Two Laura Smiths in Arkansas

There were two Laura A. Smiths in Hempstead Co, Arkansas who were contemporaries (c 1860-1930s) and of interest to this web site. They had similar birth years, death years and both had husbands who served in the Confederate Army.

1. Laura Ann Bittick Smith was born 20 April 1861 (according to her own statement in her Widow's Civil War Pension Application). She married Charles K. Smith on 02 August 1874 in Ozan Township, Hempstead Co, Arkansas. She and her husband lived in Hempstead Co, Arkansas, but after his death in 1902, she apparently moved around and was living with her daughter in Miller Co, Arkansas by 1930. She died 03 Apr 1936 in Miller Co, Arkansas and is buried in Sylverino Cemetery. Her husband served with Company K, 12th Arkansas Infantry (CSA) during the Civil War, and filed for a pension in 1901 in Hempstead Co, Arkansas. After Charles' death in 1902 Laura applied for and received a Widow's Pension.

2. Laura A. Clark Smith was born in 1858. She married Edward W. Smith on 21 Jan 1878 in Hempstead Co, Arkansas. She and her husband lived in Hempstead Co, Arkansas. She died 9 July 1935; both Edward and Laura are buried in Presbyterian Cemetery, Hempstead Co, Arkansas. Edward was also a Confederate pensioner in Hempstead Co, Arkansas. After his death in 1915, Laura also received a Widow's Pension. There is a Hempstead Co death certificate issued for Laura A. Smith, died 9 July 1935. There is also an invoice of burial expenses in Hope, Arkansas, for Laura A. Smith with a relative named Luther. The date of death is not mentioned, but she was embalmed 10 July 1935. Since Laura Clark Smith had a son named Luther (and Laura Bittick Smith did not have relatives named Luther), this invoice must be for her. Which means the Hempstead Co death certificate with a date of death of 9 July 1935, must also be for Laura Clark Smith.

The similarities between these two Laura A. Smiths [both born within 3 years of each other, both married and lived in Hempstead Co, Arkansas, both had husbands who were Confederate pensioners in Hempstead Co, both died within a year of each other], has caused confusion among researchers. Adding to the confusion is Laura Bittick Smith's headstone which lists her date of birth as 20 April 1854, rather than 20 April 1861. Plus for some reason (possibly misfiling of records), two pages of Laura Clark Smith's pension file are included in Charles K./Laura Bittick Smith's pension file. However, a comparison of the census records makes it clear that Laura Clark Smith stayed in Hempstead Co, but Laura Bittick Smith was living with her daughter in Miller Co, Arkansas by 1930 and probably died and is buried in that county.

We have been unable to locate Laura Bittick Smith in 1920. If anyone knows where she was living in 1920, please let us know. It would also be helpful to locate obituaries for one or both of these Laura Smiths and to see the pension files for Edward W. Smith and Laura Clark Smith. We would be most grateful if anyone has access to these items and would like to share the information.

