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Jeptha Smith Family

Jeptha E. Smith was a farmer and cattleman born 1820-1825 in Mississippi, probably Hancock County, son of Andrew and Nancy Roberts Smith. . He lived at Pine Valley and was a founding member or Ryan Chapel Church. The family has an unknown connection to Jackson Co., Florida. He was said to have been a large land owner and a deer hunter of some renown. Jeptha served in the Civil War in the Third Brigade, Texas State Troops. After the Civil War, Jeptha was a founding member of Ryan Chapel Church.

Jeptha married Jane E.(or Jane Anne) Stockstill, the widow of John Hardin.

They had the following children:

• Melissa E., born 1851 in Mississippi, who married Elias D. McCarty.
• Martha, born 1852 in Mississippi, who married George C. Stovall
• Hiram, born 1854 in Alabama, who married Mary (Margo?) Catherine Conner, daughter of William R. Conner
• Mary Marie, born 1856 in Texas, who married Charles Wesley Weeks
• Nancy, born 1858 in Texas, who married William Larkin Arrington
• William, born 1860 in Texas, died 1870

Jane had a daughter Florida from her marriage to John Hardin. In 1860 Florida "Smith" lived with the Smiths, and in 1870 Florida "Hardin" lived in the Smith household. She married James Monroe Fairchild as early as 1872.

By 1870 Jane had died. An Annie J. Smith, wife of Jeptha Smith, who died in 1862, is buried at Prairie Grove Cemetery. It is said that she was buried after dark facing south (significance unknown) by family slaves. She likely died while Jeptha was away at war.

In 1877 Jeptha married Eliza Jenny Burrous, daughter of Samuel Huston Burris.
They had the following children:

• Alonzo Tobe, born 1878 in Texas
• Louisa Amanda, born 1879 in Texas

Jeptha died in 1900 in Angelina County.

© 2006-24 Burke History Project
M. Lee Murrah, Editor
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