Life History is important to all of us

Life History is important to all of us, our lived experience is part of who we are. Recording a personal history and major life events can be vital in providing information for others.  Cultural and spiritual background, how a person was raised and where can also be important. Who were your Smithfield ancestors? Why did they come here? What was their life like? Did they serve in a war?  The past is important because it tells us about ourselves, our ancestors, why things are the way they are today. The past educates us about our history, our story.  The past gives us strength for our future!

A personal history can share tales of strength and perseverance or just how a person lived on a daily basis 

In Smithfield we are so fortunate to have many personal histories recorded of founders and past citizens.  From James Mack, one of our early settlers and a successful businessman, to Elliot Thornley, a Smithfield man who gained notoriety for his athletic abilities despite having only one leg for most of his life.  Whether a personal history shares tales of strength and perseverance or just how a person lived on a daily basis, we can all find enjoyment in hearing someone else’s story.  Many people from Smithfield have served in significant ways, from politicians or church leaders here in Cache Valley, to military veterans who have served around the world in many different conflicts.

We all have a connection to each other 

Our grandparents, and now parents, aunts and uncles are one-by-one slipping away from us, and older friends too, leaving us as the repositories of their knowledge.  Have we listened well enough? Even further back then present, what about our great grandfathers and grandmothers? Do you have their histories? Are their stories tucked away in an old trunk somewhere or in the back of a file cabinet or bookcase? Bring them out to the light of day. Give them the freshness they deserve. Share them with other Smithfield folks. We all have a connection to each other. We all share Smithfield roots.  If you would like to submit a history, we invite you to click this link or contact a member of the historical society.  We accept written or typed submissions of personal history, as well as audio and/or video of oral history you may have collected.  These are all precious treasures from which we can learn and enjoy.   Would you be willing to contribute?

Our descendants are going to be asking similar questions. And they really will want to know the answers.  What are you doing to record your family history as it is happening?

Contribute to History!

With our ancestral histories, with eyes wet with tears of pride and gratitude, we experience how special these gifts can be. In sharing the histories of your ancestors you will experience first-hand how satisfying the process of a life review can be, and how priceless a legacy for the family and later generations. Contribute to history! Contribute your stories to the Smithfield Historical Society so that we can all share in our beloved community the stories of the past that made our town what it is today.  Put names and stories with those old family photos.  Connect the generations. Give back to the community, as a gift from one generation to the next.

There is an old saying that "he who refuses to learn from the past is doomed to repeat it." Events of the past, instead of being something to forget, should be studied and considered carefully.  We have no right to the future if we forget the past, where we came from, why we came to beautiful Cache Valley, and why we settled in the town of Smithfield. The past cannot be ignored because it influences the present.   Your past makes you who you are.  A people's shared past is part of their shared culture.  It is what makes them unique.  It is what makes them who they are.

Select one of the following to see what we have uploaded on this site:

Personal History of Early Settlers (Those born in late 1700’s through 1899)

Personal History of Outstanding/Extraordinary Citizens

Personal History/Experiences of Our Veterans

Oral History Audios/Videos

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