Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - Robert Smith

1^st COLORADO VOLUNTEER CAVALRY
Organized: Fall, 1861 (1^st COLORADO INFANTRY)
Mustered In: 8/26 - 12/14/62 (1^st COLORADO INFANTRY) 11/1/62 (1^st COLORADO CAVALRY)
Mustered Out: 11/18/65

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:

NOTE: The birth - to - death biographical profile which follows was created in April, 2020. It features an abbreviated “By Request" - style format. This means it does not draw upon veteran - related military service, pension and other files housed in the National Archives located in Washington, D.C. At the time this bio was penned that facility was closed because of the Corvid 19 pandemic. The files will be obtained and their contents added to Mr. Smith’s story at a later date.
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Robert Franklin Smith was born in the state of Illinois during January, 1842.  No specific birth date has been found in available documents.
 

Robert's father was John (Franklin "Frank") Smith (b. 1812 NJ - d. 1873 IL). The name of his Illinois-born mother is not documented. She died sometime between 1845, when Robert's younger sister was born, and prior to the U.S. Census that was conducted in 1850. John remarried in 1851.
 

As best as can determined Robert was the second of three Smith children. It is thought that older than he was his brother, George H. (b. ca. 1839/'40)/ Younger than he was his sister Louisa (b. 1845). However, with a surname like Smith, without access to more complete documentation, it is impossible to say that this family make-up scenario is 100% accurate!
 

In 1850 Robert, was residing in the Morgan Co., IL farm home of William and Polly Morrison. A decade later, in 1860, he was in the Montebello Hancock Co., IL farm home of another Robert Smith, his wife and children. It is not known what, if any, the relationship was between Robert and Robert..
 

By 1862 Robert had quitted Illinois and removed to Colorado. What had prompted the move is not known. What is known is that while in Colorado Robert joined the U.S. Army. Why? Perhaps he had gone to Colorado to seek his fortune mining gold or silver. When that didn't "pan out" he needed a job. Interestingly, he entered the service at the rank of sergeant.
 

Without the availability of his military service records we know little   about Sergeant Smith's period of enlistment beyond the fact that he transferred from one company to another. We don't even know when and how he exited the army.
 

By 1870 Robert was back in Illinois residing in Township 2 Range 3 of Clinton County. At that time he was employed as a farm laborer by one Lemuel Hunter. Mr. Hunter's listed his occupation as "cattle dealer."
 

On November 4, 1875 in Travis Co. Texas, Robert married. His bride was Ann Riffe. "Annie" had been born February 8, 1859/'60 in Austin Travis Co., TX. How the two had met is unknown.
 

Robert and Annie would produce at least seven children: Richard "Rich" Franklin "Frank" (b. 3/16/78 Austin, TX), Joseph "Joe" Harry (b. 8/30/85 Austin, TX), Katherine "Katie" Mae (b. 10/20/87 Austin, TX), Neoma Christena (b. 10/9/93 Granite Falls, WA) Mildred "Millie" Martha (b. 6/1/95 Granite Falls, WA) and Paul John (b. 11/23/00 Granite Falls, WA).
 

As noted by the birth states of the Smith children it appears that after marrying Robert and Annie settled into farming in or near the Travis County, Texas community of her birth. Then, sometime between 1887 and 1893 they removed to the Puget Sound region of Pacific Northwest settling iin the Snohomish County community of Granite Falls. What drew them to the forested wilds of Washington is not known. Perhaps, though, it was the availability of homestead land that Robert could acquire based on his days of Civil War soldiering.
 

In Snohomish Country Robert once again turned to farming. In 1900 that was in Granite Falls.  In 1910 it was in Getchell, while in 1920 it was in Outlook. The significance of the location changes is not known. Were they physical moves?
 

Robert F. Smith died in Granite Falls Snohomish Co., WA. The date of his death was 3/2/20. At passing he was 79 years of age. Burial was/is in the Granite Falls American Legion Cemetery.
 

It appears that after her husband's passing Annie remained in Granite Falls. She died there on 3/21/23. She was/is buried beside Robert.

