Ira F. (Fuller) Smith, retired farmer, LeClaire, was born in Washington Co., PA., on the 5th of December, 1804, son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Fuller) Smith. The family consisted of five sons and two daughters, three of whom are now living.
Mr. Smith was a farmer, which occupation he followed until his death in 1807. His mother again married, a Mr. Wolf, and three children were born. The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, his father dying when he was three years old, and was thrown among strangers, picking up a limited school education, and worked out as soon as he could dress himself, for his clothes and board, until he was old enough to work for wages, and then worked for seven to eight dollars per month; also cut cord-wood for 12 1/2 cents a cord.
In January, 1820, married Miss Nancy Huffman. She was born in Pennsylvania in 1809. by this union there wasa family of 12 children, 10 of whom lived to be adults, via: Martin, Peter, Elizabeth, John E., Nathan, Cynthia, Clarinda, George, Henrietta and ira F. In June, 1834, left his home in Pennsylvania, and with his wife and three children, started for the far West.
Having two brothers in Iowa, and giving a glowing account of the county, he concluded to come; coming by water via St. Louis, and landing in LeClaire, July 12, 1834, and located on Smith's Island, which was named after him, where he remained three years, then moved on the main shore where he has since resided.
Mr. Smith came to the county in very limited circumstances. He landed in St. Louis with but 50 cents in his pocket; he went to the captain of the steamer "Adventure", and told him his financial condition, and asked him to take him to Fuller (now Smith's Island) and land him. In return he gave him his note for $12, which he paid in steamboat wood.
His present prosperous circumstances are ample evidence of his industry and attention to business since his arrival here. Mrs. Smith died Arpil 13, 1876.

Ira F. (Fuller) Smith, retired farmer, LeClaire, was born in Washington Co., PA., on the 5th of December, 1804, son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Fuller) Smith. The family consisted of five sons and two daughters, three of whom are now living.


Summary of Roller and Smith Families:

