Written by Velma Smith, May 1967

In November, the year 1839, Nicholas Smith brought his family, a wife and nine children, from Herkimer County, New York into the wilds of Charleston Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. They came by wagon, drawn by oxen, with what household goods they deemed necessary, all on one load. They were about a week on the road. They all walked the entire distance, about 200 miles. There were no railroads at the time in this part of the county, very few in the entire country. Three of Nicholas’ brothers and their families came at the same time. Who their father was, I don’t know, I can’t find any data that goes beyond these four brothers. Nicholas married Katie Friggie, and they had nine children.

Josiah born July 1, 1823 married Charlotte Marirn
Levi born Oct. 13, 1824 died April 3, 1852, age 27, unmarried
Nancy born Aug. 1, 1826 married Francis Thomas, lived in Liberty
Christina born Jan. 17, 1828 married Joshua Thompson
Fulton born June 9, 1830 married Jane Bachus (died) married Lydia M. Rice, born in 1839
Nelson born July 1, 1832 died May 20, 1852, age 19, unmarried
Chancey born Dec. 25, 1834, died Jan. 31, 1905, unmarried
Egra born Aug. 19, 1836 married Henrietta Jones
Eli born March 22, 1938 married Alzenia Dyke

Looking at these dates I would say some of these boys were pretty small to be walking 200 miles, Eli about 20 months and Egra 3 years old. I have heard Grandpa Ful say he walked all the way and he was 9 years old. This Smith family, by direct lineal descent, comes of a virile sturdy race of people, who settled at an early date, in the Mohawk Valley in New York State, and are known as the Mohawk Dutch. Upon arrival in Charleston Township, Nicholas and his family were located for a short time about two miles from Wellsboro, on land that later became known as the Beauge farm. (Some of the family think this place was on the Canyon Corral road.) Wellsboro was a small hamlet at this time. Nicholas purchased a tract of forest land in the Welsh Settlement area, only it was located on the east side of the marsh. He and his wife lived there until they died. Levi and Nelson, died of scarlet fever, and they buried them on the farm, beside the road. This road has been abandoned, it went from the Smith farm, (now known as Sheerer’s) to Robbie Jones. The stones can be found in the hedge.
Nicholas Smith died February 10, 1885
Katie Friggie Smith died February 21, 1878
Fulton Smith is the line we are interested in, as he was Arnold’s grandfather. He helped his father with the farm work and when possible worked at the sawmill located nearby, at the south end of the marsh. It was the first sawmill located in this part of Charleston Township and was known as the Walt Seely Mill. A portion of the old dam can still be seen.

In 1850, Fulton bought 100 acres of woodland, directly north of his father’s farm, and cleared a portion of it. In the spring and summer of 1854 he built a house and other buildings. On November 12th of that year he married Sally Jane Bachus, and they moved into their new home, he was 24 years old and she was 16. On April 26, 1856 their son Osgeola Gerould was born. On June 8, 1861 another son was born, Orlander J., but he lived one day and two days later 23 year old Sally Jane died.

March 6, 1862 Fulton married Lydia M. Rice, 23 years old and he was 31. A son Henry Edwin was born, Jan 30, 1863, he weighed about 3 pounds. On March 2, 1865 a daughter Jennie Orline was born. Fulton Smith received a call to serve in the Army. It was necessary he leave Lydia and the little ones alone on the farm. (I have heard Dad Smith tell that she tied him to the bed post when she went out to do chores.) Fulton joined the 98th Reg’t Pa. Volunteer’s Infantry, but did not see active duty. The war ended and he returned home in about 6 months, with an honorable discharge. (We have his call to duty, his discharge and the plume from his drummer’s hat. Marvin Reese has them now, he made a case for them, when Marvin passes away, they are to be returned to Wayne or one of his boys). (1997 note – they were never returned).

Another son, Leonard Egbert was born July 28, 1867. When he was 10 years old, Ed and Jennie were very sick with typhoid fever. There was no telephones in those days so his mother sent him to Cherry Flats for the Doctors. He got wet and chilled and died Nov. 26, 1877. He is buried in the Baptist Cemetery in Cherry Flats.

In June of 1877, Lydia was called to a neighbors home, where she found the mother of the family was having a baby. A girl was born, but only a few hours later the mother died. Lydia brought the baby home and named her Gracie. They all loved her, she was the pride and joy of the home, but on March 29, 1878, she was taken suddenly ill and died. Gracie Thomas Smith is buried beside Leonard.

0. Gerould Smith married Ella Cramer (Cramer’s lived in a log house, north of where H. W. McNeil lives now). They went housekeeping in the Longwell house, which stood to the west of the corners, south of the Smith. I picked raspberries on the “Longwell Lot” around the foundations when Wayne and Wanda were small. On August 10, 1879, their son Leonard E. was born. His is living yet, with wife Ada Douglas. Their children are Mable Boyle, Basil and Pearl. Gladys died when two weeks old.

On June 9th, 1881, Lydia sent Jen over to see how Ella was feeling, she was pregnant, and Gerould was away at work. Jen found her on her bed, Leonard E. was playing beside her, she had died of hemorrhaging. Fulton and Lydia raised “Lenny” as their own.

Jen married William March of Middleburg, May 9, 1883 at Mansfield. They never had any children, but they took a boy, Clifford Morgan. He married Mable Warren, they had several children, then he disappeared. You know her as Mable Mays. Will died Dec. 12, 1915.

Gerould married again, Sadie Hutcheson, and they had two sons, Robert and Will. Robert married Edith Ingerick, and they had Genevieve, married Emmett Jones, and Gordon, married Bessie Hemker. Will married Jennie Rogers and had Ellsworth (Killed in World War II), married Pauline Niles; daughters Cresence, Married Donald Frank, and Arliene, married Lang.

H. Edwin married Carrie Orline Griffin, March 5, 1888, and they lived in a small house, on the left side of the road, before you come to the Thompson farm. They had Stella, born March 13th, 1889, died Sept. 9, 1953. Iva born May 27th, 1892, married Ernest Jelliff, died Ralph Fulton, born May 28, 1896, died at 9 months, March 1897.
Ralph Arnold born May 15, 1899, married Velma Margaret Rose, died December 8, 1972
Kenneth Fulton born August 24, 1902, married Essie Gettys, died March 8, 1950.

When Arnold was 10 years old, Ed and Carrie moved onto the farm with Fulton and Lydia, to care for them. Lydia died May 15, 1911 and Fulton died May 13, 1921.

Carrie Orline Smith died Jan. 17, 1960 on her 96th birthday. They are buried in the Welsh Settlement Cemetery. Ralph Fulton is also buried there.

Stella Reese Wittfeldt is buried in Wellsboro Cemetery, also her son Llewellyn. Iva Jelliff is buried in the Mansfield Cemetery to the right of Rt 15. Kenneth is buried in Elmira.
He married Essie Gettys and they had one son, Richard. He went West and no one hears from him. (1997 Velma hears from him now). Stella married Floyd Reese. They had Llewellyn who died when he was a baby. Other children were Ralph, Marvin and Verne. Ralph married Lydia Youmans and had a daughter Marjorie.