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(My sincere thanks to Jane Borcherding who sumbitted the following information.)
Ara Adna Elliott was born October 12, 1859, at Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas, the daughter of William A. Elliott and Mary J. Cargile.
Ara married George Riley Smith on September 9, 1877, at Stephenville, Erath County, Texas. George Smith was born May 25, 1855, in Texas, the son of William Booker Smith and Elizabeth Livingston.
Jane Borcherding said that Ara reportedly told the story that her father (actually her step-father) had arranged her marriage to an older man. Supposedly on her wedding day she was dressing in her wedding gown when George Riley rode his horse to her window and whistled and she climbed out the window, got on his horse and eloped with him. We do not know if the story is true, but it is interesting.
About 1891, George and Ara moved to near Davis, (Indian Territory) Oklahoma, where they settled on the Washita River. They later moved to Davis to get away from the floods that occurred along the river.
Ara and George had 12 children, five of them living to adulthood.
George served as a Deputy Sheriff of Murray County, Oklahoma at one time.
George died February 8, 1918, at Davis in Murray County. He is buried in Green Hill Cemetery at Davis.
Ara died August 17, 1937, at Countyline, Stephens County, Oklahoma. She is buried in Green Hill Cemetery at Davis, Oklahoma.
Children of George Smith and Ara Elliott
1. William A. Smith, b. 1878, Erath Co, TX; d. young in Erath Co.
2. Hope W. Smith, b. 1879, Erath Co, TX; d. young in Erath Co.
3. Infant Smith, b. & d. abt 1880, Erath Co, TX
4. Infant Smith, b. & d. abt 1882, Erath Co, TX
5. Beulah Benton Smith, b. Mar 27, 1884, Erath Co, TX; d. Jan 15, 1970, Stephens Co, OK; m. John Calvin Buckley on Sept 29, 1904
6. Robert Edward Smith, b. Aug 1886, Erath Co, TX; d. young
7. John Richard Smith, b. Dec 7, 1888, Erath Co, TX; d. Sept 7, 1905, Murray Co, OK
8. Oscar Smith, b. May 28, 1892, Davis, I.T. (Murray Co, OK); d. July 9, 1911, Murray Co, OK
9. Archer Clay Smith, b. Oct 1894, Davis, I.T. (Murray Co, OK); d. 1963
10. Wilbert Matthew Smith, b. 1897, Davis, I.T. (Murray Co, OK); d. Mar 13, 1936; m. Nola ____
11. Riley Orville Smith, b. July 31, 1900, Davis, I.T. (Murray Co, OK); d. July 2, 1981, Maricopa Co, AZ; m. Johnnie Bell Cantrell on July 24, 1924
12. Mary Ellen Smith, b. 1903, David, I.T. (Murray Co, OK); m. Joe Lewis and Charles Capps