Henry Smith

     Henry was born on Wednesday, 21 June 1843 in Baden-Baden, Germany. He immigrated with his parents in 1844. The family settled in Tiffin Seneca County, Ohio. He enlisted in the Civil War in the 195th Regiment of the Ohio Infantry Company B, as a private. He was only seventeen years old. He was guarding outside Ford Theatre the night President Lincoln was assinated. 16 August 1870, Henry was listed on the U.S. Federal Census at Upper Sandusky, Crane Township, Wyandot County, Ohio. Enumerated in this household were John Ulrich [40 Boden - brickmaker], his family and laborers: Henry Smith [26 Baden], Anton Sitlerly [28 Baden].² Henry married Paulina Fredrica Meinzer, daughter of Charles Fredrich Meinzer and Katrina Hauger, on 23 November 1871 in Tiffin.³ He enlisted in the Civil War in the 195th Regiment of the Ohio Infantry Company B, as a private. He was only seventeen years old. He was guarding outside Ford Theatre the night President Lincoln was assinated.⁴ 7 June 1880, Henry and Paulina was listed on the U.S. Federal Census at Mifflin Township, Wyandot Coutny, Ohio. Enumerated in this household were Charles Minser [67 Baden, Baden & Baden - farming], Henry Smith [36 Baden - farming], Paulina Smith [28 Baden], Louisia Smith [8 Ohio], Bertha Smith [4 Ohio], Emma Smith [2 Ohio], Henry Minser [24 Baden], John Minser [16 Ohio], & Philip Minser [18 Ohio].⁵ Henry's wife, Paulina, died on 22 April 1885 in Upper Sandusky, Crane Township, Wyandot County, Ohio, leaving him a widower. 5 June 1900, Henry was listed on the U.S. Federal Census in Upper Sandusky, Crane Township, Wyandot County, Ohio, on 8th Street. Enumerated in this household were Henry Smith [55 Ohio, Germany & Germany - June 1844][widower], housekeeper: Bertha Laugerfreht [24 Ohio, Ohio & Ohio - July 1875], his children: Mary [16 Ohio - September 1883] & Carl P. [18 Ohio - September 1881], & Ed Laugerfreht [9/12 Ohio - October 1899]. Henry is a day laborer.⁶ 15 April 1910, the U.S. Federal Census listed Henry living in the home of his father at Upper Sandusky, Crane Township, Wyandot County, Ohio, at 366 Hagel Street. Enumerated in this household were Carl P. Smith [28 Ohio] Affa [26 Virginia] & his father, Henry [67 Germany]. Carl was a carpenter for the railroad. The couple had been married 6 years with no children born to them.⁷ Henry departed this life 19 April 1918 [Friday] in Upper Sandusky, Crane Township, Wyandot County, Ohio.

Obituary: Henry Smith - War Veteran Died Suddenly Friday Evening -- Henry Smith died very suddenly at the home of his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Carl P. Smith on West Bigelow street, where he resided, Friday evening at 7:30 o'clock. He had been suffering with neuralgia of the heart and was failing all winter. He was bedfast most of the time the past two weeks. He went into the rear yard of his home Friday evening, when he fell and expired before he could be carried into the residence.
Henry Smith was born in Germany June 21, 1843, and came with his parents to Tiffin in 1845. There his father and mother died later. Two brothers are also deceased . One member of his family, Mrs. Katherine Stumphly, of Ann Arbor, Mich., survives. He was married to Pauline Meincer, of Mifflin township fifty years ago. She has been deceased many years. There survive the loss of a kind father, five children, Carl P. Smith, of this city; Mrs. Louise Cordray, north of town; Mrs. Bertha Beery, of near Oceola; Mrs. Emma Witter and Mrs. Mary Dripps, at Marion. Mr. Smith came to Wyndot county in 1845, at the close of the civil war, in which he served three years. He resided in Upper Sandusky for many years and was a brickmaker by trade. Mr. Smith was a member of Robbins Post, Grand Army, and for years carried the flag of the Post whenever the veterans appeared in parade He was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran congregation and a fine man. Mr. Smith was possessed of a very jovial disposition and did not allow age to make him seem old. It is not generally known that Mr. Smith was one of the guards at the entrance of Ford's Theatre, Washington, the night President Lincoln was shot by Booth in that theatre. He participated in many of the big battles of the civil war, having volunteered at Tiffin, at the age of seventeen years. He was a member of the 195th Ohio regiment.
The funeral will be held Monday afternoon, at 1:30 o'clock at the house, and at 2 o'clock at St. Paul's Lutheran church, conducted by Rev. C. F. Betz. Interment in Old Mission cemetery.⁸

On 22 April 1918, Henry was buried at Old Mission Cemetery, Upper Sandusky, Crane Township, Wyandot County, Ohio.