Maria Elizabeth Smith

Maria Elizabeth Bushman Smith was the daughter of John Bushman and Lois Angeline Smith Bushman, born December 17, 1869, in Lehi, Utah. She married Silas Derryfield Smith in 1888 as a polygamous wife. Silas was the second son of the nine children born to President Jesse Nathaniel Smith of the Eastern Arizona Stake and his first wife, Emma Seraphine West.

An exceptionally attractive relationship subsequently developed between the families of President Jesse Nathaniel Smith of Snowflake, Arizona, and Bishop John Bushman of St. Joseph, Arizona. In addition to Silas Derryfield Smith, two other sons of Jesse married other daughters of John Bushman, i.e., J. Walter Smith who married Lois Evelyn Bushman, and Hyrum Smith who married June Augusta Bushman.

Also Homer F. Bushman, John's elder son, married Jesse's daughter Sariah and another daughter, Anna, married Preston A. Bushman. When Anna later passed away after bearing four children, Preston married Daphne Decker, a granddaughter of J.N. Smith. Another granddaughter, Edith Smith, married Alonzo Bushman.

This exceptional interrelationship of families has fostered an excellent system of family reunions, newsletters and cooperatire genealogical research programs.

Maria Elizabeth Bushman Smith lived in Snowflake, Arizona, and Vernal, Utah, later moving to Provo, Utah, then to Salt Lake City, and then to Washington, D.C., where she was a prominent Mormon genealogist.

GEDCOM Note

Maria Elizabeth Bushman Smith about 1918 when living in Provo, UT Maria Elizabeth Bushman found on billion grave From John Bushman's Journal From John Bushman's Journal