The purpose of this project is to prove as many descendants as possible to Oratio and Sarah through living descendants of their 11 children by using the Family Finder test and GEDMATCH to establish groupings based on the individual children with hopes of finding possible direct male (ydna)  or female (mtdna) descendants. While this is the main goal, we also hope to be able to tie our results into one of the other existing SMITH DNA projects in hopes of finding out who may be Oratio's parents.

Oratio Nelson Smith

b. 16 March 1821 New York (parents unknown but stated to be from NY also)

d. 19 April 1901 Elkhart, Elkhart Co., IN

           m. 30 June1844 Fenton, Genesee Co., MI

Sarah Hyatt (daughter of Zachariah Hyatt and Wyntje “Lavina” Kimberg, both of NY)

b. 3 Sept 1828 Prattsburg, Steuben Co., NY

d. 30 Jan 1916 Middlebury, Elkhart Co., IN

:

1. James Knox Polk Smith b. 1 Oct 1846 Fenton Twp., Genesee Co., MI; d. 8 Sept 1917 Des Moines Twp., Boone Co., IA; m1 Eliza M. Crowley 8 Jan 1869 Boone Co.,IA; m2 Maria Ellen Sabin 26 Dec 1875 Boone Co., IA; m3 Margaret A. Fruit 11 Nov 1888 Boone Co., IA; m4 Rose Martha Rozelmore Holt 12 Oct 1903 Minneapolis, Hennepin Co., MN; had 5 children

2. Clark Mason Smith b. 21 Aug 1848 Fenton Twp., Genesee Co., MI; d. unknown; m1 Martha A. Hendrickson before 1870; m2 Carrie Z. Delong 2 Sept 1888 Seattle, King Co., WA; had 5 children

3. Eldarillo Smith b. 21 Aug 1850 Tyrone Twp., Livingston Co., MI; d. 29 May 1922 Delton, Barry Co., MI; m. William O. Louden 6 April 1872 Boone Co., IA; had 9 children

4. Elizabeth Jane Smith b. 25 Nov 1852 (1855) IL; d. 9 June 1927 Kalmazoo, Kalmazoo Co., MI; m. Warner Washington Barnes 2 Dec 1874 Barry Co., MI; had 4 children

5. Sarah Jane Smith b. c1857 Clinton, Linn Co., IA; d. Clinton, Linn Co., IA; single; no children

6. Oratio Nelson Smith b. c1858 Linn Co., IA; d. c1859 Linn County, IA; single; no children

7. Mary Alice Smith b.25 Nov 1860 Rapids Twp., Linn Co., IA; d. 15 July 1932 Hutchinson, Kansas; m. George J. Beadman 29 Aug 1880 Barry, Barry Co., MI; had 2 children

8. William Harrison B. Smith b. Nov 1862 Cedar Rapids, Linn Co., IA; d. 14 July 1934 Boone, Boone Co., IA; m1 Ida J. Blair 17 March 1891 Partridge, Reno Co., KS; m2 Ida May Corey 24 Oct 1917 Hastings, Barry Co., MI; had 2 children

9. Cynthia Ophelia Smith b. 24 Nov 1865 Cedar Rapids, Linn Co., IA; d. 14 Aug 1916 Elkhart, Elkhart Co., IN; m. Charles Arron Walter 1 Aug 1885 Barry Co., MI; had 6 children

10. Katherine Byronia Smith b. 28 March 1868 Cedar Rapids, Linn Co., IA; d. 3 Dec 1900 Yell Twp., Boone Co., IA; m. Abraham Delas Moyer 2 Oct 1888 Boone Co., IA; had 3 children

11. Melvina Cornelia Smith b. 11 April 1870 Cedar Rapids, Linn Co., IA; d. 1953 (1958); m1 Jacob Miller 11 April 1889 Boone Co., IA; m2 William James Conway 18 Dec 1899 Boone, Boone Co., IA; had 7 children