The Memoir of Henrietta Christine Jann Smith, my Maternal Paternal Great Great Grandmother

Going clockwise from the top: 1) Scanned image of Henrietta Christine Jann Smith's death certificate; 2) a group picture of Henrietta Christine Jann Smith, seated, with her daughter Martha Smith Erion standing behind her, and Martha's daughter-in-law, Louise Krumwied Erion standing to the viewer's right; 3) Henry Smith and Henrietta Christine Jann Smith, my Great-great Grandparents; 4) Henrietta Christine Jann Smith's wedding shoes.

Introduction

“I did not have anything to do today so just wanted to see how much I could remember. I hope no one will see it -- bad writing and spelling, afraid.” (Henrietta Jann Smith, November 25, 1935)

On New Year’s Day, 1978, my maternal grandfather, Carl Andrew Erion, sent me the memoir Henrietta Jann Smith wrote on that November day in 1935.

The memoir was included with this transmittal letter from my Grandad Erion:

“Well, now, Debbie, I know this about my Grandmother Smith - she was born in N.Y.C. January 13, 1854. I have what she wrote about herself and one time a niece in Omaha typed it all for me but I have lost that somewhere. In 1856 her father and mother moved to Mason City, Iowa. Grandmother’s name was Jann before she married my grandfather. Grandmother was German -- somewhere I got the idea that her folks left Germany while the Kaiser was living. Grandfather Smith -- I do not have much a line on him. My mother was born in Des Moines, Iowa. My father was born in Springville, Iowa. He lived until he was 65 years, one month, and 12 days. My mother moved from Omaha to Colorado Springs as I had a sister Mary that they thought the higher climate would be good for her. Mary was the most considerate person. Your grandmother has said she did not know how Mary could be a part of the rest of the family. She died a few years back from a brain tumor.

I was born in South Omaha August 23, 1900. I lived there until my folks moved to Bellevue, Nebraska, just outside of Omaha. The folks thought it would be better for me to get out of the smog we used to have in South Omaha. Bellevue was just a small place when we lived there and an interurban ran from South Omaha to Bellevue.” (Carl Andrew Erion, 01 Jan 1978)

My mother and I spent a cold winter’s day laboring over my great-great grandmother’s handwriting, making copies of what she had written. The original was written in pencil on both sides of faded wide ruled paper. I was twenty-five and pregnant with my first child. I never met my Great-great grandmother Smith, but I did get to spend time with her daughter, Martha, my Great-grandmother Erion, when I was small. I would spend two weeks each summer with Nana and Grandad (Louise Krumwied Erion and Carl Erion) in Miami, Oklahoma. One day was set aside to visit Great-grandmother Erion. She enjoyed having me at her house because I was quiet and amused myself by looking at books. She also had a wonderful stereograph that she allowed me to use to view pictures.

Lunch was tuna fish salad -- which I hated -- but ate, because I wanted the fudgesicle that came after. I ate the fudgesicle outside so the drops of chocolate would not spill on the furniture or carpet. I napped on a great double bed that was so high that I had to use a little stool to climb up on it. I was always happy when the day was over and Nana came to get me. It was so quiet at Great-grandmother Erion’s house. The silence hurt my ears.

I was nine years old the evening my Granddad Erion called to say that Great-grandmother Erion had died. I answered the telephone because my father was in the bathtub and my mother had gone to the church for some activity. In 1962 a long distance telephone call was a big deal and when my Grandad told me to go get my father, I stood outside the bathroom door and hollered to Daddy that it was an emergency. My dad, dripping, came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He left wet footprints on the hardwood floor as he walked toward the telephone. I wiped up the footprints because the wetness would ruin the wax job.

