An American Family History

Mary Grace Smith White Hanley was born in Sunnyside, Lincoln County, Kansas on February 19, 1887. She was the oldest daughter of Josiah Smith and Eliza Fox. The Wind in the Willow, a book of Smith family stories, includes stories about Grace and her daughter, Vera.

She married Charles Walter White (Walt) on May 8, 1907. His parents were Paris M. White and Mary Elizabeth Breckenridge. He was born in January, 1884. Walter's sister Jane married Eliza Fox's brother Bonham Fox and his sister Emma married William Clowser who was Missouri Fox's son. Her parents opposed her marriage and for several years she was not allowed to come home. 

Mr. Charles Walter White and Miss Grace M. Smith sprung a surprise on their many friends in this community by driving to Corydon on Wednesday May 8, 1907, where in the afternoon at four o'clock they were united in marriage at the M. E. parsonage. Rev. Dudley performing the ceremony. The bride wore a dainty becoming gown of white India linen. They returned to Chariton and on Friday evening Mr. White left for Gregory, South Dakota, where he is engaged in business. He will return to this place in a few weeks and take his bride back to Dakota with him. The groom is a son of Mrs. Paris White and is an industrious, energetic young man, of good habits. He was resided in this county from infancy and is highly regarded by all who know him. The bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Josiah Smith and has resided here for many years. She is a young lady possessing many lovable characteristics and is in every way fitted to preside over a home. The Herald joins their many friends in extending hearty congratulations and wish them a long, happy and prosperous wedding life.

Grace and Walt's daughter,Irene Vera White Rickard was born in 1909 in South Dakota where Walt was an Indian agent for a short time. At the time of the 1910 census they were living in Jordan, Tripp County, South Dakota.

By 1917 they lived in Sioux City, Woodbury County, Iowa and Walt worked for the Chicago Portrait Company. They were still there at the time of the 1920 census. Walt and Grace eventually divorced. Years later Walt was killed in a barroom brawl in Tacoma, Washington and is body was shipped to Busheyhead, Oklahoma where he wass buried.

Perry Sherman (Peary S.) Hanley was Grace's second husband. They were married and living in Woodbury County, Iowa by the time of the 1925 Iowa census. Perry was born on March 12, 1883 in Indiana. His parents were William Hanley and and Clara A. Minton. Perry ran a small delivery business called I-Go-Express.

Vera married Cliff Rickard and went by the name Irene Pinkham in later years. Grace became a Jehovah's Witness. 

According to Bill Smith, she was "very heavy, but she had a clear resonant voice, a nice smile and was very cheerful and pleasant to us." She died on January 8, 1930 when she was about 43. She is buried in Sioux City and there is no marker there now.

The Chicago Portrait Company (1893-1940) was headquarted in Chicago, but traveling salesmen operated throughout the country. They sold portraits for two or three dollars, but really made their money by delivering them in fancy burled wood frames with curved glass at an additional cost. The frames were not solid wood at all, but painted plaster. The Chicago Portrait Company made a fortune off rural families who had little access to "big city" studios. Chicago Portrait Crew