My Family Tree

"R D Smith" Clarissa , "W C Smith 5 yrs" living with "W W White" & Eve in 1850 Arkwright Census. Clarissa is Melvin M White's daughter. "W C Smith" = "Walter C Smith" is their oldest child. Note in 1840 Census Arkwright, looks more like "M M White". 3 older children (John, Abigail, & Henry) appear in the 2nd 1860 Census but not before or after.

Note family in 1860 US Census twice:
Home 13 Jun 1860: Chautauqua, Chautauqua, New York (Royal, Clarissa, and 4 youngest)
Home 30 Aug 1860: Stockton, Chautauqua, New York (same plus 3 new children: Henry, Abigail, and John Smith)
(Abigail and John Crandall in 1850 Cherry Creek match, but parents still there in 1860)
(John, Sally, Henry Smith in 1850 Stockton, but Sally and parents still there in 1860)
Home March 1865 Stockton Tax Assessment for "Stage Coach Receipts"
Home 1870: Stockton, Chautauqua, NY (just parents and 4 youngest again)
Home 1875: Stockton, NY ( Royal, Clarissa, Walter, and Ervin )
Home 1880: Stockton, NY (only Royal and Clarissa remain)
1892: (poor quality) NY State Census shows neither Royal or Clarissa in Stockton

Finding where these 3 Smith children (John, Abigail, and Henry) came from could solve our Smith Mystery!, but I can find no trace of them together in 1850, and way too many Henry and John Smith's subsequently to narrow the field. They might be children of the lost brother, Jesse.

Closest match is Christopher Smith's family in Stockton, NY in 1850:
Christopher Smith 57 NH
Polly (Randall) 42 VT
David 19
Lydia 15
Stickley 13
John 11
Sally 9
Henry 6
Royal 5 <---!
In Stockton, 1860:
Christopher M Smith 67 RI
Polly 58 VT
Sally 18 NY
Royal W 14 NY
In Stockton, 1870:
Christopher Smith 68 VT "father of foreign birth"
Polly 58 NY wah?
...and gone after that.
http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/person.aspx?pid=-2117410373&tid=158815 (says b. 10 Mar 1794 VT d. 1 Feb 1872 )
Christopher has large family in 1840 Stockton, NY.
Note: the Abigail Smith listed could be John Smith's wife, John s/o Christopher.

Royal D Smith's will of 14 Apr 1882 lists beneficiary Clarissa, and upon her death, son Irvin Augustus. Will witnessed by "Lucy S Perrigo" (a neighbor) and "Stukley E Smith" of Stockton - son of Christopher!