John Smiley (1822–1879)

Rev. John Smiley

2 Oct 1822 – 18 Sep 1879, born at Somerset County, died at Smithville

Christopher’s 3rd great-grandfather · ancestor no. 50 · generation 6
Evidence: identity documented · link to parents documented

Family

• Parents: Nathan Smiley (1797–1872) and Anna Stutzman (fl. 1822)
• Spouse: Mary Conrad (1825–1912)
• Family notes: John Smiley + Mary Conrad (m. 1846)
• Children in this vault: Rebecca Smiley (1856–1932)

Life and evidence

Son of Nathan and Anna Smiley (his obituary). Born Somerset County, Pa.; moved with his parents to Elkhart County, Indiana, 1842; joined the Amish Mennonite Church in Mifflin County 1845; married Mary Conrad of Wayne County, 15 Jan 1846; ordained minister 1849; lived near Goshen from 1847; moved near Smithville in the fall of 1866 and was a leading Oak Grove minister until 1878. Died suddenly of apparent heart failure while threshing grain on his farm, 18 Sept 1879.

He had seven/eight daughters and no surviving sons, so the Smiley name died out among the Amish (Luthy).

Where they lived

• 1822 — Somerset County
• 1842 — Goshen (Indiana)
• 1866 — Smithville

In their lifetime

• 1833 — 1833 First Swiss Mennonite settler in Putnam County, Ohio
• 1835 — 1835 The Ramseyers sail on the Richmond
• 1852 — 1852 Swiss Mennonites found Berne, Indiana
• 1869 — 1869 The Fieguths move from Prussia to Am Trakt
• 1874 — 1874 Military service ends the exemptions

Pedigree

%%{init: {"flowchart": {"useMaxWidth": true}}}%%
flowchart RL
  n63931845["Nathan Smiley (1797–1872)"]
  n57993883["John Smiley (1822–1879)"]
  n32215555["Anna Stutzman (fl. 1822)"]
  n57993883 --> n63931845
  n57993883 --> n32215555
  class n63931845,n57993883,n32215555 internal-link;

Sources

• Find a Grave
• Illustrated family tree (Ramseyer, July 1986)
• GAMEO
• Herald of Truth obituary (Nov 1879) via Find a Grave 137805640
• GAMEO: Oak Grove Mennonite Church

Narratives and research

• Stories: Nathan Smiley - the Irish orphan
• History: 1833 First Swiss Mennonite settler in Putnam County, Ohio, 1835 The Ramseyers sail on the Richmond, 1852 Swiss Mennonites found Berne, Indiana, 1869 The Fieguths move from Prussia to Am Trakt, 1874 Military service ends the exemptions, Faith traditions
• Congregations: Oak Grove Mennonite Church
• Sources: Find a Grave, GAMEO, Illustrated family tree (Ramseyer, July 1986)

Research log

• 2026-11-01: Forks Mennonite Church history (1957): ‘John Smiley (Schmeily in German)’, born Somerset Co. 2 Oct 1822, preacher of the Clinton congregation from 1849; trustee in the 1863 Elkhart deed (Deed Book 31 p. 557). MHB 2006 cover note: grandfather Irish, grandmother English, father reared by John Troyer

Record compiled 31 October 2026.

About this research

Supporting documentation is linked throughout. This project is an exercise in AI-assisted research and development, and I haven’t manually verified every link or conclusion. All transcriptions and translations of Swiss parish records were made with AI, and their accuracy should be treated accordingly.