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Biographies for Lee County, Florida
A Biography of Edgar Sorton Smith and His Family
Author Unknown
Submitted by Norita Shepherd Moss
mossnb1 at earthlink.net
Edgar
Sorton Smith was born in Liverpool, England on 25 December,
1847, the son of Edward Smith and Emma Price Lamonby . When he
was ten years of age, his father died. His older brother George
,16 years old, went to sea. Edgar Sorton was placed with the Blue
Coat Brotherhood School. As soon as he was old enough he also
went to sea, later telling his grandchildren that "he sailed
around the world seven times". Eventually he came to the
United States. While sailing the Great Lakes he stopped at South
Haven,Van Buren Co., MI, where he met Sarah Ann Bogardus, and
they were married around 1875.
For about 10 years they lived in Illinois, residing in several places; Flanagan, Joliet, Lockport, and Chicago.
In 1886 the family moved to Florida and settled in the general vicinity of Palatka . A homestead of 160 acres was
secured at Kenwood under the Homestead Bill passed by Congress in 1862. While living at Kenwood, Edgar Sorton served
as a Justice of the Peace. They had nine children, five daughters and four sons. Two of the sons were twins, one
whom died at birth. A daughter and a second son died in early childhood. Of the six remaining children, three daughters
and one son remained in Florida, one daughter settled in North Carolina and the second son eventually located in
Georgia.
Later (1913 or 14) the parents moved to Ft. Myers, Florida, where several of their children (daughters Pearl Lillian
Sherouse and her family and Cornelia A. Sherouse and her family) were living. Here, Edgar Sorton Smith was a resident
caretaker of the Thomas Alva Edison Summer (should read Winter) Estate on the Caloosahatchee River. He died on 25 May, 1935 (should read "1933").
His wife Sarah Ann Bogardus Smith, survived until 10 June
1945. |
Edgar Sorton Smith
taken on the Thomas Edison Winter Estate
Ft. Myers, FL
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Sarah Ann Bogardus Smith
taken on the Thomas Edison Winter Estate
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Edgar S Smith was a caretaker from 1915 to 1924 on the Thomas Alva Ft. Edison Estate
in Ft. Myers, FL.
His Sherouse grandchildren remember fishing off the dock with the famous Mr. Edison. They went swimming in his
cement pool, the first one in Ft. Myers.
Edgar S. Smith was a justice of the peace in Marion County, Fl, though no proof has been found other than the fact
that he was listed in the newspaper in Ft. Myers, FL as a Judge |
SMITH Family
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Smith, Edgar S.
- d.o.b. 22 Dec 1846
Admitted 7th April 1856
Parents Edward Smith & Emma Price Lamonby
Date of Baptism 7th March 1847. St.Peter's (p 380 No. 3039)
Circumstances of child: Fatherless
By whom kept: mother; residence 22 Heathfield, Mossley(?) [Hard
to make out]
To whom apprenticed: Mr W. Weir; Jan 1861, Birkenhead.
His sister Sarah P Smith was also admitted to the school 11th October 1858. No other information given. The researcher
couldn't find any other siblings being admitted. No trade was given for Edgar's apprenticeship.
Source: Liverpool Archives. Bluecoat Admissions & Dismissals
1848-91 (Ref: 377 BLU 19/1/4),
Source: E-mail 03/26/04 from Alan Smith g-g-g-grandson O Edgar's
younger brother:
Van Buren County , MI Marriage Records
SARAH A. BOGARDUS - Birth :Illinois
Spouse: EDGAR S. SMITH - Birth: England
Marriage: 20 APR 1875 , Van Buren, Michigan
Husband Age at Marriage: 26
Wife Age at Marriage: 16
Source: Extracted from familysearch.org records 11/06/02 by Norita
Shepherd Moss
Sources:
E-mail from Janelle Sherouse 01/27/03 to Norita Shepherd Moss :
Bio of Edgar Sorton Smith sent to us by the Hinson family (Idella Smith's descendants). Oris Hinson, that sent
it to us noted that he is named for Edgar's mother (maiden name:Lamonby. His full name is Oris and is named for
Edgar's mother (maiden name:Lamonby.) His full name is Oris Lamonby Hinson.
We have established that Edgar Smith and Sarah came to Florida 1886-87. He purchased 10 acres of land in 1887 for
$100. from Seton U. Morgan and wife. And in 1898 he was granted (under the Act of Congress of 1862 and from the
United States of America, additional acerage in the same area. According to the archivist in Putnam Co., where
this is located, it "could" have been for serving as a Union soldier in the Civil War. (We have not had
a chance to pursue this). Anyway, it is refered to as the "Smith homestead" in one letter we have seen
and we have a letter he wrote, as a justice of the
peace, to a judge in Palatka, with the envelope postmarked "Smithville", 1897. After much searching,
we located the application for the post office at "Smithville". The application was signed by Sarah Ann
Bogardus Smith, who was the postmaster. This was prior to 1893 when a new postmaster took over. There is a detailed
map attached showing the location of the post office and it is on the property mentioned above.
They show up in the Marion Co., census in 1900, so had moved from Putnam sometime between 1894 and 1900. We'll
keep digging!
* Note: corrections 07/22/02
Father: Edward SMITH b: 15 AUG 1819 in Wrexham, North Wales England
Mother: Emma Price LAMONBY b: ABT 1821 in Liverpool, Lancashire England
Marriage 1 Sarah Ann BOGARDUS b: 22 AUG 1858 in Will Co., Ill
Father: Byron Franklin BOGARDUS b: 16 APR 1836 in Cattaraugus Co., NY
Mother: Mary Lucinda SHERMAN b: 1844 in NY
Married: 20 APR 1875 in Van Buren, MI
Children:
Infant SMITH
Infant SMITH
Pearl Lillian SMITH b: 25 SEP 1876 in Will Co., IL
Cornelia Annettia SMITH b: 15 NOV 1878 in Will Co., IL
Arthur Merton SMITH b: 27 DEC 1880 in Will Co., IL
Leroy Lamonby . SMITH b: 23 NOV 1885 in Will Co., IL
Idella Mae SMITH b: 26 DEC 1888 in Kenwood Putnam Co., FL
Gertrude G. SMITH b: FEB 1894 in FL
The biography above was written by "unknown", but Naomi Hinson, granddaughter-in-law (Edgar Hinson's
wife who was the son Idella Smith's Hinson) had a copy which was given to Edgar Hinson by Violet ( ?) his sister-in-law,
who was given it by another relative, Olive Hinson , who was the wife of his brother Oris Lamonby Hinson. Lewis
Edgar Sherouse and his wife Janelle were given a copy, which they sent to me. (Norita Shepherd Moss). I would presume
Oris and Olive Hinson or someone of their family members were doing family history. So the Author remains unknown
but credit will be give to Oris and Olive Hinson for ownership 01/30/03 .
Contributed by Norita Shepherd Moss
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