About My Family History
I was born in Stafford, Kansas, a small town located in Central Kansas.
My great-grandparents came to Stafford County around 1878, taking out a homestead just northeast of Stafford. Their names were John Girard and Mary Ann Smiley. He was a Circuit-Riding Baptist Minister, and founded the Stafford Baptist Church, plus seven more churches.
They had 7 sons and 1 daughter, of which my Grandfather was the youngest son. He was born in Stafford, and his name was Frank Girard Smiley. He married Jessie Primrose Forbes.
Frank and Jessie had 4 children, 2 sons and 2 daughters, and my father, whose picture is above this writing, is Hoyt Francis Smiley. He was also born in Stafford. He married Wilma Elaine Sanders (my mother).
Hoyt and Wilma had 5 children, of which I am the oldest. I, too, was born in Stafford, in my grandparents' home.
I attended schools in Stafford. I married Charles Chester Lyons when I was 16 years old. We had 5 children of our own, and 1 adopted child. My children's names are Sherry, Dennis, Susan, Chester, Charlene and Tyrone. I am proud of every one of them! When Charles Lyons died suddenly of a massive heart attack, in August 1981, I then married Everett Edgar Williams. He died in April, 1987.
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