REGIMENTAL LOSSES: Information Not Available.

SOLDIER:
Residence: Inf. Not Avail.   Age: 20.11 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 11/1/62   Rank: Sgt.
Mustered In: 11/1/62
Mustered Out: Inf. Not Avail.
Highest Rank: Sgt.
Rank At Discharge: Sgt.

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:
 

NOTE: The birth - to - death biographical profile which follows was created in April, 2020. It features an abbreviated “By Request" - style format. This means it does not draw upon veteran - related military service, pension and other files housed in the National Archives located in Washington, D.C. At the time this bio was penned that facility was closed because of the Corvid 19 pandemic. The files will be obtained and their contents added to Mr. Smith’s story at a later date.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Robert Franklin Smith was born in the state of Illinois during January, 1842.  No specific birth date has been found in available documents.
 

Robert's father was John (Franklin "Frank") Smith (b. 1812 NJ - d. 1873 IL). The name of his Illinois-born mother is not documented. She died sometime between 1845, when Robert's younger sister was born, and prior to the U.S. Census that was conducted in 1850. John remarried in 1851.
 

As best as can determined Robert was the second of three Smith children. It is thought that older than he was his brother, George H. (b. ca. 1839/'40)/ Younger than he was his sister Louisa (b. 1845). However, with a surname like Smith, without access to more complete documentation, it is impossible to say that this family make-up scenario is 100% accurate!
 

In 1850 Robert, was residing in the Morgan Co., IL farm home of William and Polly Morrison. A decade later, in 1860, he was in the Montebello Hancock Co., IL farm home of another Robert Smith, his wife and children. It is not known what, if any, the relationship was between Robert and Robert....
 

By 1862 Robert had quitted Illinois and removed to Colorado. What had prompted the move is not known. What is known is that while in Colorado Robert joined the U.S. Army. Why? Perhaps he had gone to Colorado to seek his fortune mining gold or silver. When that didn't "pan out" he needed a job. Interestingly, he entered the service at the rank of sergeant.
 

Without the availability of his military service records we know little   about Sergeant Smith's period of enlistment beyond the fact that he transferred from one company to another. We don't even know when and how he exited the army.
 

By 1870 Robert was back in Illinois residing in Township 2 Range 3 of Clinton County. At that time he was employed as a farm laborer by one Lemuel Hunter. Mr. Hunter's listed his occupation as "cattle dealer."
 

On November 4, 1875 in Travis Co. Texas, Robert married. His bride was Ann Riffe. "Annie" had been born February 8, 1859/'60 in Austin Travis Co., TX. How the two had met is unknown.
 

Robert and Annie would produce at least seven children: Richard "Rich" Franklin "Frank" (b. 3/16/78 Austin, TX), Joseph "Joe" Harry (b. 8/30/85 Austin, TX), Katherine "Katie" Mae (b. 10/20/87 Austin, TX), Neoma Christena (b. 10/9/93 Granite Falls, WA) Mildred "Millie" Martha (b. 6/1/95 Granite Falls, WA) and Paul John (b. 11/23/00 Granite Falls, WA).
 

As noted by the birth states of the Smith children it appears that after marrying Robert and Annie settled into farming in or near the Travis County, Texas community of her birth. Then, sometime between 1887 and 1893 they removed to the Puget Sound region of Pacific Northwest settling iin the Snohomish County community of Granite Falls. What drew them to the forested wilds of Washington is not known. Perhaps, though, it was the availability of homestead land that Robert could acquire based on his days of Civil War soldiering.
 

In Snohomish Country Robert once again turned to farming. In 1900 that was in Granite Falls.  In 1910 it was in Getchell, while in 1920 it was in Outlook. The significance of the location changes is not known. Were they physical moves?
 

Robert F. Smith died in Granite Falls Snohomish Co., WA. The date of his death was 3/2/20. At passing he was 79 years of age. Burial was/is in the Granite Falls American Legion Cemetery.
 

It appears that after her husband's passing Annie remained in Granite Falls. She died there on 3/21/23. She was/is buried beside Robert.

Buried at American Legion Cemetery-Granite Falls