Smith Children: (Parents, Joseph Sanford and Arabella Jane Coombs)

Ada Olivia, born 24 January 1874 in Cedar Cit
Joseph Elroy,  born 14 September 1876, died 26 December 1893 when he was 17
George Abraham born  8 June 1879, died 29 December 1962.  He married Lovina Shurtliff.

(I am a granddaughter of George A and Lovina Shurtliff. I knew Lovina, or Great Grandma Smith as a girl. I never knew George A, but I did know their son, Clyde A, very well. He was a gentle man with a delightful sense of humor. He was stalwart and firm in the Gospel, and taught his children to be thrifty and strong, but also to enjoy life and to look for the good in all things.

By ---<--{@ MSK 

 

Arabella Jane Coombs: was born 28 December 1853 Redwood Canyon, Contra Costa, California and she died 19 January 1883 in Mancos, Colorado.  She gave birth to nine children.  The first two, Mary Ann and Ellen, died in infancy:   The next children: Ada Olivia Smith (1874-1924) and Ida Olive Smith (1874-1877) were evidently twins, but Ida died at age 3.  Ada was the oldest Smith child on the Hole-in-the-rock trek, and watched the two younger siblings: Joseph Elroy Smith (1876-1893) and George Abraham Smith (1879-1962) while their parents took the "last wagon" of 26 down on day 1.  It appears that their next child Arabella Smith (1881-) died at birth. Mabel Arabella Smith (1882-1885) was born the next year and the last child, Joseph S. Smith (1883-) died the same year as his mother...possibly both dying during child birth.  No verification of that has been found yet, only genealogy files with dates.

The wagon of Joseph Stanford Smith was the last of twenty-six wagons to pass through Hole-in-the-Rock that day. Brother Smith, known as Stanford, had helped others through the passage all day while his wife and three children sat on a pile of quilts in the snow and watched. Apparently not realizing there was one more wagon to come down, the rest of the group had all moved on to the ferry. So Stanford and his wife, Belle, determined that they would have to bring their wagon down by themselves. Belle sat her three-year-old son on the quilts, placed the baby between his legs, and told them not to move until their father came back for them. Ada, the oldest, sat in front of her brothers and said a prayer.

This account describes what may have transpired after the wagon was down, and their father returned to get the children: http://holeintherock.info/pioneers/jssmith4.htm

"Papa! Papa!" a faint call came from far up the crevice. He answered: "Papa's coming, Ada!" His voice echoed and re-echoed among the rocks as he called to the children over and over. At last he reached the top to find the three little ones sitting where their mother had left them. "God stayed with us," said Ada. "The baby's gone to sleep an' my arm's 'most broke," said Roy. Little George woke up and smiled a toothless grin.

Stanford Smith lifted the baby tenderly in his arms, took his son's hand in his, and with Ada clinging to his pocket, went down to Arabella.

Stanford's wagon lumbered out of the canyon, the team limping painfully. Old Nig followed behind on trembling legs, his hide torn and bleeding in places. Just before thy reached the river's edge, five men came into view just ahead of them, carrying chains and rope. "Look Stanford," she said. "They are coming to help."



More information needed