HIRAM SMITH

     Hiram Smith was born 06 Jan 1836, d. 1 Nov 1900, ...descending from a proud German Palatine family of Schmidts . His father, Frederick J. Smith, b 1798, Germantown, NY, & mother, Margaret Hapeman, and his grandfather, Johannes Schmidt & his wife Lena Rockefeller, b1777, daughter of William, b.1737, born Germantown, were farmers on farm Lot # 25 of Robert Livingston's 'Manor, now Clermont. Frederick J. Smith and family left the 'Manor' to find their own farm in Ephratah, Montgomery, NY, in the winter of 1833. When Hiram turned 25, he joined the Civil War effort, enlisting on 25 Oct 1861 with the 2nd NY Mounted Rifles, Black Horse Cavalry, at Troy, NY. The Unit was shipped out to Washington, D.C. to help protect the Nation's Capitol. This 2nd NY Cav Unit became Federalized, and the Unit designation changed to: Company F, 7th NY CAV . The Unit went to Washington, DC., served a short time and due to a shortage of horses was mustered out in 1862 . Hiram then went to NJ volunteering with an unspecified military unit in NJ for a time before becoming a marine engineer on the Hudson and Atlantic seaboard. Hiram married, and lost two wives in childbirth ... first, Mary H. Putman (1840-1859), of Ephratah; second, Mary Helen Brandow, (1839-1872), of Catskill, before returning to his early family ancestral home of Germantown, Columbia Co. where he married, in turn, two daughters of Conrad C. Lasher, Jr. & his wife Bally Rockefeller: Mary E. Lasher (1839-1883) and, upon her death, her sister Sarah Eliza Lasher (1852-1927). From 1880 to1900 Hiram maintained a fruit farm on Church Ave. very near the Christ Lutheran Church in Germantown, and also practiced his trade of marine engineer. Hiram became very ill in Aug 1897 and was treated thereafter by 'Dr Weekes', and was forced to stay on the farm, an invalid his last years. He died in 1900. As a war Veteran his pension was awarded at $12.00 a month, later raised to $30.00. His widow Sarah Lasher Smith drew Hiram's Civil War widows pension after his death.
     Hiram's son George H. Smith, (Jan 1872-1937), also a marine engineer by trade, developed TB, was home bound on the Germantown farm his last several years and died at the TB Sanitarium on the hill at Claverack, Columbia Co., NY, a sanitarium resident of 8 days.
     Hiram and George Smith are both buried in the C.C. Lasher plot in the Viewmont Cemetery, with others in the family; Lashers, Rockefellers, Quackenbushes, Deckers, Knickbockers and others, a place that holds many of this early Smith family. There are still a number of living descendants of this large early family living in Germantown, Clermont, Red Hook, and surrounding area. Both of the farms mentioned here were still in the family until the 1950s and are familiar landmarks. Hiram belonged to a GAR Post as indicated by his grave marker but have been unsuccessful in determining which post.
 

Submitted by: Bruce M. Smith 11 July 2006