Who Exactly is Mrs. J. M. Smith?

It's mildly annoying, and sometimes frustrating, when you come across a tombstone for a "Mrs. John Smith." Am I right? I mean, when visiting a cemetery for the purpose of researching local history or genealogy, a maiden name would be ideal.  But even a given name would help!

Mrs. J. M. Smith = Mary Bessie Abel Smith

Well, I can clarify one such case in Rose Hill Cemetery:  Mrs. J. M. Smith (1884-1952) is Mary Bessie Abel Smith.  She was a daughter of John Henry Abel (d. 1892) and Sarah Catherine Murfee (1854-1945).

About 1904, Mary married James Monroe Smith (1883-1940), son of J. T. Smith and Pennsylvania native Laura Ann McCarly.  The couple had at least five children.  In addition to those listed here, there was possibly another child who was born and died before 1910.

• Bessie L. Smith (b. abt 1906; d. aft. 1956)
• Charles Edward Smith (b. 1908; d. 1988)
• Sarah Belle Smith (b. bet. 1911-1912; d. aft. 1956)
• Harry Philmore Smith (b. 1912; d. 1977)
• Ross Abel Smith (b. 1916; d. 1956)

Mary, her husband James, and two of her sons – Harry and Ross – rest in the Lakeside Terrace section of Rose Hill Cemetery (block 1, lot 80).

(Part of the Descendants of Henry Abel series.)

Some Additional Sources:

1. 1900 census of United States, population schedule, 716 District, Macon City, Bibb, Georgia, E. D. No. 31, sheet no. 4A, dwelling 66, family 79, Sarah C. Abel household, accessed 18 May 2017. Includes daughters Marth E. and Mary B.; sons Theodore G. and Sydney W.; step-daughter Laura E. Lightfoot; step-granddaughter Katie L.; and step-grandson Henry G.; digital image, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org).
2. Rose Hill Cemetery (Macon, Bibb County, Georgia), Grave Marker Transcription by Stephanie Lincecum, Acquired between 2003 - 2013.
3. "South Carolina Death Records, 1821-1965", database, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry, (http://www.ancestry.com), Image of death certificate for Ross A. Smith, d. 14 November 1956 at Charleston County.
4. "Georgia Deaths, 1914-1927", database, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, FamilySearch, (http://www.familysearch.org), death certificate image for Lovick Askew Abel, d. 11 August 1925 at Bibb County.
5. Friends of Rose Hill, "Historic Rose Hill Cemetery Directory", database, Historic Rose Hill (http://www.rosehillcemetery.org) Accessed 18 May 2017, entry for John Henry Abel, d. 22 November 1892.
6. "Neighborhood News," issued 1 April 1934, accessed 3 June 2017, names of interest:  Mrs. Sarah Catherine Abel, Theodore G. Abel, Macon Telegraph, Macon, Georgia, online image (http://www.genealogybank.com).
7. "Mrs. Sarah C. Abel Funeral Set Today," issued 28 November 1945, accessed 31 May 2017, name of interest:  Mrs. Sarah C. Abel, Macon Telegraph, Macon, Georgia, online image (http://www.genealogybank.com).
8. 1910 census of United States, population schedule, Macon City, Bibb, Georgia, E. D. No. 49, sheet no. 2A, dwelling 32, family 37, Sarah C. Abel household, accessed 18 June 2017. Includes daughters Martha E. Massengale and Mary B. Smith; sons Theodore G. and Sidney W.; son-in-law James N. Smith; granddaughters Mary L. Massengale, Catherine E. Massengale, and Bessie L. Smith; and grandsons William A. Massengale, and Chas. E. Smith; digital image, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org).
9. "Georgia Deaths, 1928-1940", database, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, FamilySearch, (http://www.familysearch.org), Image of death certificate for James Monroe Smith, d. 30 January 1940 at Bibb County.
10. "Services Set Today For Ross A. Smith," issued 16 November 1956, accessed 22 October 2017, name of interest:  Ross A. Smith, Charleston News and Courier, Charleston, South Carolina, online image (http://www.genealogybank.com).
11. "U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947", database, Ancestry Operations, Inc., Ancestry, (http://www.ancestry.com), Image of card for Charles Edward Smith, b. 10 December 1918.
12. "Florida Death Index, 1877-1998", database, The Generations Network, Ancestry, (http://www.ancestry.com), Entry for Charles Edward Smith, d. 28 November 1988 at Duval County.
13. 1920 census of United States, population schedule, Macon City, Bibb, Georgia, E. D. No. 43, sheet no. 8A, dwelling 143, family 187, James Monroe Smith household, accessed 18 June 2017. Includes Mary Bessie; daughters Bessie L. and Sarah Belle; and sons Charles Edward, Harry Philmore, and Ross Abel; digital image, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org).
14. "U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947", database, Ancestry Operations, Inc., Ancestry, (http://www.ancestry.com), Image of card for Harry Philmore Smith, b. 11 December 1912.
15. "Georgia Death Index, 1919-1998", database, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry, (http://www.ancestry.com), Entry for Harry P. Smith, d. 21 February 1977 at Bibb County.