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| FRANCIS SMITH, farmer, sec. 13, Morton Tp., was born in Germany, Oct. 18, 1832. He is a son of Philip and Elizabeth (Borne) Smith, with whom he remained in his native land and atttended school until 1841. In that year his father came to this country and located on a farm lying near the Welland Canal, between Lake Erie and Ontario. This was retained but a short time, his father selling out and moving to Bruce Co., Ont., where he bought 100 acres of land and is still residen there. The mother of Mr. Smith died in Germany. She left nine children, five sons and four daughters. Of his borhters and sisters, Mr. Smith knows comparitively nothing. In 1872 he came to the State of Michigan and bought 80 acres of land in Morton Tp. Nearly the entire acreage of his land is under culture and is laregely devoted to stock-raising, to which it is well adapted. It is located one and a half miles from Mecosta village, is well watered and generally is of an grade that compares favorably with other farms in the vicinity. Mr. Smith was married April 16, 1860, at Formosa, Canada, to Marianna Gatz. After his marriage he rented a farm there, and in five years he came to Michigan, as stated. Mr. and Mrs. Smith's children are: Mary Ann, born Feb. 8, 1861 (died in infancy); Elizabeth, April 7, 1863; Joseph, Oct. 6, 1864, Henry, Dec. 3, 1866; Michael, Sept. 26, 1876; John, March 28, 1870; Mary, April 28, 1872; Caroline, Dec. 28, 1873; Frederick P., Oct. 18, 1875; Frank, Aug. 2, 1878 (died two years later); Magdalena, June 18, 1882. |