Elizabeth Catherine Smith

I am uncertain whether this Catherine was the daughter of Henry and Susannah (Bradshaw) Smith or the daughter of their son Joseph and his wife Rebecca Lax. It may well be that Joseph's daughter did not have Elizabeth as one of her names, but at least one factor makes it seem more likely for this Catherine to have been her. On the 1880 census, C. Radcliff, who was Catherine (Smith) Gettings, reported her age as 32, closer to the age of Joseph's daughter (perhaps 37 or 38) than to that of Henry's daughter (about 42). She had given birth recently to a child, 2, and a child, 11 months. While two births in such a short period are certainly possible for a woman in her forties, such is more likely to occur for a woman in her mid-thirties. This is Elizabeth Catherine, whichever couple was her parents.

Catherine Smith

Children

After Nathaniel's death, Catherine married Michael Radcliff, but he died before the 1880 census date. The Radcliff family listed in Ripley County on the 1880 census appears to be Catherine and her children, but, if so, her listed age would have to be off by about 10 years since she would have been older than 32. Although having no surname written for them implies that their surname was Radcliff, W.T. would be William Thomas Gettings and J. D. would be Jeremiah Denton Gettings.

Excerpt from History & Families, Ripley County, Missouri, 2003 - Gettings Bio 1 of 2 "Nathaniel lost his first wife Eliza and remarried in 1872 to Elizabeth Catherine Smith, also a Tennessee native. They had two sons before Nathaniels's death in 1876, William Thomas (1874-1937) and Jeremiah Denton "Jerry" (1875-1900). Catherine remarried in 1877 to Michael Radcliff."

NOTE: I was greatly assisted with family data for the Gettings family of Nathaniel and Catherine by Jennifer Gettings, a descendant. Errors are due to my blunders.

Nathaniel Martin Gettings

After the death of his first wife, Nathaniel Martin Gettings married Catherine Smith 18 April 1872 in Ripley County, Missouri, as shown by a record of their marriage kept by granddaughter Eva. After she shared the record, I found the same record on FamilySearch.org, a site maintained by the LDS community.

Jennifer Gettings has posted data on her line, the family of William Thomas, and she is fairly certain of its accuracy if she has not added comments. If you subscribe to ancestry.com, it is avaible for viewing.

Jeremiah married Lulu or Lula McDonald, but the only record of their marriage that I have found is the death cerificate of their son Henry. Jeremiah died before the date of the 1900 census leaving behind Henry and another son, James.

Missouri Certificate of Death #61-014807, 9 April 1961, Ripley Co.; Death of Henry Gettings, born 13 April 1897, Ripley Co., Parents Jerry Gettings and Lula McDonald, informant Margaret Gettings, widow; record filed 3 May 1961

X

Marriages

Catherine Smith and N. M. Gettings: "Missouri, County Marriage, Naturalization, and Court Records, 1800-1991," Volume D, 1866-1881, page 58; (familysearch.org)

Elizabeth Catherine Gideons and Michael Radclift: "Missouri, County Marriage, Naturalization, and Court Records, 1800-1991," Volume D, 1866-1881, page 118; FamilySearch (familysearch.org)
NOTE: Gideons should be Gettings, name of Catherine's deceased husband.

Censuses

1870 Ripley County, Missouri, p. x, 670 (stamped): N. M. Gettings, 42 TN, Eliza, 36 TN, Jas L., 19 MO, F. M. son, 16 MO, Amanda, 14 MO, John, 12 MO, Sarah, 8 MO, Dorothy, 6 MO, Rhoda, 4 MO, Jerry, possibly 4mo MO

1880 Ripley County, Missouri, page 526C, page 2: family of C. Radcliff, fem wid, 32, TN TN NC; W. T., male 7, J. D., male 5, M. E., fem, 2, J. M., male 11mo
NOTE: W. T. is correct age to be William Thomas Gettings, and J. D. is correct age to be Jeremiah Denton Gettings. If this is the correct family, M. E. would be Martha Ellen Radcliff
The family immediately above the Radcliffs is that of R. (Robert) H. Smith, listed as 30 although he was slightly older

1900 Ripley County, Missouri, page 93A, 8 for Dist 96: family of William Thomas Giddings (Gettings)

1900Census Ripley County, MO, page 92B, 7 for Dist 96: family of Lula Giddings, wid, born Aug 1879 MO MO TN; sons James H., born Apr 1897, James A., born Oct 1898; sister Martha Radcliff, born Mar 1878 MO TN TN
NOTE: an error in older son's name; he was Henry M.; father of Lula and father of Martha were born in different states; see 1880 census above that could explain sister as sister-in-law

1900 Ripley County, Missouri, page 93A, immediately before William T. Giddings and immediately after Lulu Giddings: Wellington McDonald, Apr 1881 MO MO TN, William McDonald, Sept 1883 MO MO TN

Supporting Death Certificates