Histories

Ruth Smith was born in Texas in 1836 to Nelson Smith and Dorcas Jones. Her parents arrived in the Mexican province of Coahuila y Tejas in March 1829 and swore the oath of allegiance to Mexico in December of same year, according to the Texas GLO Register of Families. Per State and Washington County land deeds, Nelson obtained title to a league of land in Washington County on 30 March 1831. Ruth's parents died in Texas before 1850 and she went to live with her maternal grandparents, Stephen T. Jones and Susannah Burnett, in Lavaca County by 1850. On 22 June 1852, Ruth married John Posey Longley in Austin County Shortly thereafter, they moved to Burleson County where they had twelve children. Ruth died in Burleson County sometime between 1874 and 1880. Ruth also had at least three siblings: Stephen born 1828, Lucinda born 1829, and Thomas born 1831. Stephen and Thomas were living in Washington County in 1850.

US Federal Census entries for Lavaca County (1850) and Burleson County (1860, 1870, 1880). Austin County marriage license.
Washington County Texas Deeds, Book M, pp. 576-578.
Death certificate for Ruth's oldest child Walter T. Longley, d. 18 Nov 1839 in Burleson County.