Husband Edwin Wilson Smiley 1 2 3 4
Born: 12 Sep 1845 - Franklin, Venango Co, PA 1 3 4 5
Christened:
Died: 7 Sep 1904 3 4 5
Buried: 30 Aug 1904 - Franklin Cemetery, Franklin, Venango Co, PA 6
Father: John Hasson Smiley (1814-1882) 3 5 7
Mother: Nancy McCalmont ( -1895) 5 7
Marriage: 29 May 1866 8 9 10
• Residence: : Franklin, Venango Co, PA.
Wife Mary Jane Kilgore 3 4 5
AKA: Jeanie Kilgore 10
Born: Abt 1843
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: James Kilgore (1811-1880) 9 11 12
Mother: Nancy Dewoody (Abt 1811-1854) 11 12
Children
1 M John Howard Smiley 2 13
Born: 24 Dec 1867 - Franklin, Venango Co, PA 9 13
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Mabel Louise Bowe (1878- ) 9 13
Marr: 18 Feb 1903 9 13
2 M Ralph Allen Smiley 9 13
Born: 7 Dec 1873 9 13
Christened:
Died: 26 Apr 1900 9 13
Buried: 29 Apr 1900 - Franklin Cemetery, Franklin, Venango Co, PA 6
Spouse: Did Not Marry
3 F Jessie Smiley 3 9 13
Born: 13 Nov 1877 - Franklin, Venango Co, PA 9 13
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
General Notes: Husband - Edwin Wilson Smiley
He attended the public schools in Franklin and Franklin Academy, graduating from the latter institution when fourteen years old, and shortly afterward, in the fall of 1859, beginning an apprenticeship in the printing office of the American Citizen. In time he became a regular compositor, but desiring to make a change on account of his health he gave up this work in 1865 and became a student in the Eastman business college at Poughkeepsie, New York, to prepare himself for a change of occupation. Upon his graduation from that institution he returned to Franklin and took a position with the engineer corps engaged on the construction of the Jamestown & Franklin railroad, remaining in that work until the road was completed. Then for a short time he was in the coal business with George W. Brigham, but in the fall of 1867 he went back to the American Citizen, to which, with one brief exception, he devoted much of his time and thought for many years thereafter. On April 1, 1869, he was solicited by the owners of the Tionesta Republican, a Forest County paper, to publish and edit that paper, which he carried on successfully the year following, returning to Franklin in 1870 and purchasing the Citizen, which was from that time issued by him and his son, in turn, until the plant was destroyed by fire in 1901. H. S. and F. D. Smiley were associated with him in its publication for several years, until its consolidation with the Independent Press in 1884, when F. D. Smiley retired. From this time the paper was known as the Citizen-Press, and under Mr. Smiley's gifted management became the acknowledged organ of the Republican Party in Venango County, being so distinguished for many years. He was recognized as one of the best informed men in the party in his part of Pennsylvania, his knowledge being sufficiently comprehensive to give his opinions the weight of authority, and his vision and clear judgment were such that his conclusions were to be relied upon for accuracy, a fact which made him valuable in counsel. He was frequently a delegate to State conventions, serving in 1872 when General Hartranft was nominated for governor, and again in 1873, 1874, 1876 and 1879. Meantime, in 1875, he became chairman of the Republican county committee, was chosen again in 1876, and served later several times, 1881, 1885-87 and 1889. In 1876 he was elected reading clerk of the Pennsylvania Senate, and filled that position until 1881, in which year he was defeated because of divisions in the party over the election of a United States senator to succeed Mr. Buckalew. In 1883 he was elected journal clerk of the Senate, the following year chief clerk, and was retained in that incumbency for the rest of his life, a continuous service of over thirty years. In 1888 he was a candidate for the Republican nomination for Congress in the Twentieth district and carried Venango County by a large majority, but lost in the district. He died in September, 1904, and on Feb. 7, 1905, the State Senate sat in memorial session in his honor, paying well deserved tribute to the superiority of the services he had so long rendered that body. His long experience of legislative business and parliamentary procedure, supplementing a comprehensive general knowledge of men and affairs, made it possible for him to handle his work with rare intelligence, and gave it a greatly increased value and dignified relation to the proceedings of the Senate which commanded the attention of all who took a conscientious interest in their public duties. Nor could any fail to appreciate the impartiality and courtesy with which he performed his task, the friendships which he formed among representatives of all parties showing personal qualities which gained him the affectionate esteem of all who had relations with him. [HVC 1919, 484]