The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1881-09-02
The Late Mrs. Rebecca Smith.
Sketch of the life Of Venerable and
Estimable Lady.

One Of the few links connecting the present
with the past Of Hartford county was severed by
the death of Mrs. Rebecca Smith, who after IL
long eventful and busy life, peacefully departed
on the 10th August. ut her late residence, near the
Week Mrs Smith 4s bors Where W her o nep ess
CIV, Wilson ID. West, now lives, about one mile
from the spot where she died. She was married
at her fathers house, near her late residence, at
| the age of II, to Amos Smith, native of Bucks
county, Pa. After their marriage, Mr.. and Mrs.
smith removed to baltimore city, where they re;
sided for seven years, Mr. Smith being engaged
in mercantile business. They subsequently re-
moved to her late place of abode, adjoining her
She was the mother of thirteen children, boys
and 0girls;. Four of her children, three boys and
one one 9Th 81, ;iie' young One Of the four was
of age, by a fall from horse. Nine of her chill
dren grew up to comfort her declining years =
now living in baltimore, in good health, ut so
years of age She married Ellis p Coalo, now
dead.
James Is. Rodgers, of Philadelphia, who was for
many years, and at the time OF his death, one of
the professors at the University of Pennsylvania.
Mrs. Rogers is living, at the age of n, and has
three children living.
Mrs Smiths daughter Mary $. first married
Oliver p. Morrison and after his death Charles
W. Pcrce She is dead, and has one child by her
Her daughter tcbecca W. married Thomas
Russell, formerly Il we'll known merchant of Ibati
more. She is dead, two children surviving her.
Amanda F. is slil living She followed st.
raul \ ADVICE anu never married.
Lavinia S. married Joshua Harvey. of Phadel-
phia. She is in fine health and has three children
living.
Susan W. married Capt. George d. Cooke, of
Brownsville, Pa. Her husband is dead, but she is
still living and has four living children.
Her son Charles A. took for his wife Clementne
Wall, of Baltimore. Mr.. Smith resides in New
York with his wife and three children, being
member of the firm Of Vokenburgh, Leavitr u
Co., merchants
Her youngest child Virginia S., married George
W. Wilson, of this county, who died in 1866 She
and her two children are In good health.
Mrs. Smith was n very active and industrious
woman. She led busy and useful life. and in
providing for and educating her children she
never tired. She lived t to see many changes in
messed the birth and burial of three generations
of people there, and boosted, on her death bed
that she never had the headache, and could not
Imagine what it was. She took pride in the fact
that no physician ever got one cent OF her money
for medical services. until after she was NJ years.
of age; and her doctrine was that il our women
would lead more active lives the doctors would be
starved out. Her medicine chest consisted of
father rode on horse back from the Rocks to
Bucks county, Pa, to see some relatives, and she
regarded this as the great pleasure trip of her life
IIibbs. They were both natives of Bucks county
Pa, and moved from there to Hartford county 100
years ago, bringing with them three little chill
dren. Their thrifty good sense soon taught them
that market must be had for their butter, eggs
and other goods, and that Baltimore, then but a
youthful city, must be visited regularly, however
b ID the roads Country roads ut thai time were
scarcely fit for vehicle travel, and vehicles them
selves were scarce in those PARKWAY glays-
Horse back was reSorted to, and as horseback rid
ing has, in all time, been considered us an amuse-
ment, Thomas West amused his wife by packing
horses back with such things u were wanted
in Baltimore, seating his wife on top of the load,
and sending her to town" as Baltimore was
commonly called at that day. She reached there
safely, and the tidyness of her goods enabled her
to make quick and profitable sales of all she had
These trips to Baltimore she made regularly once
In two weeks and alone, for many years. She
usually MIXED her COWS, ate her supper about
shutdown, then mounting her horse travelled
to town alone in the night. She generally return
ed home the next evening about sundown and
Mrs Smith often spoke of seeing her mother on
her return from market, slip from her stced,
take the milk bucket from the garden pales
where 1t was always placed for the sun to sweeten
it during the day, and go into the barn yard,
milk her cows and put the mill away in the dairy,
before she entered her house.
With such mothers example, no wonder Mrs.
Smith led so energetic and active Il life.
Thomas West was a cousin of BENJAMIN West
the distinguished artist ID.