John Watson and Elmira B. Smiley

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Husband John Watson ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Abt 26 Sep 1863 - Vicksburg, Warren Co, MS
         Buried: 

       Marriage: 20 Dec 1860 - Jonesboro, Union Co, IL 1

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Wife Elmira B. Smiley ¹

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           Born: 31 Dec 1842 - Illinois 1
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1901
         Buried: 

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         Father: James Smiley (      -1844) 2 3
         Mother: Elezan Whitacre (      -1844) 2 3

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   Other Spouse: John P. Elmore (      -1869) 1 - 28 Dec 1864 4

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   Other Spouse: Francis M. Lemley (      -Bef 1901) 5 - 20 Jun 1875 1

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Children

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1 F Mary E. Watson ¹

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           Born: 26 Aug 1861 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: W. A. Thurman (      -      ) 1
           Marr: 12 Jun 1881 1

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General Notes: Wife - Elmira B. Smiley

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An outline of the life of Elmira B., second daughter of James Smiley, furnishes a good sample of the sterling qualities that have made the Duffield clan effi­cient and prevailing under all conditions and in all weathers. The story of her unique and eventful career is told in the following, which she sends from her Whitney, Texas home:
“My father, James Smiley, came to Minerva, O., in the year 1837, and was married at that place to Elizan Whitacre, some time in the year 1838. Then they re­moved to Wayne county, Illinois, where my mother died on the 8th of July, 1844. My father then started to St. Louis, but never lived to get back home, dying July 28th of the same year. Two children were left, myself and my sister Rachel. We were brought up by our mother's brothers, who moved to Union co., Ill. I was raised by my uncle, H. F. Whitacre, who is still living at Creal Springs, Ill. My sister was raised by our uncle, E. J. Whitacre, who now lives at Singleville, Texas. She came to Texas with him in 1854, and was married to Aaron S. Roberts at Corsicana, where she died May 23, 1895.
“I was born and grew up in Illinois, and was mar­ried to John Watson, Dec. 20, 1860, at Jonesboro. Sep­tember, 1862, he volunteered in the Northern army, and was a sergeant in the 31st Illinois regiment. He died at Vicksburg, Miss., after that town was taken, Sept. 26th, 1863. I was left a widow with one child, a daughter.
“In the winter of 1863 I went to Pennsylvania to see my father's people, but was not satisfied to stay there. In the summer of 1864 I returned to my old home in Illi­nois. Dec. 28, 1864, I was married to John P. Elmore. He had nine children and I one, so I had quite a family: yet I made out all right and got along finely. In the fall of 1865 we sold our home and came to Johnstown, Mo. From there we migrated all around through the Indian Nation, then to Lawrence, Kansas, and then back again to Johnstown. We stayed there two years, and in the spring of 1869 we went to Lee's Creek, Ark. We arrived there May 1, and Mr. Elmore died Nov. 7, 1869, leaving me again a widow, with twelve children to care for. I had my first child, Mary (Watson); two Elmore children, and his nine, all still at home. We were left with no re­lations within hundreds of miles of us-neither his nor mine. I told the children that if they wanted to stay with me I would stay with them, or they (the Elmore nine) could go back to Illinois to their friends.
“There was not one of them that would leave me, so we stayed together four years. I left them at home to run the farm and I taught school. In 1873 they were all able to take care of themselves, and the older ones began to marry. In the fall of that year I came to Corsicana to my sister. One of the Elmore boys came with me, and the rest, except one girl, have come since.
“I stayed with my sister until I married Francis M. Lemley, in 1875. He had three children, and to us were born three sons and two daughters. We moved to Bra­zos River, Texas, where I have lived ever since, except four years. Mr. Lemley died on Rock Creek, where I now live. I have raised and helped to raise twenty-four children, am now (1901) 59 years old, and weigh 212½ pounds.”

1 —, The Duffield Family; A Sketch of William Duffield, of Venango County, PA, and His Descendents (PA: The William Duffield Association, 1905), Pg 27.

2 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 483.

3 —, The Duffield Family; A Sketch of William Duffield, of Venango County, PA, and His Descendents (PA: The William Duffield Association, 1905), Pg 23.

4 —, The Duffield Family; A Sketch of William Duffield, of Venango County, PA, and His Descendents (PA: The William Duffield Association, 1905), Pg 64.

5 —, The Duffield Family; A Sketch of William Duffield, of Venango County, PA, and His Descendents (PA: The William Duffield Association, 1905), Pg 65.