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Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
GEORGE SMELCER, whose death occurred
July 1, 1900, came west from St. Joe, Missouri, in the spring of 1882,
bought railroad land and took up the homestead comprising the present well-improved
land owned by his widow about nine miles northeast of Mondovi.
Born in Indiana, January 1, 1835, he at the
age of fifteen migrated to Black Hawk county, Iowa, where he met Lucinda
Nolen, to whom he was married, December 16, 1859. Mrs. Smelcer was
born in Greene county, Indiana, May 11, 1845. At the age of seven
she accompanied her parents, Sangford A. and Elizabeth (Taylor) Nolen,
to Illinois, where her father died. Later she and her mother removed
to Iowa, where she was married.
In 1866 Mr. and Mrs. Smelcer removed to St.
Joe, Missouri, making this city their home until their departure in 1882
to the unsettled west. Though a miller by trade, having owned and
run a flour mill in Missouri for fifteen years, Mr. Smelcer at once set
about improving his land with most excellent results, as is attested by
the comfortable home, fine grain land, and prolific orchard of his widow's
heritage.
To Mr. and Mrs. Smelcer were born eight children:
Mary E., wife of James Pilent of Deerpark; William R., married to Mary
Glads of Spokane; Clara A., wife of T. T. Castle, of St. Joe, Missouri;
Birdie A., wife of H. L. Williams, of Republic; George V., married to Amanda
Dresser, of Deerpark; Sangford Allen, married to Metta I. McClain, of Modovi,
James Nestor and Chester Arthur, both of Mondovi. They are grandparents
of twenty-two children.
Mr. Smelcer was a hard working man, enjoying
the esteem of all who knew him, fairly well educated, with an active interest
in educational matters, and serving at one time as school clerk for a period
of twelve years. He was a good, upright man. In his church
affiliations he was a Lutheran, to which faith his widow also subscribes.
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