From death certificate:
Name: Charles F. Morris
Residence: West St., Caldwell, Ohio
Age: 87 years 1 month 27 days
Birth: 22 Apr 1862
Occupation: Retail merchant, mercantile
Marital status: Widowed
Father: John Morris
Mother: Cynthia Carmichael
Informant: Cynthia Morris [daughter]
In 1900, 37 year old Martha lived with the family of her brother Thomas Smithberger. Martha, who was unmarried listed "merchant" as her occupation.
Living in Caldwell in 1938.
Sources conflict on date of marriage: Delores Snider and Kasler & Smithberger state that the couple was wed on 9 Oct 1889. However, the Zanesville Signal ran an article about their 50th wedding anniversary party that was held on 9 Oct 1938.
From the 1900 census: 36 year old farmer Edward W. Smithberger lived on a mortgaged farm in Elk Twp., Noble County Ohio with his 27 year old wife Anna and their two children, Orlando and Lulu. Edward was born in Ohio to German-born parents.
Edmund and Mary lived in Noble Co., OH in 1910 with their four children.
The following article appeared in The Zanesville Signal (pg 10) on 7 Oct 1938
NOBLE CO. COUPLE MARRIED 50 YEARS
CALDWELL - Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Smithberger, of Harriettsville,
Elk township, will observe their golden wedding anniversary Sunday Oct.
9 [1938] with a reception at their home and special services in St. Henry’s
Catholic church. A high mass will be sung in their honor.
Smithberger has been a member of this church for over fifty years. They
were married here by Father James J. McCann. Many who witnessed the
ceremony are still living and will attend their golden wedding celebration.
They include Mr. Charles Morris, Caldwell, who is a sister to E. W. Smit-
hberger; Isador Smithberger, Marietta, a brother; Minnie Crock, Mechanicsc-
ville, Ia.; Mary Blumling, McKeesport, Pa., John C. Burkhart, Marr; Leo
Burkhart, Detroit, Mich.; Clara Siggins, Orange Borough, Ky.; Adaline Munez,
Jamestown, N.D.
Smithberger is the son of William and Teresa Fault Smithberger, born and
reared in the community where he now lives. He taught school for many years
in Noble, Washington, and Monroe counties. For several years he has been
justice of the Peace in Elk township.
Mrs. Smithberger is the daughter of Philipp and Catherine Kuntz Burkhart.
She was born in Lewisville, Monroe county. They have four children, three sons
and one daughter, all of whom will attend the golden wedding celebration. They
are Orlando, of near Whipple; Lulu Wilhelmina Porter, Glasgow, Ky.; Clarence
Edward of near Fulda, and Leo, of Illinois.Another article about the celebration appeared the same day in the Zanesville Times Recorder:
CALDWELL COUPLE PLAN TO CELEBRATE GOLDEN WEDDING
CALDWELL, O., Oct. 6 - On Sunday, Oct. 9, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Smithberger
of near Harrietsville, will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary with high
mass at St. Henry’s Catholic church, Harrietsville, at 9 o’clock a.m. On October
9, 50 years ago, Mr. Smithberger and Mrs. Smithberger, who was then Miss
Anna Burkhart, were united in marriage in the old frame St. Henry’s church,
located about one mile north of Harrietsville. On Sunday 50 years later, they
will be led to the altars of the new St. Henry’s church build of cut stone which
Mr. Smithberger helped to build, where special Prie Dieus will be held for the
occasion.
They will be preceded by two flower girls dressed in yellow, and two grand-
children will act as bridesmaid and best man. The little stone church, the
auditorium of which is one of the most artistic in southeastern Ohio will be a
bower of yellow chrysanthemums.
Mr. Smithberger, who has been a member of St. Henry’s choir for 56 years,
and has served as organist for 26 years, will have the distinction of being the
organist for this happy occasion and will render the “Gloria in Excelsis Deo,” of
his own composition.
Mr. Smithberger taught school in Noble county and surrounding communities
for 26 years, and has the honor of numbering among his pupils, citizens in all walks
of life. For 30 years he has served as justice of the peace in Noble county, and with
Mrs. Smithberger has lived ion a small farm with a hospitable country home where
they have raised their family of four children and have won a place in the hearts of
hosts of friends throughout the county.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Smithberger are, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Porter, Glas-
cow, Ky., Mr. and Mrs. Orlando Smithberger, Whipple, O., Mr. and Mrs. Clarence
Smithberger, Caldwell, O., and Mr. and Mrs. Leo Smithberger, Harrietsville, who will
all be present as well as all of the grandchildren.
