E23 Row E, place 23
IRA SMITH
Co. K, 5th Massachusetts Cavalry
Name read from the stone; the records not yet searched. Revised November 1, 2026.
The stone reads
IRA SMITH
[Co.] K 5th Mass. C[av.]
[under earth]
Transcription as recorded in the plot register from the photograph; square brackets mark letters not legible or below ground. Photograph by B. Brennan, October 30, 2026. [1]
Life
Ira Smith lies in grave E23 of the Prescott Post lot. His stone names his unit as Company K of the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry. No date of death has been read from it. [1]
The National Park Service's index of Civil War soldiers and sailors has not yet been searched for him.
His service record, any pension file, and his life before and after the war have not yet been researched. This page will grow as the records are read.
The records
Headstone photograph (shown above) — Headstone of Ira Smith, grid E23, Prescott Post lot, photographed October 30, 2026. [1]
What we don't know
- When and where did he enlist, and what did his company do? His compiled military service record (National Archives, RG 94) will say.
- Did he or his widow apply for a pension? The General Index to Pension Files (NARA T288/T289) has not yet been searched for him.
- Where was he born, and how did he come to Providence?
- Where did he live and work in Providence? The city directories and the censuses of 1870–1920 have not yet been read for him.
- Did he marry, and did he leave children?
- When was he buried here, and what does the City's interment record say? The City lot record has not yet been matched.
Sources
- Gravestone of Ira Smith, grave E23, Prescott Post plot, North Burial Ground, Providence, Rhode Island. Photograph by Bernard Brennan, October 30, 2026; transcription as recorded in the plot register.
Help research this man
Do you have a record of Ira Smith — a census page, a pension card, a city-directory entry, a newspaper item, a family story? You can upload it to the project without an account. Please say what the record is, where you found it, and why you believe it is this man. Every contributor is credited on this page.
Credits
Researched by Bernard Brennan. Records courtesy City of Providence, Department of Parks, North Burial Ground. Revised 2026-11-01.