To the Memory of J. Speed Smith, born July 31, 1792, married July 31, 1815, died June 6, 1854.  Erected by his widow, Eliza L. Clay Smith, born March 29, 1798, died October 14, 1887

from The Richmond Climax, Madison County, Kentucky

Wednesday, October 19, 1877

Mrs. Eliza Smith died at the home of her son, John Speed Smith, in Richmond, Kentucky, on Friday, October 14^th, 1887, in the 90^th year of her age. The funeral occurred from the Baptist church on Monday, and the burial in the Richmond Cemetery.

Mrs. Smith was the mother of Rev. Green Clay Smith, Dr. C. C. Smith, Hon. J. Speed Smith, Mrs. Talbott, of Tennessee, and Mrs. David S. Goodloe, of Lexington, the last named being the mother of Hon. Wm. Cassius Goodloe, ex-Minister to Belgium, Maj. Green Clay Goodloe, of the Marine service, son-in-law of Senator James B. Beck, Dr. David S. and Judge Speed S. Goodloe. Mrs. Smith had six other children. She was the sister of Gen. Cassius M. Clay, ex-Minister to Russia, the late Hon. Brutus Clay, of Bourbon, and Mrs. Pauline Rodes, deceased, of Madison County. She had five other brothers and sisters. She was the widow of the late Hon. John Speed Smith, member of Congress, and daughter of Green Clay, Brigadier General in the War of 1812.

Mrs. Smith was a native of Madison County, a member of the Baptist church, and retained her faculties of sight hearing and speech to her last day. She was an accomplished woman, and until recently when wheeled up to the piano in her invalid chair, played with skill many of the pieces she learned three quarters of a century ago.