HENDERSON G. SMITH, one of the prominent citizens of Okaw Township,
Shelby County, was born within its bounds, June 19, 1829, has a fine farm on
section 30, where he has carried on successfully farming and stock-raising.
He has nearly four hundred acres of land all in good condition and his
residence which he built in 1887 is homelike, capacious and delightful.
Allen and Karen H. (Robertson) Smith, the father and mother of our subject
were born in Virginia and married in Kentucky, and after six children were
born to them they came to Illinois, making the journey by the way of prairie
schooners, and camping out by the way. At the end of this primitive journey
they settled in Okaw Township, in the fall of 1828 and entering land they
erected a house of hewed logs. This substantial, although rudely-built house
has been occupied from that day to this, but is now removed from the spot
where it was first built. The land which he purchased was located just in
the edge of the timber and he proceeded to improve it and place it in a
condition for cultivation.
The following year, the father of our subject removed to the place which is
now the family home and became the happy possessor of some three hundred
acres of rich and fertile soil and proceeded to place upon it good
improvements, so that it was soon in as prosperous a condition as any farm
in those early days. There were few conveniences in those days and fewer
opportunities for culture and education. Mr. Smith had to go to St. Louis to
market, to Springfield to mill, and to Saline for salt. Venison could be had
much nearer home as deer, bears, turkeys and other game abounded and came
within easy shot of the house.
The mother of our subject became a widow in 1846, her husband then passing
away at the age of fifty-two years, and she survived him until September,
1865. Of this large family of eleven children two died in infancy. One was
killed by falling out of a wagon when a little child four years of age.
Henry formerly a farmer and merchant, died in Farina, Ill.; William who has
been a farmer and stock-dealer, makes his home in Los Angeles, Cal.; Squair
T. died in Texas when a young unmarried man. Thomas is a farmer in
Washington; Eliza B. died unmarried, February 27, 1846; Wilburn who is a
physician makes his home in Indian Territory; and Bloomer A. is carrying on
a farm in Clay County, Ill.
The early school days and indeed the entire education of our subject was
very limited as the opportunities in his boyhood were poor and his help was
greatly needed upon the farm; but he received the best of home training and
a thorough grounding in the practical work of farming. In 1854 he was united
in marriage with Mary L. Butts, a daughter of Joseph and Perlina B. (Corley)
Butts and a native of Smith County, Tenn., where she first saw the light,
April 4, 1838. Her father was a native of North Carolina and her mother a
Tennesseean and they came to Illinois in 1841, settling successively in
Wayne County, Jefferson County, and Clay County, in which latter place the
parents died, and where their daughter was residing at the date of her
marriage with Mr. Smith.
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Smith made their first home on the farm which
they still occupy and he gave his whole attention to tilling the soil, he
has devoted much attention to stock-raising and his farm is thought to be
especially well adapted to stock-raising. The eight children of Mr. and Mrs.
Smith are: Wilburn, John H., Allen, William T., Perlina, Dexter, Mary L. and
Elza C. Perlina is the wife of William Hlendrick and makes her home not far
from her parents. Mr. Smith's political views are independent although he
was a Republican during war but for the last twenty years he has desired to
feel free from party ties. He has held numerous local offices and has served
as Supervisor. His wife is a member of the Separate Baptist Church in which
she finds a broad field for influence and labor and in whose communion she
is highly prized. Mr. Smith has always been of a speculative turn and has
made numerous business deals many of which have proved a profit to him.
Extracted 29 May 2019 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 628-629.
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