 Oct 1896 at Kansas,
Edgar Co, IL. She married Jacob Smith, II, 28 Jan 1833, Shelby Co, KY. They
had 10 children.
