John Bartley Smithson, Sr. was born on October 6, 1841 at Parkerville, AL. He traveled with his family along with the Mississippi Saints into Salt Lake City, UT in 1847. They arrived in San Bernardino in 1851. Smithson married Jane Cadd on January 22, 1866 in San Bernardino. He was a lumberman, fruit farmer, teamster and road builder. Smithson died on August 7, 1910 and is buried in the San Bernardino Pioneer Cemetery.
Photo courtesy of City of San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society