Ephraim Clark Smith

Male 1827 - 1909  (82 years)


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  • Name Ephraim Clark Smith 
    Birth 12 Jan 1827  Sullivan, Tioga Co., Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Death 2 Nov 1909  Mainesburg, Tioga Co., Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial King Hill Cemetery, Sullivan, Tioga Co., Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • Ephraim Clark Smith, one of Sullivan's most colorful early settlers,
      was born in 1827. When a boy he enlisted for four years of service on
      a whaling vessel. But hearing stories of the wealth of the gold
      fields, he decided to run away and one dark night he jumped overboard
      and swam two miles to shore. He was picked up, resisting violently,
      and was later let go by the ship's captain. He worked his passage to
      California and apparently not finding great riches returned home,
      married Louise Smith in 1852 and bought a farm. Farming was boring and
      slow and adventure beckoned so he left his family, went back to the
      West with only a rifle and 10 cents in his pocket. At the end of a
      year and a half he returned home with $1200, paid off the mortgage on
      the farm and ultimately owned 1,000 acres which he often plowed by
      moonlight. After the Civil War broke out he left to fight for the
      Union. In a letter from camp in Harrisburg, he gave strict orders for
      the maintenance of the family homestead - what toplant and where and
      when; how to manage work and money; how to care for the horses and
      oxen; and "keep things straight and clean the cellar." Signed - with
      love, E. C. Smith. It was apparently after the war when the present
      brick house was built about 1872 (?), a large structure with two
      fireplaces and a cistern on the second floor as large as a closet. It
      is still there. From all reports Smith was an exacting and domineering
      father to his six children who put in long hours of hard work. But he
      was an active and generous member of the Methodist Church where he is
      honored by a stained glass window. Bruce and Dorothy Davis, the
      present owners, say that there are rumors of the occasional
      appearances of a ghost, possibly the spirit of the adventurous and
      invincible E. C. Smith looking over the old homestead. See obituary in
      June Mickley book.- Similar to above story.
      By DENNIS MILLER From MILADY, Elmira, N.Y., April 25, 1971
      MAINESBURG : History, grandeur and mystery are locked into the large
      and lonely brick house about a mile east of Mainesburg on Route 6.
      The house is now owned by the Bruce Davis family, who have been there
      for the past year and a half. Though they know little of one actual
      history of the lofty structure, they are in the midst of restoring the
      house to its original state. There are legends galore connegted with
      it, but even the residents of Mainesburg are not exactly sure when it
      was built. One fact is sure though the man who built it was as
      colorful and had as much character as the brick structure.
      The man was Ephriam Clark Smith, born in Sullivan, Pa. in 1827. He
      died in 1909. He is the grandfather of Mrs. Lucile Besley of Columbia
      Cross Roads, who gathered all the information about the man.
      Mrs. Besley described him as adventurous. When a boy he left home to
      enlist for four years on a whaling vessel. For three years he sailed
      the Atlantic and Pacific, all the time hearing stories about the easy
      wealth of the California gold fields.
      The excitement and romance of the stories proved a sufficient lure,
      and one night near the West Indies Smith jumped overboard and swam two
      miles to shore. A short time later he was taken sick. He was also
      arrested and thrown into prison. The captain of his ship found him,
      but finally released Smith, seeing that threats or punishment could
      not force him to return to the vessel. Smith found work in a boarding
      house, and on first opportunity took a ship to California, working his
      passage. Apparently not too successful, Smith returned home, bought a
      farm of 112 acres and was married in 1852.
      But the lure of California gold was too much, and after two years on
      the farm, Smith left his wife and 10 month old son to return. He
      immediately found a job there for five dollars a day. And this time he
      was more successful, for after a year and a half, he returned home
      with $1,200. He paid off his mortgage and bought more land until he
      was farming 1,000 acres.
      Soon afterwards the Civil War broke out, and Smith left his farm to
      fight for the Union. One letter to his wife remains. It was written
      from Camp Crinton, Harrisburg, and dated May 7, 1861:
      "Respected wife:
      "I take this opportunity to write a few lines to let you know I am
      well and hearty. Just been to breakfast. Hope these lines find you and
      yours in good health and spirits. I forgot some things when I was
      there that I should have told you, respecting the churning machine.
      The trestle work must be cleaned out good. The runway gears fixed
      right and kept greased. Have the cellar cleaned out good. Have George
      plant the early potatoes on the one corner of the garden.
      "You must not sell anymore wheat to anybody. Don't feed more corn than
      necessary. Keep strict account of everything. I told you this before,
      you must not be of-fended. I do it for your good, for there is no
      knowing how the scale will turn. Be careful of our healthy children
      and all live to the God we love. Your prayers I crave, mine you have.
      We trust in God.
      "George must not let the oxen or horses go to anybody unless he goes
      with them, and he will know whether he can or not.
      "Be careful and take good care of the stock and keep things straight.
      "My love to all my family and friends.
      "Good bye my love.
      "Yours always
      "E. C. Smith"
      It was apparently some time after he returned from the war that the
      house was built. Davis said one clue in the house is the fireplace
      which has a patent date of 1872. It must have been a busy decade for
      Smith, who continued farming, became a licensed minister, built the
      house and contributed greatly to the erection of the present church in
      Mainesburg. Adventurous times were over now for Smith who settled into
      farming and raised a family of three boys and three girls. In 1907 he
      suffered a stroke and three years later, died.
      The Davis's are interested in the history of the house so they can
      restore it. "We've heard a lot of legends," said Davis, a professor at
      Mansfield State College. There's a story that part of the foundation
      has tombstones imbedded in it and it is periodically haunted. "
      "We also heard it was a stop-over place for the underground railroad,"
      Mrs. Davis added."There just seems to be an air of mystery surrounding
      the whole house." Davis
      Louisa, as Ephraim Clark Smith's wife, resided with him in Sullivan
      Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania 1908. Farmer, Mainesburg
      a
    Person ID I24900  OurNorthernRoots
    Last Modified 29 Aug 2011 

    Father Joshua Smith, Jr.,   b. Abt 1797, New Jersey, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Apr 1859, Tioga Co., Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 62 years) 
    Mother Lydia Clark 
    Marriage Abt 1824 
    Family ID F492  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Louisa Smith,   b. 16 Aug 1835, Sullivan, Tioga Co., Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 4 Nov 1918, Mainesburg, Tioga Co., Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 83 years) 
    Marriage 28 Aug 1852  Sullivan, Tioga Co., Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F7444  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 12 Jan 1827 - Sullivan, Tioga Co., Pennsylvania, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 28 Aug 1852 - Sullivan, Tioga Co., Pennsylvania, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 2 Nov 1909 - Mainesburg, Tioga Co., Pennsylvania, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - King Hill Cemetery, Sullivan, Tioga Co., Pennsylvania, USA Link to Google Earth
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