When my mother came home, my dad told her that her Grandmother (Martha) Erion had died and that she had already been buried. Nana and Grandad had not wanted us to try to drive from Oklahoma City to Miami, Oklahoma for the funeral because of the bad weather and icy roads. My mother, still bundled up in her blue nubby wool dress length coat, sat down on the living room couch and began to cry.
　
　
Memoir

Omaha - November 25, 1935

Henrietta C. Jann Smith was born in New York City January 13, 1854. In 1856 my father and mother moved to Iowa City, Iowa. They had just lost a two-month-old baby boy.
There were three families: the Janns; the Heotzes with two children and Grandma Heotz; and the Groegler family. Also, two children and three unmarried men. One was my father’s half brother, Adam Gill, who I was very fond of and he liked me.

They thought it would be best to move to a new country. Could live much cheaper and work than in New York City. Father, Mother, and Uncle Gill had just received their share of money from their home in Germany. Mr. Holtz was a carpenter so he built an eight room house. Uncle got married. Each had two rooms but the carpenter wanted his money. Did many things to destroy the property. At last the three others offered to buy his share. He wanted what it cost to build it, all four shares. They at last gave it to him. He built a much nicer house for himself at the next corner, but did not live long. My brother was born but passed away in 1859, the year sister Margaret was born.
Father worked in a large stagecoach shop. In 1860 the company moved to Des Moines, Iowa, so Father was transferred. He went ahead of the family until he could find a place to live in Des Moines. Came back after us in two months, packed our household goods, sent them ahead on a big transfer wagon.

One morning at 4 o’clock there was a stagecoach at Uncle’s door, (where we stayed after our goods had gone). Father, Mother, baby sister and myself started fro our new home, Des Moines. I loved my uncle -- was hard to part from them and little boy.
Well, a long trip for only 125 miles. They changed horses every 25 miles. We were always glad to get out (and) walk to some spring or well for a drink of water while they were getting the horses ready. Sometimes a new driver. I do not remember any other woman besides my mother or children besides little Margaret or as we called her then, Dodie or Gretchen. We had the back seat (first class) for the trip. It was war time. There was one soldier with us. We had some lunch with us. Stopped at a tavern for supper, some of the meals, Grimmell one place. Drove until next day in the afternoon, 4 o’clock. 125 miles make it now in about three hours or less. When we arrived at the state office in Des Moines, very tired.

They took us to my father’s boarding house. We had a nice large room. Good German meals. We had to stay two weeks until our goods came, then we moved into a small house with another family on the other side who we knew as they also came from Iowa City. Mr. Seburger (sp?) also worked for the stage company.

Well, it was September. You could not get much to put up for winter. A few tomatoes. Mother made jam and pickles and half bushel apples bought from a man in a covered wagon from Missouri.
I had five brothers and three sisters. Three brothers died when young. Sister Louly when she was four years old. August, the oldest to live married, passed away at 68. Albert, the youngest child, never married, died in 1905.

There are we three sisters left. Pearl, 72 a widow, lives in her house alone. Margaret, 76, also a widow, lives with her daughter, Margaret Alden and family. Myself, now 82, oldest of family, live with my oldest daughter, Martha (Smith) Erion and family. Have a very good and comfortable home. Had many friends and good neighbors, but not many left now.

Well, Christmas was coming and afraid we could get no evergreen tree then like now. So my father went out in the woods, got a wild cherry tree, kept it in limewater six weeks, did now some green. Could not get wax candles so he had some holders made, cut large candles in half. Bought gold leaf for nuts and apples. Mother baked and frosted cookies with anise. We were the only children who had a Christmas tree.

Well, we got a larger house. Sister Pearl was born in May. In June little brother Andrew passed away. Next year Father put up a shop for himself, but soon it was war time. Father had so much work. Had to have more room so he bought some land from Reverend Bird, the First Presbyterian minister in Des Moines, built a small house and shop room for eight workmen and lumber and tools. Later put up a brick house. We children had an old stagecoach for a playhouse. When it rained we put down the curtains. Had so much fun.

Right back of our place was an old farm, part was an old cemetery. All kinds of wild fruit, one of the biggest walnut trees I ever saw. Everybody came for nuts in the fall. We always gathered a barrel full. The old man who owned it finally sold the place to the City. They opened Second Street, dug up the graves they could find, built a City Hall and fire barn.

