Indiana Historical Society - Manuscripts and Archives Department

SMITH FAMILY
PAPERS, 1825-1928

Collection #
M 0348

Table of Contents

Collection Information
Biographical Sketch
Scope and Content Note
Folder Listing
Cataloging Information

Processed by
Chris Harter
5 March 1997

COLLECTION INFORMATION

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Charles W. Smith (1846-1921), the son of Morgan L. Smith and Margaret (Iliff) Smith (1812-1891), was born in Washington Township, Hendricks County, Indiana. Charles was educated in public schools and the Danville Academy (Danville, Indiana). He attended Asbury College (now DePauw University) in Greencastle, Indiana. His studies were interrupted when he enlisted in the 133rd Indiana Infantry Regiment, Company F, in May, 1864. Smith was later transferred to first lieutenant of the 109th U.S. Colored Infantry, and served in that position until the end of the Civil War.
Afterward, he returned to Asbury College, and graduated in 1867. Smith located to Indianapolis, where he began a forty-year law career. In 1877, he and John S. Duncan (1846-1914) formed the law firm of Duncan, Smith & Duncan, which became one of the oldest firms in Indianapolis.
In 1869, Smith married Mary E. Preston (fl. 1861-1910) of Greenwood, Indiana. They had four children: Margaret, Mary Grace, Albert P. and Kate P.

Morgan L. Smith (1806-1869) was a native of Orange County, New York. As a young man, he worked as a ship carpenter in New York City. In 1832, Morgan purchased farmland in Hendricks County, Indiana, and settled there. A year later, he returned east to marry Margaret Iliff (1812-1891) of New Jersey, daughter of James Iliff (1786-1840) and Elizabeth (Moore) Iliff (1786-1858). Morgan and Margaret returned to Indiana in 1835, and resided there until their deaths. They had eight children, four of whom died in infancy. Those who survived were: Mary (b. 1842), Charles W., Alpheus F. (b. 1848) and J. Fletcher (b. 1851).

Sources: Material in the collection.
Dunn, Jacob Piatt. Greater Indianapolis. vol. 2. p. 676-677.
History of Hendricks County, Indiana. (1885) p. 751-754.
Iliff Family (Located in Indiana State Library, Genealogy Division) p. 16.
Terrell, W. H. H. Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana. vol. 7. p. 346.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection consists of the correspondence (1825-1928) of the Iliff-Smith-Preston family. The correspondence is arranged chronologically, and much of it centers on the lives of family members. Many of the early letters are from James Iliff to Morgan and Margaret Smith. The later correspondence includes many letters from Kate Preston (1853-1879) to her siblings: Mary (Preston) Smith, Abraham L. Preston (1861?-1935) and Maggie Preston (fl. 1873-1910), as well as genealogical information on the Preston family. (For genealogical information on the Iliff family, see M 0154, James Arthur Iliff Papers.)

Correspondents include Amos H. Belles, Mary (Iliff) Belles, P.C. Carter, Jane (Iliff) Case, Ewin L. Davis, Elizabeth (Moore) Iliff, James Iliff, James Iliff, Jr., William M. Iliff, Sarah C. Lane, Jacob Moore, Abraham L. Preston, Kate Preston, Maggie Preston, Alpheus F. Smith, Charles W. Smith, Margaret (Iliff) Smith, Mary (Preston) Smith, Morgan L. Smith, Ira L. Stoddard, Charles N. Tompson, Marshall Harvey Twitchell, and Barzilla Williams.

The collection contains numerous essays written by Charles W. Smith on a variety of topics. Also present is material relating to Charles' military service; memorials for Charles W. Smith, John S. Duncan and John G. Williams (1849-1919), all of whom were lawyers in Indianapolis; and information about the genealogies and lives of John Armstrong (See M 0006, OMB 0034, F 0393-0395) and Marshall Harvey Twitchell (1840-1905) (See SC 2009). The collection also contains Morgan L. Smith's journal (1833-1857), which includes an account of his journeys between Indiana and New York/New Jersey, and a diary containing recipes, probably kept by Mary Smith or Kate Preston. A small number of miscellaneous items, including a real estate deed in the name of Charles W. Smith, a page from the Northwestern Christian Advocate (September 8, 1915) and a copy of a resolution passed upon the death of Kate Preston, complete the collection.

FOLDER LISTING

CATALOGING INFORMATION

For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:

1. Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog
2. Click on the "Local Catalog" icon.
3. Search for the collection by its call number, using the letter or letters designation and four digits (e.g., M 0715, SC 2234).
4. When you find the collection, go to the "Holdings" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.

END