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Smaha Ancestors

Smaha Ancestors

Posted: 7 Oct 1999 7:38PM GMT
Edited: 24 Jan 2003 2:17AM GMT
I am looking for any information that I might receive on my great-grandparents. My great-grandfather was Joseph Smaha, Sr. He was born Oct. 4, 1854 in Bohemia. He married Fannie Zatechka in Toledo, Iowa on Jan. 3, 1878. She was born in Bohemia on November 22, 1853 and came to the United States at the age of 16. They were the parents of four children, Joseph Jr., William, Anna and Frank. If anyone has any links I would be extrememly grateful to hear from you.

JOSEPH SMAHA

Posted: 10 Oct 1999 6:42PM GMT
Edited: 23 Jun 2001 1:22AM GMT
MY BRANCH OF THE SMAHA FAMILY CAME FROM LEBANON TO THE U.S. IN 1900 AND SETTLED IN GEORGIA. FIRST IN SAVANNAH THEN SETTLED IN GRIFFIN, GA. AND HAD 11 CHILDREN 6 GIRLS AND 5 BOYS. TODAY ONLY 1 SON AND 4 DAUGHTERS REMAIN ALIVE WITH THE OLDEST BEING 86 AND THE YOUNGEST 76. I AM INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHERE WAS BOHEMIA LOCATED IN EUROPE? I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER BRANCHES OF SMAHA'S WHO WERE FROM EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND THEY LIVE IN THE CHICAGO AREA. WISH I COULD HELP YOU BUT MAYBE IF WE BOTH LIST OUR BRANCHES WE WILL ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO COME FORWARD AND SHED SOME LIGHT ON YHE ORIGIN OF THE SMAHA NAME.

Joseph Francis Smaha

Posted: 1 Mar 2000 4:50PM GMT
Edited: 31 Oct 2001 1:03AM GMT
Hi! What a shock it is to find other Smaha's out there! My grandfather was Joseph F. Smaha, from Beirut Lebanon. He was born there about 1801 came to the US via Ellis Island about 1905 or so with his brother George. They worked their way across the country and settled in San Francisco where they ran a restaurant. Then he became a farmer in Santa Clara Valley and also a well-known camellia grower. I understand we are related to Danny Thomas (real last name of Jacobs). Grampa's nephew, Fouad Samaha, lived in Los Angeles but I've lost contact with him. Any of this sound familiar to anyone? I'd like to know Grampa's ancestry before he came to America.

SMAHA FAMILY

Posted: 1 Mar 2000 6:21PM GMT
Edited: 23 Jun 2001 1:22AM GMT
WE MUST BE DISTANTLY RELATED IN SOME FASHION. YOUR GRANDFATHER MIGHT HAVE BEEN A 2ND OR 3RD COUSIN TO MY GRANDFATHER WHO WAS BOULIS(PAUL) GEORGE SMAHA WHO CAME TO USA IN 1900 WITH FOUR BROTHERS. THEY SETTLED IN GEORGIA- ALL BUT ONE WHO RETURNED TO LEBANON00 HIS NAME WAS NORMAN SMAHA OR SAMAHA. THE USA SMAHA'S WERE SONS OF GEORGE SAMAHA AND THEY DECIDED TO DROP THE SAMAHA NAME AND USE GEORGE AS THEIR LAST NAME. MY FATHER WAS BORN PHILIP P. GEORGE AND AT THE AGE OF 10 OR SO THE FAMILY DISCOVERED THAT THEIR REAL SIR NAME WAS SAMAHA AND THEY VOTED TO CHANGE THEIR LAST NAME TO SMAHA. MY GRANDFATHER WAS IN HIS EARLY 20'S IN 1900. THEIR HOME WAS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF LEBANON AROUND THE VILLAGE OF CONCHARRA (NOT SURE OF THE SPELLING). THE OTHER THREE BROTHERS KEPT THE GEORGE LAST NAME AND SETTLED IN VALDOSTA GEORGIA.(2)OF THEM AHE 3RD BROTHER SETTLED IN GRIFFIN GEORGIA WITH MY GRANDFATHER. HE HAD 11 CHILDREN- SIX DAUGHTERS 3 OF WHICH ARE STILL LIVING- 1 IN LOS ANGELES CAL. 2 IN BIRMINGHAM ALA.AND FIVE SONS--ONLY ONE STILL LIVING IN MACON, GA. THERE WERE 25 GRANDCHILDREN ALL STILL LIVING IN ALA.,GA.S.C. VA. OR FLA.THERE ARE 5 GRANDSONS BEARING THE SMAHA FAMILY NAME LIVING 3 IN MACON 1 IN BIRMINGHAM AND MYSELF IN FLA. AND KY. THERE ARE MANY GREAT GRAND CHILDREN BUT ONLY 4 GRANDSONS BEARING THE SMAHA SIRNAME.SEVERAL STILL UNMARRIED GREAT GRANDDAUGHTERS STILL CARRY THE SMAHA NAME. IT IS A VERY SUCCESSFUL FAMILY MADE UP OF SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMEN AND BUSINESWOMEN AS WELL AS DOCTORS, DENTISTS, ENGINEERS, RESTAURANT OWNERS, TEACHERS ETC. HOPE I DID NOT BORE YOU -- I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR FAMILY--- JOE SMAHA-