Following the golden wedding a service at the church, covers will be arranged
for luncheon at a tea room in Marietta for Mr. and Mrs. Smithberger and the imme-
diate family and Rev. Fr. Nichol, pastor of St. Henry’s church. On Saturday night,
Oct. 22, a shower and grand march will be held where Mr. and Mrs. Smithberger will
welcome all of their friends.Edward Smithberger's death notice appeared in the Zanesville Times Recorder on 14 Sep 1953:
EDWARD SMITHBERGER SERVICES ARE TODAY
Funeral services for Edward Smithberger, 89, of Fulda, formerly of Harriettsville,
will be held at 9:30 o'clock this morning at the St. Mary's church at Fulda. Burial
will be in the Mt. Olive cemetery at Caldwell.
Mr. Smithberger died Thursday night. The body is at the Brubach funeral home
in Summerfield.
Anna was born in Ohio to German-born parents. The 1900 census indicates that Anna Burkhart Smithberger had given birth to two children, both of whom were still living.
Anna Burkhart Smithberger’s obituary appeared in the Zanesville Signal on 7 May 1949:
Mrs. Anna Margaret Smithberger, 76, wife of Edward
Smithberger, died suddenly last night at her home in Fulda,
Noble county, following a heart attack.
She was the daughter of Philip and Catherine Burkhart.
Surviving are her husband; three sons, Orland, of Whipple,
Ill., Clarence of near Caldwell, and Leo of Olney, Ill.; a daugh-
ter, Mrs. Lulu Porter of Glasgow, Ky; three sisters, Mrs. Clara
Siggins of Louisville, Ky., Mrs. Mary Blumling of McKee’s
Rock, Pa., and Mrs. Nimmie Crock of Mechanicsburg, Ia.;
two brothers, John Burkhart of Marr, O., and Leo Burkhart
of Toledo.
The body has been returned to the residence from the
Brubach Funeral Home at Summerfield.Sources conflict on place of burial: According to Snider, Anna Burkhart Smithberger is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Fulda. Her death certificate states that she was buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Caldwell.
Records conflict on name and date of birth:
1) Delores Snider (citing church records of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Fulda, Noble Co., OH) gives John Sebastian and 13 Mar 1865.
2) Linda Kay Anderson (citing "A History of the Smithberger Family in America") gives Sebastian John and 31 Mar 1865.By June 1900, Sebastian (35) and Blanche (25) Smithberger had moved to Hosmer Township, Edmunds County, South Dakota, where they owned a home. Living with them was Blanche's younger brother Richard LeGoullen (14). Sebastian worked as a general merchant. Richard attended school. According to the census, Blanche's father and mother were born in Pennsylvania and Virginia, respectively. The couple had no children.
At the time of the 1910 census, Simon J. Smithberger (44) and his wife Blanche (35) owned a mortgaged hotel on Main St. in McIntosh, Corson County, South Dakota. Living with them was their infant daughter, Regina (7 mos) and Blanche's sister, Irene LeGouillon (28). According to the census, Blanche had given birth to four children, three of whom had died. The 1910 census states that Blanche's father and mother were from Germany and Ireland, respectively. Simon was the proprietor of a hotel and poolhall, Blanche was a hotel matron. There were six patrons in the hotel, along with a servant named Peter Kervan. The hotel patrons were from Norway, Sweden, Louisiana, Alabama and Minnesota.
By 1920, the family had moved to Jamestown, Stutsman Co., North Dakota, where they rented part of a two family home. The household consisted of Sebastian (53), Blanche (43), Regina (10) and Florence (6). Both girls attended school. They also had a 26 year old roomer, Ruth Erickson from Minnesota. According to the census, Blanche's father and mother were natives of Pennsylvania and Virginia. Sebastian was employed as a commercial salesman for a drug company.
In 1930, the family still resided in a rented home in Jamestown, ND, for which they paid $35 a month. Living in the household were Sebastian J. (65), Blanche M. (53), Regina B. (20), Florence I. (16) and three boarders. Florence attended school. Regina was a school teacher. Sebastian was a commercial teamster for a clothing company. The family did not own a radio set.
Records conflict on name and date of birth:
1) Delores Snider (citing church records of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Fulda, Noble Co., OH) gives George Smithberger 17 Dec 1867.
2) Linda Kay Anderson's web page (http://www.gencircles.com/users/anderson51) gives Gregory William and 17 Nov 1867.
This child does not appear with the family in the 1880 census.
On 7 Oct 1938, the Zanesville [OH] Signal reported on page 10 that John C. Burkhart of Marr, Ohio attended the 50th wedding anniversary celebration of Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Smithburger. (Mrs. Smithberger was the former Anna Margaret Burkhart).
Sources conflict on year of birth
14 Apr 1880 -- 1880 census, Linda Anderson
14 Apr 1882 -- Social Security Death Index.
The fact that she appears in the 1880 census suggests that the first date is correct. (Assuming, of course that Clara Barbara and Barbara Clara are the same person.)On 7 Oct 1938, the Zanesville [OH] Signal reported on page 10 that Clara Siggins of Orange Borough, KY attended the 50th wedding anniversary celebration of Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Smithburger. (Mrs. Smithberger was the former Anna Mary Burkhart).
Social Security number issued in Kentucky in 1966.