Father had all kinds of vehicles for repair. Carriages, peddler wagons, ever hearses. Father did very fine and the best work; good material. Made all the farmers’ wagons for miles around. Got $165 for a wagon without paint. That was before there were any factories in the East, but one could soon get a wagon for $65 ready for use. He had to let his men go, had little work for himself.
I went to public school and two years to German church school. Joined German Lutheran church at 12; later was a charter member of the English Lutheran, first one in Des Moines. I had a nice young life mostly with the Germans until I met Henry Smith in about 1875. Never was in his company until a few months before we were married on July 1, 1877. I had four children: Mattie (Martha) born 1878, Carl 1879, Etta 1881, and Nora in 1882. We lived in Davenport. We moved to Nebraska in 1887; lost my Etta in 1888.

Mattie (Martha) married Dee Erion in 1899. Carl, I think married 1901, Nora 1903. Carl and May had Dorothy. We moved on the Clark place about 1906, then on the farm at Council Bluffs in 1910. Back to Omaha in 1913. Henry was sick; we lived with Carl (Smith) for a year. Henry got worse. We moved to Bellevue in 1915. Papa got some better and lived until 1918. Nora went to O’Neill, Nebraska and taught at St. Mary’s Academy. The next year she could not get a place for us to live so I stayed with Mattie (Martha). Little Ruth was sick, Mattie was in the hospital. Ruthie left us Nov. 6, then Mary and Dan were down with scarlet fever so we could not get out for six or seven weeks. Then I went to O’Neill and kept house for Nora, then came back the next year. Have been with Mattie (Martha) since. Nora was here until 1934 when she went to New York to live.

I have not been doing much of anything, only hand work the last four years. I have a good comfortable home. Everyone is kind to me. My only trouble is if I could only do something in return for all that has been done for me. My children and grandchildren are all kind -- do all they can. Mattie (Martha) gives me everything to make me comfortable and dear Dee has never given me a cross word. Carl (Smith) and Nora do all they can. I miss Nora. We have lived together so much she understands me best.

I am well at 82 years. Much better than I was when younger. I am a member of the Dundee Presbyterian Church, love all the people there, love my Bellevue friends.

I did not have anything to do today so just wanted to see how much I could remember. I hope no one will see it -- bad writing and spelling afraid.

I love my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and my dear friends and sisters and their families. Many thanks and love to all.

/s/ Henrietta Smith

I have seven grandchildren.

Mattie (Martha) and Dee (Erion) have six children: Carl, Alice, Henry, Donald, Mary and Gene.
Carl (Erion) has two little girls: Jeanne Marie and Carla Anne.

Alice and Harvey (Tiffany) had a boy, Lloyd Dewitt.

Donald and Frances (Erion) have a little girl, Mary Frances.

October 1, 1936 -- Have a little more to write.
Carl and Louise (Erion) have another girl, Frances Louise. Lovely children all.

Dorothy (Carl and May Smith’s daughter) married Rhinehard Alison, I think in 1930. Her first baby boy born January 21, 1938. Fine baby. His name is Rhinehard Errol Alison. Live in Omaha.
Carl (Erion) and family live in Hobart, Oklahoma.
Henry (Erion) and wife live in Florida.
Donald (Erion) and family live in Detroit, Michigan.
Alice (Erion Tiffany) live in Montana.
Mary (Erion) at home now. Has been teaching.
Gene (Erion) at college.
Nora (Smith O’Shea) in New York.
Carl (Smith) and family in Omaha.
Henry (Erion) has little girl born February 19, 1939 in DeLand, Florida.

End of the Memoir

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Henrietta Christine Jann Smith died four years after she penned the above memoir on December 7, 1939 in Omaha, Nebraska. A scanned copy of her death certificate is at the top of this posting.

Note from Bleu: I have been researching the above memoir for several years, using census reports and other available research material to verify what my Great-great Grandmother Smith wrote. I will publish these findings in a later posting. Great-great Grandmother Smith had an excellent memory. Memoirs like the one above are truly treasures.