The New York herald., 1879-09-04
THE HOUSE OF SMITH.


REUNION OF PROLIFIC RACE on THE SITE OF
IT'S FOUNDERS HoNEsGEAD-THE MOST re-
AiAEKABLE FAMILY IN NEW JERSEY
The weather yesterday proved unfayorable for
the reunion and determination of the great
Smith family at peapack, N. j. Still con-
siderable number OF the prolific tribe met
on the ancient grounds. whore the founder
OF the New Jersey Smiths pitched his tent
one hundred and forty years ago. 1t takes pretty
bad weather to keep the Smiths from coming to-
gether. and though the crowd was uch diminished
by comparison with the attendance OF last year
the exhibition of family JOY and pride enthu
siastic ever About hundred wagons of every
conceivable kind brought the Smith brethren to the
site of the old homestead. 1t is picturesque
situation, near the North branch OF the Raritan
River. III the midst of broken and wooded ground
with high hills and deep deales in the near dis
tanee. The scenery showed to disadvantage, with
the heavy nists clinging to the hillsides and man
ling the green and woody valleys. Bat to the Smiths
primrose by the rivers brim is but
yellow primrose still, and the lack OF
perfection in the landscape troubled them little.
They came there to shake hands and congratulate
themselves having carried out more potently
than any family in America the Scrpturai injunction
to increase and multiply and neither the nor the
absence of asthetic accessories bothered them any.
THE HOMESTEAD.
The site of the old loghonse of the founder. John
Heinrich Schmidt. of Delft. Holland was marked by
a nas pole Here it was that the sturdy Dutchman.
aided by his wife fought the battle against sterile
nature and made the wilderness blossom HAe
rose From the stories circulated in the circles
of his descendants yesterday IT appeared John
Heinrich worked the farm or Anthony fassei as
a Iah,rer for some time after coming to this
try and then Anthony's daughter Christian fell i'll
love with him Her father approved the analr
and gave Schmidt 100 acres OF M lane. ,l ne
dren were named follows christopher. Martin.
John, Andrew. Joseph, Isaac, Peter. jacob, Aacha
rian Charity Iaiey. Catharine Elizabeth, Mary,
Rebecca, Sarah ana Christian. Christopher settled
IN New York state and las between four and five
the north branch OF the Raritan River,
end has about three hundred descendants.
Iebccca Smith married Thomas Cole, and from this
alliance sprung Immensely fruitful addition to
already numerous tribe IN course OF time branch
located IN ONO, aiiothe III 1nu ane
seeds OF the original tree took root even IN Cali.
forna ana Texas. Tne total number OF lineal
descendants to-day is 800, and the singular thing
rbout 1t that out of 800 OF these who were present
u. last years reunion there was only one
John Smith, and even this John Smith is
called invariably by his middle name-Day-
lon-or 'Day" for short. Though the founders
name john the prominent cognoinen among
his vast progeny Peter the next most common
jacob and then Zachariah. The Smiths are Bible
loving people and they resorted to that source for
baptismnl appeations The oidest OF me nc. founders
at sixty Ave. Longevity has been marked charac-
tcrstic of the Smith race.
at the picnic.
"How so?" was asked OF him.
well, whatever they undertake they usually
carry through. AS farmers and tradesmen they
have Always been successful and there no fail
ures recorded against them. They all good.
honest people"
Nuf THE FAMILY FEAST
green, lcafy grove near the old mansion OF Peter
e. smith destined tor the expected crowd of
hye thousand people. There three OF
tables 900 long for tho Smith brethren eat at
each ono bringing his own grub and knives and
forks well. Then a platform draped
with flags and festooned with fern leaves,
wtich the speaker OF the day to address the
smith multitude the wonderful cXpan-
zion OF that renowned But these
snjoymeuts to be- The Smiths
that braved the nclemency of the weather ate their
pie and chicken i'll the seclusion OF their covered
wagons, the address not delivered, but the
band of amateur musicians from Lebanon, under
charge OF Professor Apgar, made gallant hcadway
nga,ist tho duness caused by the drizzlinS rain
and the paucity OF the Smith representation
Among other items Of information floating around
the picnic grounds that Arintha Bells, aged
ninety four living at New Brunswick, n. j., is
hat there six generations residing under her
roof. two children OF seventh generation having
been very recently born. One OF the founders
daughters (Mary Smith) married man named
Pickle and went out West with him, and she
il the only out of the seventeen children of
whom there Is no trace. One the family "fit' in
the revolution and another with Perry in his
battle Lake Erle Six hundred of the family live
around Peapack ISAIAH Smith, OF MilburD, is pres
iicnt association; Abraham Smith, vice pres
idcnt; James c. Saith. secretary, and Oscar smith,