I am looking for where Lafey Smith is buried. I suspect in the Ipava Cemetery, but I do not know for sure. Here is what I know about Lafey. In addition to letting me know where he is buried, if you have any more tidbits about him, I would appreciate hearing them. Thanks!
George William Smith was born in Fulton County, Illinois in 1850 soon after his parents, John and Liz Smith, and their other five kids moved to this area. George married Vira Carr and they had a son, William Lafayette “Lafey”, on Thursday, February 23, 1893. Lafey was raised by his uncle and aunt, William Lafayette and Julia Ann White Smith. George may have drowned, but I do not know.
Lafey married Goldie Agusta Pickel on Saturday, September 2, 1916 in Fulton County. She was my Great-grandfather Jesse DeMoss’ ex-wife, Sarah’s daughter from her third marriage. Right after getting married, Lafey was stationed in Camp Tears in San Antonio, Texas. While Lafey was there, Goldie became ill and passed away on Tuesday, April 2, 1918 in Bernadotte, before she was 18 years old. She was buried in the Stites Cemetery.
Lafey then married Helena S. Helle on Thursday, October 9, 1919 in Ipava, Illinois. They had Geraldine M. on Saturday, April 21, 1917 in Bernadotte. Geraldine never married. She served the Village of Ipava for fifty years, first as village clerk and for the last sixteen years of her life as the town’s mayor. Lafey and Helena also raised my grandmother Ruby Smith DeMoss Baughman for a couple years. Geraldine passed away on Sunday, January 14, 2001 at Graham Hospital in Canton, Illinois when she was 83 years old. She was buried in the Ipava Cemetery.
Lafey passed away in Canton, Illinois on Friday, July 3, 1964. Does anyone know where he was buried???
Any input you have will be appreciated! Thank you!
Do you live in Fulton Co now? I just wondered as to find perhaps where he is buried is to go to the Fulton Co Courthouse and look in the funeral book records there. Any idea if the family used a certain funeral home? Could it of been Henry Memorial in Lewistown? I can check with Henry Mem and see if they did the funeral. If an Ipava resident, a lot did the Kost Funeral Home. Don't have an open line to them. Otherwise, in a few wks I plan to go back to the courthouse so if no leads by then I will look. Not for sure if giving info on other groups is ok, but next to this site, there is an Illinois site that is fantastic for help from others. Would be glad to pass on . Between here and there, I have come along way!
Thanks Ardith and Karen for your input. I do not live in Fulton County and will not have the opportunity to get to Lewistown for the foreseeable future. I am hoping to get over to the Ipava Cemetery sometime later this year if we do not find where Lafey is buried by then. As the census shows, after Julia's husband died, several family members moved in with Lafey. Julia was blind and smoked a pipe by that time. Ruby was my Grandmother. Also living with them was Grandma's "Aunt Zemma" who Ruby always said was like her mother. Ruby went on to be a school teacher in Fulton County for nearly 40 years. Her and Opal both lived for many years in Canton. Opal's daughter, Avis, died last March in Canton and her husband, Tom, passed away in June. I noticed too Lafey was listed as a son in an earlier census, but he was actually a nephew to William and Julia. Anyway, if you run into where he was buried, I would appreciate it. Thanks again! Craig
Ok, sent an email to Henry Memorial, should here from them in a few days. Correct me if wrong...........Ruby was Ruby Baughman and a school teacher in Fulton Co.? If so, do you know if related to a George baughman of Lewistown who was raised by a rleative other than his mother I think, He was a school teacher also. Also a last name for Opal and Avis?
I will be in Lewistown to the courthouse in the next few wks and will take a list.
Henry Memorial found nothing. Unless some drastic change, I will be going to Ipava Sat. Hubby is going to a long auction and I am going to cem. If you suspect any certain one and I can find it, I will go to any I can .
Yes, Ruby was Ruby Baughman since the 1950's when she married Marion Baughman in Canton after Everette DeMoss passed away in 1950. George Baughman is not related that I know of. Opal was Opal Oliver. She still has a son who lives in Canton and a daughter who lives in Blandinsville. It was the daughter in Blandinsville, whose husband, Royal DeMoss, passed away several years ago, whose family notes I inherited. Avis' last name was Dominski. She has two daughters and a son who live in Canton. Thanks for checking Ardith! I will have a few more questions for the forum shortly as I try to patch up the last of the holes in the family history notes.
The Baughmans I know of were farmers I believe from over Ipava way. So could be a connection. How is Royal DeMoss related to Donnie DeMoss may I ask? I know you were somehow conected thru the Ellsworth forum.
Will see what I can come up with. Still planning on cem hunting Sat. in Ipava area.
Donald's grandfather, Miles "Otto" DeMoss, was a brother to Susie Catherine DeMoss Randall Cameron and brother to my great-grandfather Jesse DeMoss. I have not called Donald yet, but hope to soon. Royal was my uncle, so Jesse was his grandfather. Uncle Royal passed away suddenly in November 1993 while working on the DeMoss family history. I inherited all his notes and looked at them for the first time last year. Now, I am trying to fill in the last few holes. Consequently, I will have a few more questions coming up shortly. Anyway, Royal's grandfather and Donald's grandfather were brothers, so I guess that makes Royal and Donald third cousins???
