"Lydia" Ann Smith
"Lydia" Ann Smith was born more than 184 years ago in the Peach State of Georgia on April 22nd, 1836 to her Father George Washington Smith and Mother Caroline O'Neal .
** Interesting events that occurred around the World during "Lydia" Liddia's birth year of 1836 included.
• On January 5th, 1836 Davy Crockett arrives in Nacogdoches, Texas, to aid the revolution.
• On February 23rd, 1836 the Battle of the Alamo begins, with an American settler army surrounded by the Mexican Army, under Santa Anna. The historic conflict ends on March 6th when182 Texan settler soldiers including Davy Crockett die in a struggle with approximately 5,000 Mexican soldiers.
• On June 15th, 1836 Arkansas is admitted as the 25th state in the Union.
• On September 5th, 1836 Sam Houston is elected as the first President of the Republic of Texas.
• On October 2nd, 1836 after 5 years at sea, Charles Darwin returns to England aboard the HMS Beagle
• On December 7th, 1836 Martin Van Buren defeats William Henry Harrison, and three other Whig candidates to become the 8th ever President of the United States.
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Lydia was the fourth of eight children born to her Mother and Father. Chronologically her elder siblings were Rebecca, Baxter, and William Smith. Her younger Sisters and Brother were Caroline, George, Mary Ann, and Phoebe.
Smith Patriarch, George Washington supports his family as a wheel right ( A wheelwright was a craftsman who builds or repairs wooden wheels ) and later in the field of farming.
Sometime between 1842 when Lydia's Brother, George is born and 1845 when her Sister Mary Ann enters the World, the Smith family relocate to Florida which officially became the 27th state in the Union on March 3rd, 1845.
At the age of 16, Lydia marries Gabriel Jackson McClelland on March 17th, 1853 with whom she would have a single Son by the name of George Washington McClelland. Sadly, her Husband would pass away in 1857 at the age of 31.
Nearly 3 years later she is joined in matrimony for a second time when Lydia weds widower Allen Dickerson Douglas a decorated Veteran of both the Second and Third Seminole Wars @ Hillsborough County, Florida on January 12th, 1860.
Together the couple go on to have 9 children during the course of their marriage. They would lose their only Son Allen who passes away at the age of two but welcome Daughters Martha, Caroline, Lydia, Mary Elizabeth, Frances, Emily, Texas Roseann , and Melissa.
Douglas Patriarch, Alan Dickerson supports his family in the field of farming for the entirety of his life.
In 1863 during the American Civil War, Allen enlists with the 1st Battalion Florida Special Cavalry, Company B. This unit was part of Colonel Charles James Munnerlyn's "Cow Cavalry"... It was organized to protect herds of cattle from Union Army raiders.The hides and meat from Florida cattle were a critical supply item for the Confederacy...
** Allen Douglas younger Brother Robert was killed on August 15th, 1862 in Knoxville, Tennessee while serving with the Confederate States Army.
Lydia "Liddia" would lose her Mother Caroline in and around the year 1870 and her Father George shortly thereafter..
** Lydia's Husband Allen's love of wearing three-piece suits has been something noted throughout his life and was passed down through the generations by his surviving descendants. He was even said to farm crops while dressed in a full three-piece suit.
For reasons we know not this evenings distinguished honoree, Lydia "Liddia" Ann would lose her life on Saturday June 15th, 1901. She was sixty five.
** Her Husband Allen would go on to live beyond his 100th birthday and was considered the oldest man in the state. That said, there is evidence that he exaggerated how old he actually was as time went by. Florida Census records from 1880 indicate that he was 65 years old and in the census from 1900 it very specifically states that he was born in January of 1814 and was 86 years old at the time thid Census record was taken. These records remain consistent over time.
** The story of Mr Douglas final day of living which took place on June 19th,1919 was passed down through several generations and is one of family lore... Allen Dickerson was known to have a pet goat which was his constant companion... On this Summer afternoon his goat, which was attached to a rope had wrapped himself around Allen several times, possibly while Allen was peacefully napping. Allen, alone at the time was unable to free himself once he realized his unfortunate dilemma passed away while tied to the chair beside his beloved Billy goat.
** Newspaper recollections recall that he was 113 years old when he died but if we track his age through previous Census records he was actually 105.
Lydia "Liddia" Ann Smith McClelland Douglas... Beloved Wife, Mother, pioneer.