Bertha A. Smith

From the Record

Her family lived on Drift Run. After John Amos Maddox's death she lived in the old house with Holly A. Maddox, his wife Lucille and Harry Odell Maddox, then in a new house built between the old house and U.S. Route 21 on the same tract, where she died. Her funeral was held at the Drift Run Methodist Church by Rev. Gene Eaton.

The source names a father, Bernard Smith, and a mother, Mary (Markle) Smith — not yet part of the connected tree.

From the Family Manuscript

• Hannah gave birth to nine children, she lost a child (John L. Maddox) in 1900 and (Ada B. Maddox) in 1903. Both of these children died as infants. Hannah gave birth to Marie Maddox on the 14th of April 1905 and Hannah died less than a month later. At that point, Bertha A. Smith was brought in to nurse and take care of Marie. Bertha had just given birth to a child and she took care of her child and Marie. Hannah was buried in the Drift Run Cemetery, Jackson County, West Virginia.

  Maddox Family History, transcript line 1926.

• On the 18th of June 1907/1908, John Amos Maddox 8 and Bertha A. Smith were married in Jackson County, West Virginia. The children that followed were Holly A. Maddox and Cella Vesta Maddox.

  Maddox Family History, transcript line 1928.

• Bertha Smith was born in Jackson County, West Virginia on 5 August 1887, a daughter of Bernard and Mary (Markle) Smith, they lived on Drift Run. After the death of her husband, John Amos Maddox 8, she lived in the old house along with Holly A. Maddox9, his wife Lucille (Angus) Maddox and Harry Odell Maddox9. Some time later, a new house was built between the old house and U. S. Route 21, on the same tract of land and the above moved into the new house. On 25 February 1973, Bertha A. (Smith) Maddox died in the newer house. Her funeral was held at the Drift Run Methodist Church, by Rev. Gene Eaton and she was laid to rest in the Drift Run Cemetery, Jackson County, West Virginia, buried next to her husband, John Amos Maddox and his first wife, Hannah Jane “Sis” (Conger) Maddox.

  Maddox Family History, transcript line 1937.

• The second wife of John Amos Maddox, Bertha A. Smith had a son before her marriage to John Amos Maddox. This child was Hershel J. Smith, born 13 April 1905 in Wirt County, West Virginia. Hershel was married 3 January 1927 in Wood County, West Virginia to June Bailey, born 1910. Hershel died in Wood County, West Virginia in 1968 and Hershel and his wife are buried in the IOOF Cemetery, Parkersburg, West Virginia. Located in the Jackson County, West Virginia records was a birth certificate on Hershel J. Maddox, born 13 April 1905. Now, one can not be born on the same day in two different counties. It appears that somebody filed a birth certificate in Jackson County, West Virginia. Hershel took and used the Maddox name and he was buried as Hershel J. Maddox. His social security number was issued under Hershel J. Maddox. No court records were located to show he was adopted by John Amos Maddox. The natural father of Hershel is not known.

  Maddox Family History Charts, transcript line 4591.