Austin Garland Smith was born in 1818 in Kentucky, according to the 1850 census for Van Buren Township, Newton County. He married Nancy Whiteley around 1839, because the couple were living together at War Eagle in Madison County, Arkansas, in 1840.
They had a son under the age of five. That child must not have lived to 1850, as they are not enumerated in the 1850 census, although six other children were.
It appears the family made a quick sojourn to Texas around 1842, but came back to Arkansas by 1844.
Nancy must have died sometime before 1860, as Austin and eleven of his children were living with Nancy’s parents, but she was not among them. Since their youngest child was 1 in the census, it is likely Nancy died about 1859, possibly in childbirth.
Barbara LeRoy is the author of “Which Side Were They On?,” a 302 page book listing biographical sketches of the Newton Countians who were involved in the Civil War, available for sale either in the Bradley House Museum or by purchasing online at www.newtoncountyar.com. The book sells for $33.