It was always fun to go to Smithfield (map; see also Smithfield) to the home of my grandparents. I felt that they loved me and was happy for me to come. I am so grateful for the feeling of security they gave me in my childhood.
They had a round iron fence in front of their small home which we would twirl around and do acrobatic stunts on. I wore many a dress fronts out on this iron rod, and thought it was the greatest sport ever.
Grandma always had pastries in her cookie jar for us and Grandpa always had a nickle for us. He would take us up to the bakery about a couple of blocks away where we could buy our own buns. This was a real treat. In Banida (map; see also Dunnville), we didn't have a bakery and here we had so many choices of beautiful pastries it was hard to decide which one to take. As we got a little older we could run to the bakery ourselves and we thought we were real grown up.
I don't remember their farm house, I just remember the little house in the town of Smithfield, and the beautiful raspberry patch and garden they always had. Grandpa could raise anything. They always saved squash seeds, apricot stones, black walnuts; etc, that we would set on the west steps just off from the kitchen, and would entertain ourselves cracking and eating the delicious meats inside them.
Grandma and Grandpa had the neatest bed in their front room. They could pull it right out of the north wall, and when it was not in use push it back up out of the way. They had to make use of every bit of their home as it was small. I just remember it was a very special place to go.
After Grandpa died Grandma came and stayed a little while with us, which was so special to me. She would sit with me and let me read to her for as long as I wanted to. I remember I was reading quite a big book about a mouse family. Grandma made this one of my most favorite books. She must have had a lot of patience.
My dad, Jed Miles (cemetery marker; biography), has told us how welcome "Papa" as he affectionately called Grandpa, always made them feel as they brought their family to visit. He always furnished the choicest hay and barn space for his horses. Is it any wonder that their place was where we always stayed?
Mother loved her family so much. She instilled in us a love for each one of them. We all feel very close to mom's family.
As you can see by the picture of Grandma Smith, she was beautiful, a short darkhaired and dark brown eyed girl, and such a quiet loving disposition. Is it any wonder Grandpa fell in love with her, and wanted her for his very own at the early ages of 18 and 15? Even though the church leaders really preached plural marriage and told the men it was their duty to have more than one wife, Grandpa could only have room in his heart for his little Sarah which he always treated with much love and respect. They really lived a beautiful example for each of us to follow.
I'll always remember what sad days it was for us when we heard of the death of our grandparents. They were special people. We can all be proud of our heritage. I hope we will live so they will be proud of us.
(Joseph Smith's cemetery marker; Sarah Owens Smith's cemetery marker)