Well, no luck this weekend. We checked three cem. in Ipava area before running out of time. Ipava, Lacey, Quaker, and Freemsn on the way. In the Ipava was some Smiths and I did see Pickle's but of course we know Goldie is in Stites.
As far as for Smiths, I found the following names, Eliz and Elsie , Donavan, Laura and Frank and Marshall Bolton Smith. There was a Smith/Culver stone. Any Culver's tie into yr Smith's? Assuming husband was Van and wife Grace, perhaps she was a Culver.
Anyway, quite a few more cem but I am wondering if not one closer to Bernadotte. My next step for you and myself is a trip to courthouse as may be easiest thing to do and need some cem info and maps.....lol
I am really surprised. I thought for sure we would find him in the Ipava Cemetery. If you get a chance to check on him the next time you are in Lewistown, I would appreciate it.
Donavan, Laura and Frank and Marshall Bolton Smith, as well as the Culver's are not related.
Thanks again for looking! It is good to know who is in the Ipava Cemetery.
I sure was hoping, and next rip over to check some more I am going to relook just in case. But I am hoping something at the courthouse will give me a clue. Alot of my family is in this Ipava cem. Whereas I figured they would be in the Summum with the rest. So...............I would wonder if he's buried with the family of his second wife? I have same problem, cannot find death or stones or cem of my grgrgrandparents yet know where alot of the others are. And yes, I will continue to look, am just as curious now!
I went to the library today, and found William's obit, and also from the Murphy Memorial home book this is what I found.
Smith Wm. L. h/o Helena Helle, Living.
married Oct. 9, 1919, Ipava, Illinois
Born Feb. 23, 1893, Bernadotte, Fulton Co., Il.
Died July 3, 1964, Canton, Illinois
Buried Orendorf Cemetery July 7, 1964
71y 4m 10d
Father Wm L Smith Mother Julianne White.
Children Kenneth Smith Canton
George E. Smith R R # 5 Canton
Larry Smith Smith R R # Canton
Miss Geraldine Smith Ipava
Mrs Frances Engle R R # 5 Canton
Mrs. Forset (?) Lea Riley R R # 5 Canton
Mrs. Bernadine Williams R R # 5 Canton
1 daughter died in infancy 15 grandchildren 3 gr grandchildren
No Brothers
2 sisters deceased
Vet WW1 US Army
(Orendorf Cemetery is just outside of Canton)
Obituary
William L. Smith
A World War I Veteran, William L. Smtih, 71 of Rt. 5, Canton, died at 3 p.m. Friday in Graham Hospital after an illness of several months.
Mr. Smith was a lifetime area resident and had been employed by the International Harvester Co., retiring in 1948.
Born at Bernadotte, Feb. 23, 1893, he was the son of William L. and Julianne (White) Smith. He was married at Ipava, Oct 9, 1919 to Helena Helle, who survives.
Also surviving are three sons, Kenneth Smith, Canton, George E. Smith and Larry Smith, both of Rt 5, Canton; four daughters, Miss Geraldine Smith, Ipava, Mrs. Frances Engle and Mrs. Bernadine Williams, both of Rt. 5, Canton, and Mrs. Forest Lea Riley, 926 Birch St. 15 grandchildren and 2 gr-grandchildren.
Murphy Memorial Home is in charge of funeral arrangements.
Craig, I am not related to this line, but thought I'd find the information for you.
I'm so glad you have found this info. I'd never probably gotten to the Orendorf cem. I'd sure like to get my hands on a copy of those great funeral home books. Wonder if any way to do so?
Again, glad you got yr info. And btw, think i did see Geraldine Smith in one of the Ipava Cem. Prob the main one in town.
Wow! Thank you Debbie! You solved the mystery! What library did you find the information and was that funeral home book in that library? You made an amazing find. Thank you again Debbie! And, thank you Ardith for your help! We can close the book, so to speak, on Lafey. Although, you mentioned some children I was not aware of, so now I need to find out what happened with them. :) The stories seem to never end.
The Parlin-Ingersoll Library, here in Canton is where I found this info at. They have a great section there, with funeral home books, cemetery books, newspapers on microfilm and other sources.
I'm glad I could help Craig. I work full time but had a day off during this week and hit the library for the first time in weeks. I'm waiting for their fall hours to begin. They are open longer on the week-ends.
Ardith, go to this home page of where we are at now, under Research, Books and Libraries, click on Fulton County Historical and Genealogy Society list of publications. This gives you all the books that are for sale through them. There is an order form you can copy and send to them.
Once again, I am happy to be of some help. If I can help the both of you in any way let me know.
Thank you for the info.............I'd looked on Ebay. Been a long time since to the Parlin Library.Sounds like I need to take a day and go there too! There was a book in the courthouse I believe stories from Daily Ledger way back when, oh how I'd love to sit back and read it all.
And yes I will look into those publications for sale!