Before the Roller family's origin in LeClaire can be clearly understood, we must go back to the year 1829 and prior years.
Two brothers, Martin Smith and his brother Nathan, left their home in Green County Pennsylvania, both of them about 16 and 18 years of age. Fabulous stories of untold wealth from lead mines in Galena lured them to travel on foot to Galena to seek their fortune. Most of their journey from Pennsylvania was through unbroken wilderness.
These two brothers arrived in Galena with the clothes on their back, one rifle and a knife. Galena was not what they expected to find. They worked at hard labor in open pit mines for long hours and low wages. But they stayed and worked for several months, saved some money and traveled to Dubuque's where lead mines were being developed.
Martin and Nathan were not satisfied with the conditions in Dubuque, with no hope of anything better than hard labor and low wages. They traveled down river to a settlement which is now LeClaire.
Some local historians have written that Nathan and Martin were in this area prior to 1829. Some say as early as 1823. The information I have is based on what I remember of hearing Great Grandmother Harriet Conroe Smith & Grandmother Hannah Smith Roller, the wife and daughter of Ira F. Smith the 2nd relate many years ago.
Sisters of Grandmother Hannah Smith Roller namely; Rodella Smith Miller, Jennie Smith Willits. Great Aunts of mine and my brother and sisters gave the same version.
Martin Smith settled on the island down river from LeClaire, which is still known as Smith's Island. A few steamboats were navigating the river at that time; coal mining was not yet developed in this vicinity. The steamboats depended on wood to generate steam, sources of ready cut wood were few, on this part of the river. Martin and Nathan cut and sold cord wood for unbelievable profit at that time. Their life style and living conditions were similar to the Sauk and Fox Indians who were still living in this area. They were on good terms with the local Indians.
Nathan married an Indian and left this area with his Indian wives people. To my knowledge there isn't any record of him after leaving here.
Sometime during this period Martin married. The only children I have heard mentioned were two sons namely Martin 2nd and Fuller. There may be other children.
In 1832 Martin had saved enough money to buy passage on a down river steamboat to the mouth of the Ohio River and returned to Greene County, Pennsylvania. The only family I have ever heard of when he returned were two brothers, Ira F. Smith and Eli Smith.
Ira Smith with his wife Nancy and children came to LeClaire and lived for a time on the Island. Two of these children should now be brought to our attention. These two brothers sons of Nancy and Ira Smith were Ira F. Smith the 2nd and Eli.
These two brothers have an important role in the Roller family origin in Scott County.
Martin had established himself long enough on this island to be the legal owner. He had salvaged lumber from the wrecks of Keel boats that met with disaster on the LeClaire rapids and built a cabin and shelter for the family. The cutting of cord wood resulted in enough clear land to raise a garden. With fish from the river and game from the mainland they managed to survive.
Ira Smith was not satisfied with life and condition on this island so with his wife Nancy and children they moved to the mainland. He took a claim on the land near LeClaire. He and his sons continued to cut cord wood for which there was becoming in more demand.
Later Martin moved to the mainland. With his sons Martin and Fuller they built a grist mill and powered it with a water wheel. The rapids had a fast enough flowage that a small dam could dwert enough water to turn a power wheel.
By the year of 1836 settlers were coming in increased numbers. Martins brother Eli moved here and settled north of the town of LeClaire. This may have been Parkhurst at that time. The south was known at one time as Berlin.
Eli and his sons started and operated the stone quarry at the north edge of LeCalire.
The Smith families prospered in work on the land and also some of them became prominent river men.
Around the year 1835 or 1836 , William and Sarah Conroe bought a parcel of land from the government. Richard Roller lives on some of this remaining Conroe homestead. Our aunt Jennie Ruth Mangles owns a part of this origin William and Sarah Conroe purchased. William Conroe came here from Ireland. I have never known where Sarah Huffman Conroe's family was from.
Before going any farther into the family record; I will bring to attention the names of the Conroe Children. They are as follows, one son Sam Conroe and three daughters, Harriet, Hannah and Jane.
The Smiths and Conroes living close to each other became acquainted. In the year 1846 the Mexican War broke out. Ira Smith the 2nd enlisted also his cousin Joe the son of Eli joined up. They spent more than a year in what is now the state of Texas and along the Rio Grande River and both of them were in for the duration of the war. When the war was over they returned to LeClaire where they stayed until the year of 1854.
At that time these two brothers Ira 2nd and Eli married two Conroe sisters. Harriet and Ira were united in marriage the other sister Hannah married Eli.
Ira and Eli with their brides decided to move about 100 miles west of LeClaire where new land was offered for sale by the government to new settlers for one dollar per acre. The settlers were allowed to buy 160 acres per family.
Eli and Hannah settled near the present town of South English which is in Keokuk County. Ira and Harriet settled a few miles to the North near the present town of North English.
I have never known how many children Eli and Hannah had but I remember a daughter Mary Smith Green and sons Todd and Homer. I am sure there were several more besides these three.
Ira and Harriet were the parents of three daughters, Hannah Smith Roller, Jennie Smith Willits and Rodella Smith Miller.
The George Roller family settled near Ohio. I don't know the year they came. I remember of meeting all of them. George 2nd, Henry, Nathan, Michael, Wilson, John and two daughters, Mary Roller Johnson and Nan who never married.
I remember family talk of attention that great grandfather George Roller earned when the Civil War or what the older members call the War between the States broke out.
George Roller and his brothers were radically opposed to this war. They all believed that it could have been resolved by a blockade of railroads, steamboats and stopping all commerce with the southern states. Their logic was that the deep South depended on the export of their cotton. They had a few textile mills but nothing else to offer the World Trade.
The North had control of all manufacturing and railroad transportation. Plus the US Navy. The South could not have survived without support and trade off the North. Politics and propaganda by both sides led Americans into four years of Americans slaughtering Americans.
I heard our great grandmother Harriet Smith say it was the most shameful and disgraceful four years of American history.
Smith family history