Elias Smith ^{2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12}

   Other names for Elias were Elias Schmidt and Elijah Smith.

   FamilySearch ID: KCB2-HR2.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Fact: When Elias' first wife Pascilla Riegel died shortly after their marriage, Elias married Pascilla's sister Catherine.

We have found no church or other records proving that Elias' father was Peter Smith born 1786. We assume this relationship because they were neighbors in the 1860 US Census and we found no other elder Smith living in the township at the time of Elias' birth. Also, the Zettlemeyer family married both Peter Smith born 1786 and the Riegel family that Elias Smith married.

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2. He appeared in the household of Peter Smith Jr. In a census in 1860 in West Brunswick Twp., Schuylkill, PA. ^{15 15} The 1860 census recorded related Smith and Riegel families living as neighbors.

Household 306 is Elijah Smith [sic, should be Elias], black smith, age 28. His wife Catherine is 18 [she is the sister of his first wife Pasella Riegel who died in 1857]; and daughters Lizzie 3 [by Elias' first wife] and Priscilla 1. His real estate was valued at $350 and personal estate $150.

Household 310 is William Smith, farmer, 36, with wife Fietta, 34; Emaline, 14; Celetta, 12; Alfred, 9; Thomas, 5; Messura, 3; and Elixander, 11 months when the census was recorded on 18 Jun 1850. Also in the home is farm laborer Peter Spence, 61. William's real estate value is $5700 and personal estate $352.

Household 312 is farmer Daniel Riegel [father of the girls who married Elias Smith], 56, with wife Mary, 56; Lewis, 16; Susannah, 14; Elizabeth, 11. Also in home is servant Elizabeth Sholler, 18, and Joseph Shoppell, 11. Daniel's real estate value is $5000 and personal estate $400.

Household 313 is Joseph Smith, famer, 39, with wife Catherine, 21, and son Francis, 9 months. His real estate is $1200 and personal $152.

Household 314 is Peter Smith Sr., occupation gentleman, 75, with wife Catherine, 65; son Henry, farmer, 30; William, farm laborer, 25; and Hannah, 20. Peter's real estate was $1200, personal $100, and Henry's $3000 and $712.

Household 316 is Peter Smith Jr., farmer, 44, with Catherine, 38; and twin sons Lewis and James, farm laborers, 16. Peter's real estate value is $1200 and personal $165.

Household 324 is John Smith, farm laborer, 45; with wife Matilda, 37; David, 18; Susannah, 14; Sarah, 12; Charles, 6; George, 5; Mary 3; and Franklin, 8 months. John's real estate is $600 and personal $100.

Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. The post office was Orwigsburg.

3. Military from 12 Nov 1862 to 12 Aug 1863 in , , PA: Civil War, Company I, 167th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry (Drafted Militia). Elias Smith, Private, age 29, enrolled 27 Oct 1862 Berks County, mustered in 12 Nov 1862 Reading PA, mustered out with company at Reading 12 Aug 1863. ^{16 17} This regiment was exclusively from Berks county, and was organized with the following field officers:
Charles A. Knoderer, Colonel
Joseph De Puy Davis, Lieutenant Colonel
Gustavus A. Worth, Major
Colonel Knoderer was a graduate of the Polytechnic School of Carlesruhe, and had served as Captain in a regiment of the patriot Landwher, in the Baden struggle of 1849. He also served on the staff of General Sigel, in Fremont's campaign in Missouri, and was a learned and accomplished officer.
Soon after its organization, the regiment was ordered to Suffolk, Virginia, in the Department of the James, under command of General Dix. The forces at Suffolk, and vicinity, were commanded by of General John J. Peck, who was charged with holding the line south of the James, covering the approaches to Portsmouth and Norfolk. In this service the regiment was actively engaged, being employed in fatigue duty upon the fortifications, in the planning of which Colonel Knoderer was an adept, in reconnoitring and in out-post duty, and in drill, preparatory to active campaigning.

Late on the evening of the 29th of January, 1863, General Corcoran, who commanded a division under General Peck, moved with his column towards the Blackwater, and at Deserted Farm, seven miles out, encountered a strong force of the enemy, under General Roger A. Pryor. Corcoran immediately attacked, and a fierce night engagement ensued. The fighting was principally with artillery, and the One Hundred and Sixty-seventh was fearfully exposed to the enemy's fire. At the opening of the battle, Colonel Knoderer ordered his men to lie down, and fortunately few were injured; but the horses of the officers, with the exception of that of the Adjutant, were all killed, and the Colonel himself received a mortal wound. The enemy was finally driven, and the command returned again to camp.

