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Johnston line (Jerry's father's side)

Tessie Sims Smith

Jerry's paternal grandmother, from deep Utah pioneer roots of her own — the Sims and Smith families were established Utah pioneer families, and the Smiths ran a Salt Lake City business, the Gas Express and Transfer Company. Buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

At a Glance  Documented

Born
1887
Died
October 1954
Parents
John Gibson Smith (1855–1895, born Tooele, Utah) & Hester Sims Smith (1857–1940, born Salt Lake City)
Spouse
Clarence Earl Johnston
Children
Loraine, Clarence Smith Johnston Jr., John Paul Johnston, Frank Smith Johnston
Family line
Johnston line (Jerry's father's side)
Relation to Jerry
Jerry's paternal grandmother

How sure are we? Documented.

Read about Tessie in…

The Name You Carry · The Family Tree

Sources for this page

  • Salt Lake City Cemetery records
    Cemetery record · established 1847
    200 North Street, Salt Lake City. Resting place of James Johnston, Bianca Jane Gibson, Clarence Earl Johnston, Tessie Sims Smith, John Paul Johnston, and Fern Blackett Johnston.
  • Gas Express and Transfer Company — Salt Lake City incorporation records (early 1900s)
    Newspaper / business records · early 1900s
    Newspaper records document the incorporation of the Gas Express and Transfer Company by Lydia K., G. Val, Gifford A., John T., and Ivy Smith — almost certainly Tessie Sims Smith's siblings/family. Explains an old family photo labeled 'Gas Transfer Co.' once thought to show Clarence Earl Johnston (who married into the Smith family).

Notes from the family

Remember something about Tessie? A story, a photo, a correction, a date? Even a messy note helps. Just open the plain-text file research-notes/tessie-sims-smith-notes.md and type it in — or tell Scott (or Claude Code) “add this to Tessie’s page,” and it will be woven in properly, with the source recorded.