Then about seven years ago, she hit pay dirt. She found a diary that referred to her great-grandfather. She was then able to verify it with other sources. He wasn't mentioned on the official lists because he was so young at the time. But he was there.
Genealogy is a hobby that requires persistence, luck and more than a little patience.
Smith looked for what she needed off and on for years. Carter Jones has been working on her family tree since the late 1960s. And she's still not done. It's like working on a giant puzzle. You're always looking for the next piece.