Lieutenant Colonel Davis succeeded to the command of the regiment, and was subsequently commissioned Colonel. It participated in the desultory operations, which were kept up until the beginning of April, when the right wing of the rebel army, under General Longstreet, numbering some forty thousand men, advanced upon the place, and attacked, but failed to carry it. He then laid siege to it, and constructed elaborate works for its reduction. For nearly a month these operations were vigorously pushed, and for many days, the bombardment of the fortifications was almost incessant. But so skillfully had they been planned, and so well constructed, that General Peck, with a force of only about a third of the number of the investing army, successfully repelled every attack, and finally compelled Longstreet to raise the siege.

The One Hundred and Sixty-seventh was actively employed in the defense throughout the entire siege, and rendered efficient' service. General Peck says in his official report,

"Longstreet had been promised sixty thousand men for his spring work, and was ready about the last of March to open the campaign for the recovery of Southern Virginia. He ordered Hill and Pettigrew to make a series of demonstrations at Newbern, Little Washington, and other points in North Carolina, with the design of causing troops to be sent from Norfolk, Fortress Monroe, and other localities. In consequence I was ordered, on the 10th of April, to dispatch a considerable portion of my force to General Foster. Longstreet, advised of the order and success of his feints, crossed the Blackwater, and on the same clay advanced, with about twenty-eight thousand men, upon Suffolk. On the 15th of April, Hill discontinued his feints upon Little Washilngton, and sent those troops to Suffolk. He followed soon after with the remainder of his command. * * * In spite of the high hopes of the South, the siege was raised during the night of the 3d of May, (twenty-four days) after the construction of from eight to ten miles of covered ways, rifle-pits, field-works, and the loss of the celebrated Fauquier Battery, (six guns,) and some two thousand men. * * * The effective Federal force at the outset, was nearly fourteen thousand, with three small wooden gun-boats. This was distributed on lines of about twelve miles in extent. No defeat was experienced by our arms." 1
Towards the close of June, and during the time of Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania, the regiment formed part of the command which was sent to demonstrate in the direction of Richmond, and upon its return, was ordered to join the army of the Potomac, then in pursuit of Lee's army in Maryland. It formed junction on the 15th of July, the day after the escape of the enemy across the Potomac, and was assigned to the First Brigade, First Division, of the First Corps. With that corps, it participated in the pursuit of Lee to beyond the Rappahannock, when, its term of service being about to expire, it was relieved at the front, and ordered to Reading, where, on the 12th of August, it was mustered out.

4. Census in 1870 in Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA. ¹⁸ The 1870 census recorded in Shenandoah City: Elias Smith, blacksmith, age 40, living with wife Catharine, 29; Lizzie, 10; Pricilla, 11; and Lydia, 10. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. Elias' real estate was valued at $1,500 and personal estate $500. Elias and Catharine cannot read or write.

5. Census in 1880 in Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA. ¹⁹ Elias Smith, blacksmith, 47, was living with wife Catherine, 38; daughter Lydia, 19; son Calvin A. Smith, 4; and daughter Burleight I. Smith, 2. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania.

6. Residence: in 1891 in Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ²⁰

7. Newspaper: Lebanon Daily News: For Sale, 7 Mar 1891, Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ²⁰ The undersigned offers for sale a Double Three-Story Dwelling House, Bath Rooms and Store Room to one part. The property is new and in good repair. For further particulars call on the undersigned residing thereon.
ELIAS SMITH
443 North Sixth Street,
Lebanon, Pa.

8. Newspaper: Lebanon Daily News: With The Sick., 14 Jan 1899, Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ²¹ With The Sick.
Elias Smith, of 443 North Sixth street, while walking home through the yards of the Pennsylvania bolt and nut works on Tuesday, fell into a ditch between five and seven feet deep which had been dug during the day, and received a number of injuries. His condition remains without any improvement.

9. Census in 1900 in Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ²² Elias Smith, day laborer, age 66 born Dec 1833, was living at 443 N. Sixth Street in Lebanon. With him are wife Catherine, 57, born May 1843; daughter Lydia A., hemstitcher, 39, born Oct 1860; daughtger Irene, hemstitcher, 22, born Oct 1877; and son Claude I., day laborer, 18, born May 1882. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. Catherine has given birth to 12 children, and 5 were alive in 1900.

