According to a copy of the death certificate issued by the State of Nebraska, Henrietta Christine Jann Smith was born on 13 Jan 1854 in New York City, NY. She was the oldest child of German-born Andrew Jann and Margaretha Horn Jann who came to the United States in 1853. The family settled in Iowa City, IA, where Henrietta’s father, Andrew worked for a stagecoach company. When the company moved to Des Moines, so did the Jann family. Henrietta was living in Des Moines, IA, when she met her future husband, Henry L. Smith. They were married on 1 Jul 1877 in Des Moines. Together, Henrietta and Henry had four children, one of whom was my great grandmother. The family moved from Iowa to Nebraska around 1890. They lived there until 1910 when they moved briefly back to Pottawatomie County, IA, but were back in Nebraska by 1915. Henrietta’s husband passed away in 1918, leaving Henrietta a widow.
In an unpublished memoir in which Henrietta writes about her childhood, she ends with “I am well at 82 years.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. did not have anything to do today so just wanted to see how much I could remember. . . . .I love my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and my dear friends and sisters and their families. Many thanks and love to all.”
Henrietta passed away three years later, at the age of 85 years, 10 months, and 24 days, on 7 Dec 1939 on Cuming Street, Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska. Cause of death is listed as “arteriosclerosis”. Henrietta was buried on 9 Dec 1939 in Bellevue Cemetery under the direction of Brewer-Korisko Funeral Home.
I also published this information on www.findagrave.com.
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