John R. Smith
A farm of one hundred and fifty acres situated in Sugarcreek township is the property of John Riley Smith, a well known agriculturist of Greene county, who throughout his entire life has engaged in the tilling of the soil in this portion of the state. His birth occurred about four miles from Xenia on his father's farm on the Columbus pike at what is called East Point, in a stone house wliich is still occupied as a residence. His natal day was November 18, 1839, and he is a son of John G. and Sophronia (McFarland) Smith. The father was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, and when only two years old was brought by his parents to Ohio, the family making the journey on horseback and bringing with them their farming utensils. Mr. Smith was born on Christmas day in 1810 and the year 1812 witnessed their emigration westward. The family settled at Cedarville but at a later date returned to Maryland. When two years had passed, however, they came once more to Ohio. The grandfather, Jonathan Smith, owned a small farm of ten acres on which he made his home until his death, which occurred about 1845 when our subject was six years of age. His wife, Mrs. Barbara Smith, lived to a very advanced age. John G. Smith, the father of our subject, spent the greater part of his youth in this county amid its frontier surroundings and scenes and assisted in the arduous task of developing a new farm. After arriving at years of maturity he married Sophronia McFarland. who was born in this county, her parents being Arthur and Martha (Claypool) McFarland. The young couple then began their domestic life upon a farm which Mr. Smith rented. They became the parents of nine children, of whom our subject was the third in order of birth. Four of the number are still living, the others being Jonathan M., George McHenry and Howard Scott, all residents of Madison county, Ohio. The father departed this life wlien about seventy years of age.
Only very limited educational privileges did John R. Smith receive on account of ill health. He remained at home until about twenty-two years of age and then began to earn his own livelihood. For two years he rented land and in 1880 he purchased his present farm, comprising about one hundred and fifty acres. This he has improved with modern equipments and accessories and its neat and thrifty appearance indicates to the passerby the enterprise and progressiveness of the owner.
On the 1st of February, 1877, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Smith and Miss Henrietta Maria Bonner, who was born in Xenia township, Greene county, March 1, 1840, a daughter of Stith and Maria (Mercer) Bonner. Her father was born in Dinwiddle county, Virginia, in 1791, and the mother in Hamilton county, in 1800. Both had come to Greene county in childhood and were here married. The paternal grandfather, Frederick Bonner, arrived here in 1803 before the admission of the state into the Union. He purchased a large tract of land just south of Xenia where the Orphans' Home now stands. One of his grandsons, William F. Pelham. donated twenty-five acres of this land to the Soldiers' Home. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Smith was Edward Mercer, who built the first brick house ever erected in Greene county. It stood on the farm owned by Robert Mcndenhall. Mrs. Smith began her education in a log school-house and later spent a year and a half as a student in the Xenia Seminary. By her marriage she has become the motiier of one son, Jesse Clyde, who was born on the home farm, March 9, 1880. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Methodist Episcopal congregation at Gladys Chapel, and since casting his first presidential vote for Lincoln in 1864 Mr. Smith has been a Republican. Since 1866 be has been identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Xenia, and his life exemplifies the beneficent spirit of that fraternity which is based upon mutual helpfulness.
From History of Greene County, Ohio, by George F. Robinson (S. J. Clarke Publishing Co, 1902)