My family tree

Michael Smyth died owing a sizeable mortgage on his 240 acre Iowa farm. Extensive estate records are on file in the Benton County Courthouse documenting the struggle his widow and eldest children went through in order to try and pay off the extensive debt. It is through this record that we learn of the death of son John A. Smyth on Feb 1, 1876. By April of 1883, widow Mary Smyth had assumed $1200.00 of the unpaid debt and children Thomas, Michael, Francis and Hannah had assumed $1400.00, freeing the youger children of indebtedness. Mary left the iowa farm in the fall of 1884, with most of the children soon following her to Greeley County, Nebraska. Mary Keenan Smyth lived to be 80 years old, dying in Spalding on 8 Oct 1836.

Not much is known yet about the Irish origin of our SMYTH clan. The first record of our ancestorMichael Smyth, in America is believed to be the 1850 U.S. Census of Kane Co., Illinois. In that year one Michael Smith, a 26 year old Irish laborer, is listed as living with the family of Joseph Stephens.

It is believed that Michael was the eldest of his family and was the first to arrive in America, later sending for his widowed mother, sister and brothers. On July t5, 1853, Michael Smyth was married to Mary Keenan by Patrick O'Dwyer a Catholic Priest. The marriage took place in Geneva, Illinois, and a copy of the marriage license is on file at the office of the Kane County Clerk. Michael and Mary's first child, Thomas Smyth, was born in Geneva, Illinois on 14 June 1854. On April 1, 1854, Michael Smyth purchased two lots in the trown of Geneva, Illinois for $100.00. He sold these to his brother Francis on 12 March 1856 for $500.00. Brother Patrick was a witness to the later deed. By June of 1856 the young Michael Smyth family had moved to Union, Iowa, where their second child was born.

Sometime before 1860, Michaell's mother, Hannah Smth, arrived in Cane County. She is listed on the U.S. Census of that year as a widow, born in Ireland. Living with her was son Patrick, a clerk, and another Irish widow, Ann Lynch. Son Patrick was killed in Vicksburg, Mississippi "on or about" 7 Oct 1865. Letters of Administration of his estate are on file in the Kane County Courthouse. In this document we learn that Hannah Smyth was his mother and that Frank Smyth, Michael Smyth, Alicia Welch, and Thomas Smyth were his brothers and sister.

By 1870, Michael Smyth's mother Hannah, brother Thomas, and sister Alicia Welch and her family had all joined him in Benton County, Iowa, and re listed there in the U.S. Census of that year. After this year it is not known what became of the other family members. Michael and Mary Keenan Smyth had nine known children.