Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, 1912


Smiley Family Biography

The Smileys of Uniontown, herein traced, are descendants of William Smiley, who was brought by his parents from Ireland when a child, settlement being made in Georges township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, William Smiley became a farmer and prosperous. He married Ann Wynne, of Welsh parentage. They both died in the year 1820, he August 8; she August 22, Children: 1. Harriet, married Horatio Griffith, both life-long residents of Georges township, Fayette county. 2. Jane, married William Humbert, lived and died near Vance's Mills, North Union township, Fayette county. 3. James, of whom further.

(II) James, son of William and Ann (Wynne) Smiley, was born in Georges township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania. about 1820. He was a farmer, owning a good farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He was an industrious man of quiet tastes and habits, a Republican in politics, and a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He married October 15, 1840, Diana, daughter of Peter and Barbara (Showalter) Smith, of Georges township, of German parentage. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Smith: Anna, married John Sigler and moved to Vermillion county, Illinois, where both died. 2. James, moved to Texas, later to Oregon, where he died. 3. Diana, of previous mention, wife of James Smiley. 4. Joseph S., moved to Oregon, where he died in the city of Portland; he served in congress, representing an Oregon district. 5. William, a millionaire resident of Portland, Oregon. 6. Margaret, died in girlhood. 7. Amanda, married Anthony Smith and moved to Texas, where she died November, 1910. 8. Albert, resides in Portland, Oregon. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Smiley: 1. Harriet, married Albert Hague, who died in Iowa in 1902; she survives him having lived in Iowa the past forty-three years. 2. Amanda, married Joseph Feed and lives in Connellsville. 3. Juliet Helen, died 1867, married Clark Storer. 4. William, moved in 1870 to Winfield, Iowa, where he died in 1908. 5. Emily, married Edgar Stewart, whom she survives, a resident of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania. 6. James, a farmer near Uniontown, Pennsylvania. 7. Margaret, married John P. Conn, who survives him, a resident of Uniontown. 8. Mary Alice, married John Martin and resides in Franklin township. 9. Jefferson Nixon, of whom further. 10. Elmer Ellsworth, died in infancy.

(III) Jefferson Nixon, third son and ninth child of James and Diana (Smith) Smiley, was born in Georges township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, August 2, 1859. He was educated in the public school, and in early life worked on the home farm. Later he moved to Uniontown, where he has been in the employ of street car companies in various capacities ever since. He is a Republican in politics, a quiet retiring man of thrift and industry. He and his wife are members of the Third Presbyterian Church, and he a member of the Royal Arcanum. He married, September 29, 1881, Mary Dunn, born in Georges township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, June 27, 1864, daughter of Justus and Mary A. (Zearley) Dunn. Children: 1. Darrell William, of whom further, 2. Lloyd Dunn, born July 26, 1888, now superintendent of the electric works of H. H. Talbot at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. 3. Justus James, born March 8, 1891, now living at home in Uniontown. 4. Mary Diana, born September 28, 1895, living at home.

Mrs. Smiley is a descendant of Justus and Experience (Still) Dunn, both born in England, Justus Dunn was a son of Benjamin and Anne (Drake) Dunn, of England, Anne Drake was a relative of Sir Francis Drake, the great English navigator and explorer. Benjamin and Anne (Drake) Dunn came to the American colonies, settling in New Jersey. They had eleven sons, Justus Dunn, one of the eleven, located in Erie City, Pennsylvania. He was a gentleman of means and did not engage in business. His wife, Experience (Still) Dunn, was a daughter of Catherine Drake, who married a Still. Simeon, one of the large family of Justus and Experience Dunn, was a brick manufacturer of Erie, Pennsylvania, and served in the war of 1812 as a courier and despatch bearer. He carried the news of Commodore Perry 's victory on Lake Erie from Erie to Buffalo on horseback, a long perilous ride. An account of this ride and its attending danger is found in an old diary he kept and left to his family. He married Martha Lewis, born in Wales. Justus (2), son of Simeon and Martha (Lewis) Dunn, came from Erie to Fayette county, Pennsylvania, about 1840. He married, in 1853, Mary A. Zearley, born in Nicholson township, daughter of Simeon and Keziah (Griffith) Zearley, and granddaughter of Samuel Zearley, a native of Germany. Keziah Griffith was a daughter of Levi and Catherine (Sturgis) Griffith. Levi Griffith was born in Wales, his wife in Fayette county. Justus (2) Dunn, after his marriage to Mary A. Zearley, settled on a farm and engaged thereafter as a drover and stock dealer. He was a Democrat and served one term as treasurer of Fayette county. His children: 1. Elizabeth, married Solomon Johnson, and now lives at West Cairo, Ohio.. 2. A daughter died in infancy. 3. Martha L., married Moses Husted, both deceased. 4. Sarah J., married Ross Anderson. 5. Anna E., never married. 6. Emily L., married John Davis, both deceased. 7. Mary, of previous mention, wife of Jefferson N. Smiley. 8. Alice E., married Frank Sangston, of Georges township. 9. Charles J., married Amy Kyle, resides at Smithfield, Pennsylvania. 10. Helen K., married Ewing Miller, who she survives. 11. George I., married Nora Dill and resides in Smithfield, Pennsylvania. 12. Roy J., married Belle Sesler and lives at Newcomer, Pennsylvania. 13. A daughter died unnamed.

(IV) Darrell William, eldest son of Jefferson Nixon and Mary (Dunn) Smiley, was born in Georges township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, October 1, 1883. He was educated in the public schools, finishing his studies in Uniontown high school. He began business life as a merchant, continuing five years, in the gents' furnishing line. In 1912 he was appointed deputy clerk of courts of Fayette county, Pennsylvania, a position he now most capably fills. He is a member of Garfield Lodge, No. 604, Free and Accepted Masons, of McDonald, Pennsylvania, Uniontown Lodge of Perfection, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In polities he is a Republican.


Source: Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, John W. Jordan, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1912.





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