Martha Elizabeth Belle Smith
Martha Elizabeth Belle Smith, always called Belle, was born on 25 May 1875 and lived her whole life in Washington County, Georgia. She was the daughter of Bennette B. Smith and Sallie King. Her brothers were R. Bennette Smith, later of Sandersville, and C. R. Smith of Bartow.
About 1893 she married Henry Lewis Josey, a planter near Bartow. They had nine children over twenty-five years, from Stella in 1894 to Harris in 1919. In 1913 Belle and Henry took the larger part in organizing the Josey Baptist Church, and she remained a member of it all her life.
Henry died in 1939. A photograph taken at Easter 1950 shows Belle at about seventy-four, standing among pine trees in a dark coat and headscarf, with a car of the period parked behind her.
Belle S. Josey died at nine o'clock on Saturday morning, 9 February 1952, at the hospital in Louisville, Georgia. She was 76. Her pastor, Rev. L. N. Hartsfield, conducted the funeral at New Bethel church on the Sunday afternoon, and she was buried beside Henry in the churchyard. Six nephews carried her: Cecil Page, Marvin Josey, Windom Josey Jr., Wade Smith, Jack Smith and Marvin Hartley. All nine of her children survived her, including Mrs. K. M. Smith of Bath, South Carolina.
Children
Sources
If Martha Elizabeth Belle Smith is in your family, start your own tree.
Cite: Heirology, "Martha Elizabeth Belle Smith (1875-1952)", https://heirology.com/ancestors/martha-elizabeth-belle-smith-1875-1952-17e6c8.