Nancy Bryan was born about 1826 (assumed), and died about 1890. She is supposed to have been buried in the cemetery at Dawson, Pa., the village where she lived during the greater part of her life, and two daughters still live in the family home. If her grave is marked with a stone, the inscription on it would likely give facts that are missing here.

Nancy Bryan met and married one John R. Smith of Dawson, Pa. No information is present to account for his date of marriage or his occupation or his date of death or his place of burial. But as far as the writer may assume from memory, John R. was employed by a local railroad company in or near its shops not far from Dawson, Pa. His sons, all of them or at least several, followed the railroad business with their father. He is supposed to have died about the year 1880, for the writer met him along in the seventies. This must be the 1870's, I presume he is buried in the Dawson Cemetery.

LDS Research: John R. Smith was born 25 Apr 1820 in Rockland, Venango, Pa. He is the son of Daniel SMITH and Ann Maria LUSHER of Rockland, Pa. John was married before to Nancy HUGHES 24 Mar 1842. John R. Smith died 22 Sep 1891.

To this union were born nine children, namely: Emma, James, Elizabeth, Homer, Margaret, Anna, Elmer, Walter, and Edna. They are taken up separately in their order.

Emma Smith, daughter of Nancy, married one Albert Wetherell, a retail shoe merchant of Connellsville, Pa. Emma was gifted in music, both voice and instrumental, and she followed career for many years, teaching the young the piano and singing. No information has been received as to her or her husband's death and place of burial, but it (place) is supposed to have been Connellsville Pa. The gravestones at Connellsville or at Dawson would give the data. Their union was blessed with two boys, Paul and Ray.

Emma J. Smith married Albert Wetherell on 06 JAN 1886 , Beaver, Pennsylvania. Source: LDS

Paul Wetherell married one Alice Courtney of Connellsville, Pa. Their street residence is not given. It is said that they had one daughter name Jane. Great Aunt Jane Bryan Seiler said that either Jane, or her mother Alice was a nurse. She remembers Jane as having red hair, and being a very active girl. She said she was always "bouncing around".There doubtless were other children.

Ray Wetherell married one Miss Sheets and had one girl child who died young. The last time I say Ray in Pittsburgh, Pa., where he is employed by the Pullman Car Company, he told me that he had recently lost his baby girl and that it was an experience hard to bear. His present business address is the Colonial Trust Company, Pittsburgh, Pa.

James "Jim" Smith son of Nancy, married Anna Parker of Dawson Pa. James followed the railroad business for the greater part of his life. In later years being an engineer on the B & O. The B & O main lines run thrum Dawson. James died some time about the year 1928 or Thrombosis. He left a wife and two children surviving, daughter Nettie and son Howard. Howard married Miss Jean Galleger and probably had issue by her. Nettie never married, and she and her mother live together in their home at Dawson.

The family is buried in Cochran cemetary between Scotdale and Dawson. The stones state: Jim Smith (1860-1929), Anna Parker Smith (1863-1957), Nettie Smith(1889-1984), Howard Smith(1895-1971), Jean Galleger Smith(1895-1968)

Nelson's Biographical Dictionary and Historical Reference Book of Fayette County Pennsylvania, Vol. III p. 1002
"JAMES ARTHUR SMITH, a careful and experienced locomotive engineer o Dawson, is a son of John R. and Nancy (Bryan) Cmith, and was born at East Liberty, Pennsylvania, March 15, 1860. He received his education in the East Liberty public schools, worked two years in a brickyard, and spent the next four years, from 1880 to 1884, in various kinds of work. He then entered the machine shops of the Pennsylvania and Lake Erie Railroad Company, and in July, of 1884, became a fireman on their road. Her served four years as fireman, and September 5, 1888, was promoted to engineer, and in that capacity has served faithfully and acceptably ever since. On August 15, 1888, Mr. Smith married Anna McBride Porter, a daughter of John Porter, of Perryopolis, and their union has been blessed with two children: Nettie Porter, born July 13, 1889, and Howard Ransom, born January 3, 1895. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Methodist Eposcopal church and Mr. Smith is a respected citizen of Dawson. Mr. Smith removed in 1888 to Dawson, where he built his present fine residence in 1891. He is a Democrat in politics and member o the Royal Arcanum and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers."

Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Nancy, never married. In 1939 she was living with her younger sister in the family home at Dawson. At that time her health was not good. No work has been received from the other sister as to whether Margaret has recovered her health.

Anna Smith, daughter of Nancy, married one Colonel (Christian name) E. Broyer. For years Anna owned and operated a millinery store in Dawson and Colonel worked as a tower-man or dispatcher for the B. & O. R.R., and they lived well and happily in a small- town-way. Their family consisted of two boys, Guy and Roy. There is no information that Guy married, but he may have taken unto himself a wife. But it is said thatRoy married Anna James and was the father by her of one child who died young. There may have been further issue. It is presumed that Anna and Colonel are buried in the Dawson cemetery. The Colonel may have been buried elsewhere.

Great Aunt Jane Bryan Seiler said that Anna Broyer owned a big apartment building in Connelsville. She would invite Jane and her Parents for Sunday dinner.

Walter Smith, son of Nancy, married Miss Elizabeth Newcomer, daughter of a well known family of Dawson, Pa., section.

There is a marriage recorded in Fayette County, PA on 5 Oct 1903, between Elizabeth E. Newcomer and Walter S. Smith, book 33. Researched 3/3/98 See Fayette Marriages.

Further Research: Elizabeth Newcomer who married Walter Smith was elder sister of my husband's paternal grandmother, Ella Newcomer (1879-1976) who mar. Olford Frank Ruse. Elizabeth Edna Newcomer born 6 June 1876 Lower Tyrone Twp,Fayette Co., PA; d. there 22 March 1956; d/o Albert G. Newcomer & Catherine Null. She mar 14 Oct 1903 in Connellsville,PA to Walter Schriver Smith, b. 15 April 1869 Vanderbilt,PA; d. 20 April 1948 Dawson,PA, s/o John R. Smith & Nancy Goodge Bryan. Their children: 1. Katherine Smith, b. 1904 mar. James W. Kennedy (I corresponded for some years with Katherine, but haven't heard from her in the past two years - she may be deceased.) 2 - Glen Albert Smith, b. 8 Jan 1908; mar. Rose Obweiser. No issue 3 - Ruth Bryan Smith, b. 1911; d. 1981; mar. John H. Cochran 4 - Edward L. Smith b. 23 Dec 1912; died unmarried - killed during World War II --Submitted by Joan Ruse 3/6/98

In 1998, I found the grave of Edward Smith (1912 - 1972 M/Sgt. 95th Aircraft Sq. WWII, 8 Korean) I believe it is the same Edward mentioned above. Walter also followed railroading, being car inspector and machinist at the local shops near Dawson. He has retired on age and is living on a small farm-like place near Dawson.

Children of this union are Glen and Elizabeth , still in their teens or early twenties. They may be unmarried , but a picture says "Katherine Smith, boy and girl, Ruth", which I can't place.

Elmer Smith, son of Nancy and probably elder than Walter married Miss Margaret Hopkins. Not much is known of Elmer's vocations, but it is said that he is taking life easy in his old days and is still in business in Wilkinsburg, Pa., street address being 415 Pitt Street.

There is one son Myron,Jr. reported. How old Myron is or what he is doing or where he resides are not given. There may be other issue not reported. But another memorandum given Myron as having married one Helen Kincade, and to have been the father by her of a son Myron, Jr.

Edna Smith, daughter of Nancy, has never married. She lives with her sister Margaret in the family home at Dawson, Pa. Edna chose the work in salesmanship as her career, and was engaged in the retail shoe trade for many years, in Connellsville, Pa., and in Dawson. She has also engaged in the millinery with her sister Anna. She has never considered her age as a milestone for retirement. She must be in her early seventies, but one would take her to be just one of the girls in the store.