| Front Page |
| Local News |
| Sports |
| Community Events |
| Trail of History |
| Obituaries |
| Classifieds |
| Times of Worship |
| Archive |
| School Menus |
|
| Search |
Content Management by interactivetools.com.
Just when Dr. James Smith and his brother, a doctor, also, came to America is not known. We have no record of his early life, except that it was in Lancaster County, England, where he was born in 1764. He went to Oxford— so he was a well educated man. On arriving in America he took up residence in Berks County. His brother, it is said, went to Hollidaysburg. Dr. James Smith married Catherine Brobst, Feb. 10, 1794, the only child of Jacob Brobst. They lived in Albany Twp., Berks County. Six of the 12 children were born there. When William, the sixth child, was about a year old they came to Union County. They came with Jacob Brobst. Mrs. Brobst often in later years told how she carried the baby William in her arms as she rode horseback from Berks County to their home in Buffalo Valley. In 1807 Jacob Brobst purchased the farm just west of Mifflinburg from Captain John Clark, of the Revolution. Florence, his wife, died Sept. 16, 1807. He died Oct. 22, 1809. They were the great grandparents of David Watson. Captain Clark’s farm of several hundred acres was known as the Lieut. Askey tract of 1769. Jacob Brobst and his wife came from Germany. He became interested in the affairs of our state, and was elected as our representative in 1815-1816 and was re-elected to the Legislature 1816-1817, but was unable to take his place on account of illness. It seems as though he brooded over some legislative affairs until the man was very despondent. Dr. Smith’s oldest son, the father of Mr. Ed. Smith, of Hartleton, took care of him as long as he lived. There Jacob took his bride and lived there some years after the death of Mr. Brobst. The “Big Spring” belonged to the farm and it is said Jacob Brobst walked from the house to a stump of a tree above the spring until a path was so worn that long after his death, which was in 1825, it could be plainly visible and remained as a sign of his mental depression. After the death of Mr. Brobst, Dr. Smith and Catherine, his wife, fell heir to the large farm and it is said that five generations of the Smith-Brobst heirs lived there. It is now the property of William Strunk (1928). Dr. James Smith did not reside on the farm, but owned the corner of 3rd and Chestnut. His home was where Mrs. James Ritter’s house now stands (1928), at that time it embraced the ground where Mr. Snodgrass’ house stands (1928). From there he made long journeys across the valley and mountains. His wife said he would fill the saddlebags with medicine and start out often gone three days, seeing patients at a distance, home a short time and then off again. He was a large man, weighing about 350 pounds. He was skilled in his profession and practiced it until his death, March 17, 1826. Catharine, his wife, lived in the Smith home twenty years after her husband died. She died in 1846. From this home the sons went to take up their life work, daughters to marry and establish a home. Jacob, born in 1794: Sarah, b. 1796, married Philip Ruhl. They had four children, Andrew, father of John P. Ruhl and Mrs. Thornton, of Lewisburg, and grandfather of Frank A. Ruhl. Elizabeth, mother of James and William Ritter and grandmother of Charlie Ritter. Charles Smith, was born in 1798, and married Mary Sautet they had several children. William and Angeline were unmarried. Jane married Mr. Williams. Catherine was born June 29, 1836. Her Father, Charles Smith, died when she was quite small. After living awhile in Hartleton, they moved to Mifflinburg after which she made her home with her Aunt Jane Smith, who lived in the old home, 3rd and Chestnut Streets. Here she grew to womanhood, beautiful, and attractive. In 1858 she married Luther W. Anspach. They had four children: Gertrude, who died a few years ago (from 1928); W.W. Anspach, a successful business man of Milton. He had two children, Marshall Anspach, a lawyer in Williamsport (whom the author remembers), and Mary, who died in Milton, and whom the author of this article remembers. George Anspach, a successful business man, lives in Altoona. He has a daughter, Evelyn. Virginia, a successful music teacher of Mifflinburg, has been one of us all her life. Maria Ann Smith married Mr. Silverwood. He died and she then married John Reber and so became stepmother of Mrs. D.W. Pellman. Catherine married Mr. Moran and left town. William married Miss Reighard. Mrs. Wilkinson was his daughter and Mrs. Belle Smith, of Los Angeles his granddaughter. John Brobst Smith, born Dec. 5, 1809 was the father of Hiram Smith who served with the famous “Bucktails” in the 150th Pa. Regt. Clara married Mr. Moyer, died 50 years ago (from 1928). Alice married Mr. Carr, left town and she too has passed on. Oscar always lived in town or on the original Smith-Brobst farm above town. He married Mary Lebkicker. She and two of their children live in town. Mrs. Smith makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Stump. Harry Smith married Miss Chambers and has two daughters: great-grandchildren of Dr. Smith. Matilda Smith married Mr. Chambers, only two are living of the large family, and they are out of town. Miss Kate always lived here until she died. James M. Smith went to Freeport, Ill., died there many years ago. Mrs. Smith of Los Angeles is his granddaughter. Jane Smith lived and died in the old home. Mr. Ed. Smith of Hartleton, is the only living grandson of Dr. James Smith. © Copyright 2009 by Mifflinburg Telegraph Weekly Newspaper Top of Page |
|
|