Joseph Smaha

Posted: 1 Mar 2000 6:57PM GMT
Edited: 31 Oct 2001 1:03AM GMT
This is so interesting! I have to admit, I'm almost wondering if this is a hoax! Guess what my father's name is? Norman Smaha! But he's not from Lebanon, he was born in Santa Clara, California. My grampa Joseph had 2 children, my dad, Norman and a daughter, Verna. My dad is now 84 years old. I have only one brother, Ronald Norman, but he had 2 sons, Russell Randy Smaha, both living in the Bay Area of California. Randy has a son, Reid Patrick Smaha. I think the Auntie in L.A.'s name was Sadie Smaha or Samaha. Is she part of your family? I don't know if Grampa had other siblings, but I remember a picture of an uncle or something in Lebanon who was some type of Orthodox priest - in long black robes. Unfortunately, my grampa died in 1959 when I was only 10 years old not curious enough yet to ask any questions. By the way, in the apparent Smaha tradition, my father was a communications engineer (I think was in the first engineering graduate class from San Jose State), my brother is a PC board designer his youngest son is also in that type of business. It is very strange to see the name "Joe Smaha" on something after all these years!

SMAHA FAMILY

Posted: 1 Mar 2000 8:15PM GMT
Edited: 23 Jun 2001 1:22AM GMT
THIS IS NO HOAX-MY-NORMAN SMAHA WAS MY GRANDFATHER'S OLDEST BROTHER WHO RETURNED TO LEBANON SHORTLY AFTER 1900. I WONDER IF YOU FATHER KNOWS WHO HE WAS NAMED AFTER-- COULD IT BE HIS GRANDFATHER WHO MIGHT BE MY GREAT UNCLE. I AM 61 YEARS OLD AND THE OLDEST SMAHA MALE(IN MY IMMEDIATE SMAHA FAMILY GROUP OF COUSINS) EXCEPT FOR MY UNCLE NORMAN WHO IS MY DECEASED FATHER'S ONLY SURVIVING BROTHER WHO IS NOW 85. HE WAS NAMED AFTER NY GRANDFATHER'S OLDEST BROTHER.IF YOU FIND OUT ANY INFO FROM YOUR FATHER I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. I DO NOT KNOW A SADIE SMAHA IN CALIFORNIA OR L.A.

Joseph Francis Smaha

Posted: 2 Mar 2000 11:05AM GMT
Edited: 31 Oct 2001 1:03AM GMT
Hi again - I just realized I made a mistake on my grandfather's birthdate - it was not 1801, but 1890 or 1891 (on Valentine's Day) as he was 69 years old when he died in 1959. He was born in Beirut, so your Norman must not have been his father - maybe an uncle? I will call my dad to see what he remembers, but it may take awhile as he lives in California is starting to get a little forgetfull at 84. I am 51 years old, the youngest of my siblings. My dad also had a cousin named Francis Smaha (now deceased) who was his Uncle George Smaha Aunt Bea Smaha's son. (Uncle George was Joseph Francis's brother.) Francis owned a successful grocery store produce market in California. Someone told me once that the name Smaha means "we forgive". Any truth to this that you know of? Will forward any info I get from my dad.

SMAHA FAMILY

Posted: 2 Mar 2000 5:52PM GMT
Edited: 23 Jun 2001 1:22AM GMT
MY UNCLE NOW DECEASED( DR. JOSEPH ANTHONY SMAHA) MADE 2 TRIPS TO LEBANON. ON HIS FIRST TRIP HE STATED HE LEARNED AT THE SMAHA FAMILY WERE MOUNTAIN PEOPLE WHO OWNED LAND CONTAINING CAVERNS WHERE WATER WOULD BE TURNED TO ICE AND DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS THEY WOULD LET NEIGHBORS AND TRAVELORS USE THE ICE AND THEIR NAME SMAHA MEANT GOOD SAMARTIAN. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS CORRECT OR NOT. MY GRANDMOTHER CAME FROM ZAHLE, LEBANON ALSO A MOUNTAIN VILLAGE. HER MAIDEN NAME WAS HONDUME MONSOUB,DAUGHTER OF JOSEPH MONSOUB. WISH WE COULD FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE OLD COUNTRY. JOE SMAHA

Smaha Family

Posted: 2 Mar 2000 7:51PM GMT
Edited: 31 Oct 2001 1:03AM GMT
You're lucky to know a lot more about your family than I do mine! That's interesting about the caverns I guess Good Samaritan is not too far a stretch from We Forgive! I called my dad today asked about his grandfather. He didn't know his name. Or he forgot. (He never met him.) He's going to check with my mom, who was always more interested in family background than he was. Although he did remember a cousin of grampa's - Johhny Smaha - who dad said was always interested in family. I never met him don't know where he lives now, if still alive. Too bad my grandma died 2 years ago, she remembered a lot more, but I mostly got info from her about her side of the family - Portuguese, not Lebanese. Does your Uncle Norman remember any more names? Like your grandfather's brothers? Is Francis a family name? It seems to be carrying through my family, like Norman Joseph (my son's name is Joseph also.) Well, thanks for the info again. We'll keep digging!

SMAHA FAMILY

Posted: 3 Mar 2000 5:05AM GMT
Edited: 23 Jun 2001 1:22AM GMT
I WILL BE BACK IN FLORIDA WHERE MY FAMILY RECORDS ARE ON MONDAY. I WILL SEND YOU THE OTHER NAMES OF MY GRANDFATHER'S BROTHER. I KNOW CARLOS AND HABBEE AND NORMAN BUT THERE ARE OTHERS. JOE SMAHA
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