Ira Smith's Hidden Gold, Terre Haute

[Crow]

Here is a Linton map 1874 just 6 years before 1880 census.

You can see Farm under the name of J S Smith About 100 acres.

No connect that farm to a present day location?

Crow

 

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[Crow]

Old Crow needs to roost I have been picking on and off at this worm all day!

Crow

 

[Crow]

Here is 1937 map of Linton. The name of the property is E Smith.

Crow

 

[Crow]

While Ira dead since 1901. We can track the two sons Emory smith 1872- 1949 or Elmer Francis Smith 1874 - 1945. One of these Sons two over the family farm. Through them we might be able to track down the actual location of the farm?

Crow

 

[Crow]

When William Ira Smith was born on 13 October 1839, in Vigo, Indiana, United States, his father, John Wilkeson Smith, was 29 and his mother, Mary Ann Tryon, was 23. He married Elizabeth Field on 3 March 1864, in Coles, Illinois, United States. They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 4 daughters. He lived in Indiana, United States in 1870 and Linton Township, Vigo, Indiana, United States for about 20 years. He died on 19 June 1901, in Vigo, Indiana, United States, at the age of 61.

We know Ira Smith father Was John Wilkeson Smith and it tallied with 1874 property name. After Ira died in 1901 the property went to one of his sons.

Emory smith 1872- 1949 or Elmer Francis Smith 1874 - 1945.. As per 1937 map E Smith.

Crow

 

[Crow]

Now we cooking on all burners.

If we look into Emory smith 1872- 1949. It appears he did not take over the family farm from Ira. Even so on the 1930 census he worked as a farmer.

When Emory Smith was born on 17 August 1872, in Vigo, Indiana, United States, his father, William Ira Smith, was 32 and his mother, Elizabeth Field, was 28. He married Frances Hess on 19 September 1897, in Vigo, Indiana, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 son and 3 daughters. He lived in Honey Creek MM, Vigo, Indiana, United States for about 20 years and Honey Creek Township, Vigo, Indiana, United States in 1940. He died in June 1949, in Vigo, Indiana, United States, at the age of 76, and was buried in Prairie Creek, Prairie Creek Township, Vigo, Indiana, United States.

Crow

 

[Crow]

We look at Ira's other son. Elmer Francis Smith 1874 - 1945

When Elmer Francis Smith was born on 9 February 1874, in Terre Haute, Sullivan, Indiana, United States, his father, William Ira Smith, was 34 and his mother, Elizabeth Field, was 30. He married Emma Ernestine Pierce on 25 February 1899, in Vigo, Indiana, United States. They were the parents of at least 6 sons and 7 daughters.

He lived in Prairieton, Prairieton Township, Vigo, Indiana, United States in 1930 and Pimento, Linton Township, Vigo, Indiana, United States in 1940. He died on 31 January 1945, in Vigo, Indiana, United States, at the age of 70, and was buried in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana,

We look a 1900 census he was running the family farm listed near the Linton township.

In the 1920 census he is listed on the family farm.

his fathers and grandfathers farm was still in Elmers name in 1937.

So we know that the family farm was still in the Smith family hands until at least 1937.

Here is the current location of interest below.

The area is of greater interest.

Crow

 

[Crow]

If the story is true 5000 in gold coins if work on just 500 10 dollar golden eagle coins dated around 1900. When it comes down to it, you can expect to pay no less than $500 for one of these coins. Not only are they rare, their inherent value in gold drives the price up even more.

Crow

 

[jeff of pa]

you should be able to Find the current Property Owner(s) here
if you can understand how to use it
At the Moment my Brain Hurts

Vigo County, Indiana

 

[Crow]

you should be able to Find the current Property Owner(s) here
if you can understand how to use it
At the Moment my Brain Hurts

Vigo County, Indiana

Gidday Jeff

That pirate of raggedy old Crow cannot help himself. His sticky beak gets him into trouble constantly. Some times he thinks hes pecking at chocolate only to discover it is poo.

My brain hurts too Jeff as I cannot get out of treasure hunting mode. 40 odd years of treasure hunting, ya learn a thing or too. One ya must be masochist that likes dancing with Dame fortune. She lures you teases you then eats you.

I am retired ? Okay stop laughing! I am deluding myself I am retired. Old habits die hard. I have no need to seek treasure anymore or money. The joy for me is for daring to seek and share with those reading this thread.

For those who desire to seek fortune and glory some real life lessons can be learned from this thread.

First of all Thank You Jeff for the Tireless efforts you make posting the newspaper stories on the forum. And your insightful in put. Your comments helped Crow keep in beak out a little out of the poo.

2nd thank everyone who made comments. No fun in talking in a empty room. Each one of you steered me away in your comments away from cognitive bias. I went through this story like running quick silver and every time I strayed one of you pushed me in right direction.

3: Thank you ken for your insight. You was right the first Ira smith was the wrong one. It goes to show how easy it go down the wrong path and stopped me fixating just of Ira Smith name.

4: Thank you releventchair your discovery broke the case wide open. You information was information i was seeking.

Between us we have made some excellent observations and discoveries. This research evolved in every post hitting dead ends back tracking to get to the truth as best as we know it.

While there are no guarantees that money in the form of gold coins may of been buried on the property in question. The thread shows how fluid research becomes to finding as close to truth of the story as possible.

There are lessons to be learned not fixate on one idea too much with getting every bit of information as possible from independent sources. It is easy focused on one aspect and get taken down the wrong rabbit hole.

We have a clear independently verified person of the story we have good idea of the location of where this alleged money was hidden. So yeah I put this story of Ira Smith as high probability in regards of the story of him hiding money being true?

Thanks Jeff for once again uncovering a gem of a story.

Cheers Crow

 

[ken135]

FYI.....my research led to a different place.
Thanks everyone for your input.

 

[Crow]

FYI.....my research led to a different place.
Thanks everyone for your input.

Hello Ken

I am not surprised I am at a disadvantage as I cannot access more local recent land records around 1900. There is possibility between 1880 census and 1900 Ira had moved to another farm and in the year prior to 1900 he acquired more farming land. Two of his sons was engaged in farming. not to say some of his daughters married farmers who worked land acquired by him.

Maybe tracking where his widow lived in the 1920 census. What is interesting from all of this peoples life's was not as static living in one place as one might expect.

I will not dig further as its not my fish to fry. And out of respect for your own efforts. Last thing ya want is hoard of would be treasure hunters knocking on the door of the property owners place you want to search.

I do think this story does warrant a search at least of the right property in question. Weather it possible or not remains a question.

Cheers Crow

 

[ken135]

Crow -

You are correct. It's all about the data in order to verify our assumptions.
I hope to get permission and search this Fall once the fields are clear.

Thanks for your thoughts and comments that you've posted on TNet.
I've enjoy reading them.

ken