10. Newspaper: Lebanon Daily News: Smith's Easter Reunion., 13 Apr 1903, Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ²³ SMITHS' EASTER REUNION.
Mr. and Mrs. Elias Smith Have Descendants With Them.
Mr. and Mrs. Elias Smith, of 443 North Sixth street, spent a joyous Easter with their children and grand-children, the occasion being a family reunion. Not in twenty-five years had all the children and their children been at home at the same time and Sunday was a happy one for all. Besides Mr. and Mrs. Smith there were present: Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Snyder, Mayd, Bertha, Blanche, Elias and William Snyder, Allentown; Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Witman, Harvey and Clark Witman, Pottstown; Mr. and Mrs. C. G. Fauber, Alice Fauber, this city; Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Smith, Russel, Lester and Miriam Smith, this city, Miss Irene Smith and Claud Smith, this city.

11. Obituary: Lebanon Daily News: Death of Elias Smith on 20 Aug 1904 in Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ¹⁴ Elias Smith, of 334 North Sixth street, died this morning, of dropsy. He was 70 years old and is survived by a wife and six children: Mrs. Henry Snyder, Allentown; Mrs. Thos. Witman, Pottstown; Mrs. Cornelius Fauber, Mrs. William Eberly, Calvin Smith and Claude Smith, all of this city. Mr. Smith was a Union veteran, having served in Company I, 167th Pa. Vols., and was a member of Camp 206, P. O. S. of A., of Shenandoah. He was a member of the Evangelical church.

12. Residence: 443 North 6th Street, Lebanon, PA on 20 Aug 1904 in Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ¹¹

13. Newspaper: Lebnaon Daily News: funeral of Elias Smith, 23 Aug 1904, Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ¹¹ ELIAS SMITH.
Funeral services over the body of Elias Smith were held this morning at his late residence, 443 North Sixth street by Revs. John Herring and Cyrus Hoffman. Many relatives and friends were present. After services at the house, interment was made at Mt. Lebanon cemetery. Many flowers and other tributes were in evidence being given by the following: Slumber robe, from wife; sheaf of wheat and palms, from children; rose and green loafed wreath, Claud Smith; blue and pink asters, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Ohlinger; white lilies, Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Smith; blue asters, Russell, Lester and Miriam Smith; sheaf of wheat, Harvey and Clark Witman; bouquet, Mrs. Christ; bouquet, Mrs. Wagner; white carnations, T. D. S. Bordner and family; bouquet, Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman; carnations, Maud, Elias, Bertha, Wm. Blanch Snyder, Alice Fauber. A delegation of Camp 254, P. O. S. of A., were in attendance and their ceremonies were repeated at the grave. The following were the pallbearers, composed of members of the camp: John Shaeffer, S. P. Light, D. S. Light, Levi E. Wagner, John Lowe, H. B. Johns. P.H. Thompson was the undertaker.

14. Book: Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania: Genealogy--Family History--Biography, 1915. ²⁴
Daniel Riegel married Magdalene Fisher, and they had these children: Daniel Jr., who married in the West; Lydia, who married Jacob Shell; Passila and Catherine, both of whom married Elias Smith; Matilda, who married Jacob Herman; Joshua, who was twice married to Amanada and Hannah Potts; Elias, who married Catherine Bachert; John, who never married; Reuben, who married Tine Shopbell; Susanna, who married William Deibert; Lewish, who married Sylletta Smith; and Elizabeth, who married John Gerber.

Elias married Passila Riegel, daughter of Daniel Riegel Sr. and Maria Magdelina Fisher, in 1855 in Steinsville: German Reformed Church, Lehigh, PA.^{1 2} (Passila Riegel was born on 1 Jan 1836 in West Brunswick Twp., Schuylkill, PA,²⁵ died on 22 Jun 1857 in , Schuylkill, PA ²⁵ and was buried in Orwigsburg: Kimmel's Evangelical Free Church, Schuylkill, PA.)

Elias next married Catherine Riegel, daughter of Daniel Riegel Sr. and Maria Magdelina Fisher, about 1858 in , Schuylkill, PA. (Catherine Riegel was born on 15 May 1842 in West Brunswick Twp., Schuylkill, PA,^{3 13 26 27 28} died on 14 Mar 1921 in Lebanon, Lebanon, PA ^{27 28} and was buried on 18 Mar 1921 in Lebanon: Mount Lebanon Cemetery, Lebanon, PA ^{27 28}.)