Laura Ann Bittick Smith	Laura A. Clark Smith
Laura Ann Bittick married Charles K. Smith 02 August 1874 in Ozan Township, Hempstead Co, Arkansas	Laura A. Clark married Edward W. Smith 21 Jan 1878 Hempstead Co, Arkansas
1870 unable to locate Charles K. Smith 1870 Beat 4, Jefferson PO, Marion Co, Texas 04 October 1870, p390b: #317/336 Davis Eli B. 24 m w farmer Tn - can't read/write Mary 27 f w Tn Laura A. 10 f w Ar - can't read [Laura Ann Bittick c1860] Mary E. 3 f w Tx	1870 Ozan Township, Hempstead Co, Arkansas 23 June 1870, p415a: #322/322 Smith E. W. 32 m w farmer $5,000/1,500 Va - citizen Thomas C. 29 m w $5,000/1,500 Ar - citizen Son? William 28 m w laborer Ireland, father & mother foreign born, citizen 1870 Ozan Township, Hempstead Co, Arkansas 24 June 1870, p416b: #344/344 Clark Anthony 53 m w farmer $300/350 Ar - citizen Martha 48 f w keeping house Tn John 17 m w farm laborer Ar Laura 12 f w at home Ar [Anthony Clark - aka - Christopher Anthony Clark, b. 09 Apr 1816 Ar, d. 25 Dec 1879 Ar, son of Benjamin Clark and Hulda C. Anthony; md Martha Mitchell White, b. 01 Dec 1822 Tn, d. 03 Jun 1894 Ar, dau of John White and Martha C. Mitchell. Marriage record not found. They had: John Stuart Clark, b. 15 Dec 1853 Ar; S. N. Clark c1855 Ar; Laura A. Clark b. 28 Aug 1858 Ar]
1880 Garland Township, Hempstead Co, Arkansas 07 June 1880, ed107, p389a: #4/5 Smith Chas. w m 26 md laborer, can't write Ar Tn Tn Laura w f 18 wife md keeping house, can't write Ar Tn Tn Mary J. w f 3 dau single Ar Ar Ar Wm. C. w m 3/12 son single Ar Ar Ar	1880 Ozan Township, Hempstead Co, Arkansas 03 June 1880, ed112, p490b: #45/53 Smith Edward W. W m 41 md, farmer Va Va Va Laura w f 22 wife keeps house Ar Ar Tn William w m 2/12 b. March son single Ar Va Ar
1900 Garland Township, Hempstead Co, Arkansas 07 June 1900, ed45, p18b: #106/112 Smith Charles K. head w m Oct 1844 55 md 25yrs farmer Ar Tn Tn Laura A. wife w f Apr 1861 39 md 25 yrs 8 born/5 living Ar Tn Tn Wm. C. son w m Jan 1880 20 single farm laborer Ar Ar Ar John W. son w m July 1883 16 single farm laborer Ar Ar Ar Eli F. son w m Nov 1893 6 single Ar Ar Ar Lee G. dau w f Jul 1896 4 single Ar Ar Ar Annie C. dau w f Dec 1898 1 single Ar Ar Ar	1900 Ozan Township, Hempstead Co, Arkansas 24 June 1900, ed50, p275b: #286/286 Smith Ed W head w m Dec 1838 61 md 22 yrs, farmer Va Va Va Laura wife w f Aug 1857 42 md 22 yrs 3 born/1 living Ar Ar Tn Luther son w m Feb 1883 17 single Ar Va Ar Clark May niece w f Apr 1888 11 single Ar Ar Ar Smith Thomas C. Jr brother w m Jan 1841 59 single Ar Va Va
Charles K. Smith died 02 April 1902 in De Ann, Hempstead Co, Arkansas
1910 Garland Township, Hempstead Co, Arkansas 30 April 1910, ed78, p128b: #126/127 Smith John W. head m w 25 single Ar Ar Ar Laura mother f w 48 widow 8 born/5 living Ar Ar Ar Frank brother m w 17 single Ar Ar Ar Girtie sister f w 14 single Ar Ar Ar Annie sister f w 12 single Ar Ar Ar	1910 Ozan Township, Hempstead Co, Arkansas 04 May 1910, ed83, p209b: #84/88 Smith Ned [Ed] head m w 71 md1 31 yrs, farmer Va Va Va Laura wife f w 51 md1 31 yrs 3 born/1 living Ar Ar Tn Luther son m w 21 single Ar Va Ar [E. W. Smith died 27 Apr 1915 Hempstead Co, Arkansas]
	Arkansas Death Index: E. W. Smith d. 27 Apr 1915 Hempstead Co, Arkansas Buried: Old Washington Cemetery, AKA Presbyterian Cemetery, Hempstead Co, Arkansas: E. W. Smith [www.findagrave.com] b. Dec 28, 11838 d. Apr 27, 1915
1920 - unable to locate; not with William, John, Frank, or Gertie. Unable to locate Anna.	1920 Ozan Township, Washington Town, Hempstead Co, Arkansas 10 Jan 1920, ed103, p44a: #39/40 Smith Luther head owns free m w 37 md, cotton buyer Ar Va At Lucia wife m [f] w 27 md Ar Ar Ar Laura mother f w 61 widow Ar Ar Tn Jones Edna cousin f w 10 single Ar Ky Ar Smith Lulu sister-in-law f w 27 single Ar Ar Ar
1930 Beech Township, Miller Co, Arkansas 3 April 1930, ed46-2, p5a: #2/2 Vann Kay P. head m w 38 md@20 farmer, rents farm Ar Al Al Girtie wife f w 37 md@19 Ar Ar Ar Leroy son m w 16 single, laborer, farm Ar Ar Ar Emma dau f w 13 single Ar Ar Ar Maryland son [dau] m w 8 single Ar Ar Ar Margie dau f w 5 single Ar Ar Ar Billie E. son m w 2 10/12 single Ar Ar Ar Smith Laura A. mother-in-law f 69 widow Ar Ar Ar [13 Feb 1932 Laura states in her pension record that she is living with her daughter, Gertie Vann in Fouke, [Miller Co] Arkansas]	1930 Ozan Township, Washington Town, 03 Apr 1930, ed29-17, p200a: #54/54 Smith Edward L. head m w 46 md@29, buyer, cotton Ar Va Ar Lucia wife f w 37 md@16 Ar Ar Ar Laura mother f w 71 widow md@20 Ar Ar Ar Jones Edna cousin f w 20 single Ar Ky Ar
Bowden Funeral Home Records - Bowie Co, Texas and Miller Co, Arkansas: Mrs. Laura Smith d. 03 April 1936, age 78 [c1858] home: Fouke, [Miller Co], Arkansas buried: Sylverino Cemetery, Highway 71 South, between Texarkana and Fouke, Arkansas Arkansas Death Index: Leird [Laura?] Smith d. 03 Apr 1936 Miller County Roll No. 19361940; Page No. 3178 Buried: Sylverino Cemetery, Miller Co, Arkansas: Laura Ann Smith b. 4/20/1854 [differs from census records & Laura's Widow's Pension records which lists 20 April 1861] d. 4/3/1936* [03 Apr 1936] photo of tombstone	Buried: Old Washington Cemetery, AKA Presbyterian Cemetery, Hempstead Co, Arkansas: Laura Clark Smith 1858 - 1935 www.findagrave.com [Her husband E. W. Smith is also buried in this cemetery] Note: no Smith who died in June or July 1935 has been found in the Hempstead Co, Arkansas death index
	Hempstead Co, Arkansas death certificate for Laura A. Smith, died 9 July 1935
	Burial expenses for "Mrs. Laura Smith Est/Luther"; Hope, Arkansas; relative named Luther; Laura embalmed 10 July 1935