The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-27
4 REMARKABLE FAMILY.
The Five Daughters of the Rev. Zephaniah
II. smith-A Singular Fnct.

The parents of the Smith sisters were
Zephaniah II. Smith an eccentric consrcga.
tional clergyman Ia native OF Glastonbury and
Yale graduate and Hannah Hickock Smith,
"A native Il we remember Alright, Of Fairfield
county. Mr.. Smith. who died in February.
1896. lived white In Glastonbury on the farm
nection with the action OF his two latest
surviving daughters farm that was one
and as queer In shape as the family has
been IN eharactsri i was about twenty rods
the IConnecticut river; and running thence
three miles into the wilderness" shape Ike
daughters, five in number. and all marked 10y
phases. more or less distinct. OF an original and
peculiar character bore also very queer names.
been correctly given m any OF the numerous
newspaper notices Of the family We here give
them correctly. presenting them In the order
OF their birth:
Iancy zephins TOW March, 1851 died June 1874 Of
GSrln1Eis ssereua born Nay. i,ss died August is,
Laurilla Aleroyla, born November, 1859 died March
Ass2 Fs. soSS ",r ne Sr s ss i ss
The second name. Zephina OF the first born
was an attempt 10 preserve something like the
Christian name OF the father. No sons were
A singular fact in connection with this family
il the fatal recurrence OF the period Of seven
years in the death Of the sisters, Thus, Laurilla
Aleroyla died in 1857 and in 1864 occurred the
death Of the next one Cyrinthia Sacretia. Seven
years later. in 1871 came the death OF the
first born; and the two survivors were nc
custOmed 10 say that in 1873 one Of them
would probably die-and the event. oddly
enough has proved the truth OF tho rule. Four
OF the five sisters have died at times separated
each by an interval Of sevon years Each vas
marked by some peculiar talent in music.
painting gardening. or linguistic gifts. Julia;
the survivor OF the family. was the translator OF
the Bible from the original. Hers Is. perhaps,
the strongest character OF the family Each Of
the sisters had the broadly marked pecuiari-
ties OF manner and speech OF the rural New
Highlander,
peculiar. He ceased 10 be q preacher because.
professed exponent Of the laws 81 heaven. TO
stand between any person and his God In mat
tors pertaining 10 the soul and the future life,
he said every Individual should be left to com
mune with heaven directly, or ut least In his
own way. without direction from any called
minister Of the Gospel
This belief was shared by most. II not all. OF
his family. The result has been that. when a
death has occurred in the old homestead. no
minister was invited 10 conduct religious ser.
vices. either at the house or the grave. The
| survivors and perhaps q few OF their nearest
| friends. would sit in a Quaker-like silence. in
the house where the dead lay, and have their
| own high thoughts on eternal thngs-for they
| were all religious persons, though religiously
| peculiar-and then the burial would be made
| without religious services.
Such WAS the character of the funeral which
took place at Glastonbury this afternoon.
| Miss julia. the survivor Of her race. will now
| be alone In her old age in the old homestead
| but the tender care Of her friends and tenants
| land nearest neighbors). Mr. and Mrs. Kellogg
will be given to her In her declining years.