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Smith Cemetery ~ Rachel Maritta Smith ~ part of the Polk County Pioneer Cemeteries of Oregon
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Smith, Rachel Maritta
LAST NAME: Smith FIRST NAME: Rachel MIDDLE NAME: Maritta NICKNAME: Ritta
MAIDEN NAME: Burns AKA 1:  AKA 2:  AKA 3: 
GENDER: F TITLE: 
BORN: 14 Dec 1846 DIED: 11 Nov 1931 BURIED: 14 Nov 1931 ~ Smith Cemetery
OCCUPATION:  
BIRTH PLACE:  Tazewell Co, Illinois
DEATH PLACE: Lewisville, Polk Co, Oregon
NOTES: 
MARRIAGE - B.F. Smith & R.M. Burns m 6 Oct 21864 at house of Wm Burnes; Chas E. Moor, judge. Wit: Jas D. Smith & J.T. Yater [Yeater] 1870 CENSUS - Rachel Smith (23y, b Illinois) enumerated with Benjamin (30y, b Missouri, occupation farmer), William R. (5y, b Oregon), Mary (3y, b Oregon) & Laura (1y, b Oregon) 1900 CENSUS - Rachel M. Smith (b Nov 1845, Illinois, mother of 3 children, 2 living at time of census) enumerated with husband of 36 years Benjamin (b May 1840, Missouri), daughter Mary E. (b Apr 1867, Oregon) and servant John J. Leveck (b Aug 1871, Minnesota) 1910 CENSUS - Rachel M. Smith (63y, b Illinois, mother of 3 children, 2 living at time of census), enumerated with husband of 45 years Benjamin F. (69y, b Missouri) son-in-law John J. Leveck (38y, b Minnesota, married 6 years) and daughter Mary E. Leveck (43y, b Oregon, mother of 1 child who was deceased)
DEATH CERTIFICATE: 
OSBH DC (1931 Polk co) #95 Rachel M. Smith, female, housekeeper, widowed; spouse Benjamin F. Smith; b 14 Dec 1846, Tazewell co, Ill; father William Burns (b Risingen, Ky); mother Rachel Ford (b Peoria, Ill); d 11 Nov 1931, Rt 1, Monmouth, age 84y 10m 27d; lived in area 67y; bur Smith cem; informant Mrs John Leveck, Monmouth
OBITUARY: 
Mrs Rachel Maritta Smith, a Polk county pioneer, died at her home where she had lived since 1864, on November 11. She had been an invalid for more than a year. Mrs Smith, familiarly known to a large circle of friends as “Aunt Ritta,” was the widow of B.F. Smith, familiarly known as “Uncle Doc,” a prominent Polk county farmer who passed away in 1915. She wass Polk’s oldest and most favorably known pioneer and the last one living in that part of the county. Mrs Smith was a daughter of William and Rachel Burns and was born in Tazewell county, Illinois, December 14, 1846. She came to Oregon with her parents when she was but two years old over the overland route by ox team, the family settling on the old Burns donation land claim on the south bank of the Little Luckiamute, where she resided until her marriage. She was married to Mr Smith October 6, 1864, and to this union were born three children: William Wright, who passed away in Dallas in 1916; Mary Elizabeth and Laura L., who passed away at the age of 19 months. Mrs Smith is survived by one daughter, Mrs J.J. Leveck, who with her husband resides on the home place. There is left also one sister, and a daughter-in-law Mrs Bonnie Smith of Lewisville. There are four grandchildren: Mrs Cecil Embree, Lewisville; Mrs J.E. Weaver, Portland; Mrs L.S. Prather, Buena Vista; Miss Lilli Smith, a teacher in the Myrtle Point schools. Seven great-grandchildren are: Norval, Beatrice, Laura and Nada Embree, and Alice, Elmo and Billy Gene Prather. Funeral services were held at the church that she and her husband were instrumental in building at Lewisville, at 1:30 o’clock Saturday afternoon, November 14, under the direction of the Keeney Funeral Home. Rev C.P. Gates of Portland, her presiding elder, assisted by Rev Oliver, her pastor, and Rev Ballantyne of Salem, her former pastor, and Rev J.L. Burns, her nephew, officiated at the services at the church, and committal was at the local Smith cemetery. She was bourne to her final resting place by six nephews: J.L. Burns, H.E. Burns, John Yeater, Roscoe Staats, Rufus Dodge, and L.N. Lindeman. Miss Mattie Swann and Miss Dorothy Boyer sang and Mrs Oliver officiated at the organ. Loving hands had made the church a bower of beauty, as Mrs Smith was exceedingly fond of flowers. Itemizer Observer, Thursday, November 19, 1931, 7:4-5
INSCRIPTION: 
Rachel M., His Wife Dec. 14, 1846-Nov. 11, 1931 [shares marker with Benjamin F. Smith]
SOURCES: 
OSBH DC (1931 Polk co) #95 Polk Co, Oregon, Marriage Records, 1849-1879, page 28 1870 OR CENSUS (Polk Co, Luckiamute, FA#665) 1900 OR CENSUS (Polk Co, Luckiamute, ED 176, FA#68) 1910 OR CENSUS (Polk Co, Luckiamute, ED 244, sheet 4A) Itemizer Observer, 19 Nov 1931, 7:4-5
CONTACTS: 
ROW: 37-2  

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