George H. Smith: Difference between revisions
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<i>"He drives a lame horse hitched to a wagon through the streets and the little boys hoot at him as he passes. He was always a harmless old fellow with a weakness for hard cider and beer. He begins every other sentence of his conversation with the words 'I'm an old soldier'"</i> | <i>"He drives a lame horse hitched to a wagon through the streets and the little boys hoot at him as he passes. He was always a harmless old fellow with a weakness for hard cider and beer. He begins every other sentence of his conversation with the words 'I'm an old soldier'"</i> | ||
As caretaker of the flatiron house, he was able to live rent free. Lizzie, who was going by Maggie Hopkins at this time, came to him and suggested that she be his housekeeper and cook in exchange for furnishing Maggie and her son with provisions and to live in the front part of the house. After just a few days Maggie began to urge Smith to marry her. He said he would have to think it over, that it was a very serious matter, and besides - she was married to Hi Parkerson. Maggie assured him that she was not married to Hiram, and went as far as to take an oath before attorney James White. Having done so, George agreed to marry her the same day. | |||
A record of their marriage was found in the Washington County Advertiser dated 23 Jun 1886. It read "At Middle Falls, George H. Smith and Mrs. Maggie Hopkins, by Justice Otis Tefft, June 6". George was noted as being a civil war veteran who was drawing a pension. She would abuse him regularly, throwing a flatiron at him on one occassion and threatening to kill him with shears. She eventually tried to poison his tea, hiding it with milk and sugar, but failed. He realized what she was doing and asked her "Are you trying to poison me, Maggie?!" She gave a yell of laughter and ran from the room. A neighbor called for the Doctor who saved him. Lizzie returned two days later, and he forgave her. | A record of their marriage was found in the Washington County Advertiser dated 23 Jun 1886. It read "At Middle Falls, George H. Smith and Mrs. Maggie Hopkins, by Justice Otis Tefft, June 6". George was noted as being a civil war veteran who was drawing a pension. She would abuse him regularly, throwing a flatiron at him on one occassion and threatening to kill him with shears. She eventually tried to poison his tea, hiding it with milk and sugar, but failed. He realized what she was doing and asked her "Are you trying to poison me, Maggie?!" She gave a yell of laughter and ran from the room. A neighbor called for the Doctor who saved him. Lizzie returned two days later, and he forgave her. | ||
Revision as of 23:19, 13 April 2024
Biographical Information
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| Name | George H. Smith | |
George H. Smith was the fourth husband of the infamous Lizzie Halliday. George had previously been a friend of Artemus Brewer, the second husband of Lizzie Halliday. Smith and Brewer were both pensioners of the Civil War. Art Brewer died in the arms of George Smith, according to an interview with Nelly Bly. About a year after Art Brewer's death, George Smith was living in the "flatiron house" on Church St in Greenwich, New York. He was described as being the butt of jokes in the town.
"He drives a lame horse hitched to a wagon through the streets and the little boys hoot at him as he passes. He was always a harmless old fellow with a weakness for hard cider and beer. He begins every other sentence of his conversation with the words 'I'm an old soldier'"
As caretaker of the flatiron house, he was able to live rent free. Lizzie, who was going by Maggie Hopkins at this time, came to him and suggested that she be his housekeeper and cook in exchange for furnishing Maggie and her son with provisions and to live in the front part of the house. After just a few days Maggie began to urge Smith to marry her. He said he would have to think it over, that it was a very serious matter, and besides - she was married to Hi Parkerson. Maggie assured him that she was not married to Hiram, and went as far as to take an oath before attorney James White. Having done so, George agreed to marry her the same day.
A record of their marriage was found in the Washington County Advertiser dated 23 Jun 1886. It read "At Middle Falls, George H. Smith and Mrs. Maggie Hopkins, by Justice Otis Tefft, June 6". George was noted as being a civil war veteran who was drawing a pension. She would abuse him regularly, throwing a flatiron at him on one occassion and threatening to kill him with shears. She eventually tried to poison his tea, hiding it with milk and sugar, but failed. He realized what she was doing and asked her "Are you trying to poison me, Maggie?!" She gave a yell of laughter and ran from the room. A neighbor called for the Doctor who saved him. Lizzie returned two days later, and he forgave her.