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 1859 - 1939 (79 years)
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| Name |
Mary Jane Smith |
| Born |
31 Mar 1859 |
Pittsylvania County, Virginia  |
| Gender |
Female |
| Died |
3 Mar 1939 |
Moneola, Pittsylvania Co., Virginia |
| Person ID |
I12841 |
Devin Timber |
| Last Modified |
27 Oct 2011 |
| Father |
William M. Smith, b. 2 Sep 1818, Pittsylvania County, Virginia , d. 2 Aug 1896, Pittsylvania County, Virginia (Age 77 years) |
| Mother |
Rebecca Hodnett, b. 28 Sep 1832, Pittsylvania County, Virginia , d. 11 Jul 1904, Pittsylvania County, Virginia (Age 71 years) |
| Family ID |
F3987 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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| Sources |
- [S67727] Mary Frances Reynolds Eggleston.
Mary Jane Smith, born March 31, 1859, at Tomahawk, Virginia in Pittsylvania County, was the daughter of William M. Smith (born at
Tomahawk, Virginia Sept. 2, 1818 where he also died on August 2, 1896) and his wife, Rebecca Hodnett who was born September 28, 1832, near
Whittles, Virginia; married February 18, 1856; and died July 11, 1904). Mary Jane was taught by a governess for many years as were her brothers and sisters as there were no schools near by in those days. She later attended Roanoke Female College in Danville, Virginia which is now known as Averett College. As a young girl she enjoyed horseback riding and had her own side-saddle for riding as there were no cars in those days. On Sunday the family rode in a very fine carriage drawn by several horses and attended Greenpond Baptist Church. In those days they had many parties so that friends and relatives could get together - such as quilting parties, candy-pulling, corn shuckings, apple peelings and dancing. The men in the community would play string instruments such as the violin, guitar, banjo and often the mouth harp for the folk to round or square dance, and sometimes do the Virginia Reel. There was always a man to call the figures for the set. This was enjoyed by the old as well as the young. Often when they attended these parties many people spent the night as they did not live close together as we do today. After using all of the beds, pallets were made on the floors for the ladies and frequently the men went to the stables and slept in the hay. In those days associations were held at various churches where very large amounts of delicious foods were carried and served on every long table built out of doors so that the people from towns and adjoining communities could come to attend the services and partake of the food. Many living too far away to go home would spend several days with someone living close by in order to attend the three day services at the church. Large amounts of food had to be prepared at home also as sometimes there would be as many as one hundred people spending the night at one home though this large number didn't do this too often. People in those days raised their animals to kill for meat, canned enormous amounts of food, sulfured apples and pears for cooking, put Irish potatoes, cabbage, beets and perhaps other vegetables in kilns to be used during the winter months so they always had plenty of good food. Mary Jane was probably the belle of the community and had many suitors but her cousin, Dr. John Carlisle Anderson of Mineola, Virginia seemed to always be her preference of all the young men. They were married at Mineola on the third day of July 1879 and made their home there where her husband practiced medicine, operated a store with hired clerks and managed the farm. To this union were born eight children whose names appear on the sheet contained in Family Bible Records. Mary Jane was a faithful, devout member of Greenpond Baptist Church where she took an active part in all activities of the church as long as she was able to attend. She was an excellent cook but hired someone to do most of her cooking. She boarded teachers and some pupils who attended Tomahawk Grade School. Each day baskets of hot, delicious food was carried to the school at lunch time for them and her own children. Often you would find her reading a book or playing solitaire in her latter years for amusement. After the death of her husband, her granddaughter, Catherine Anderson, daughter of Frank Searing Anderson and Jessie Earl Martin
lived with her. Daisy Bowen also lived with them. She passed away the third day of March 1939 at Mineola, Virginia and was buried in the cemetery at Greenpond Baptist Church.
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