The Smith Families of Jackson County, Minnesota

JOHN T. SMITH (1871), president of the Minnesota Fibre company and manager of that company's tow mill at Heron Lake, is the oldest resident of that village and a man in whom both the village and county take pride. He came to Heron Tjike before the railroad was builded and when the site was raw prairie land. For thirty-eight years his home has been in the village he helped to found, and none has taken a more active part in the business life and in public enterprises than has Mr. Smith, so closely identified is he with the interests of the town that when one thinks of Heron Lake one thinks of John T. Smith.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

It was during the month of October. 1871. that Mr. Smith and his partner first set foot on the site. They at once erected a store building, hauling the lumber from Windom and started the first store. The following year our subject bought out his partner's interest, and in 1874 took as a partner George Carr. For several years times were prosperous in the little village of Heron Lake, and the pioneer merchant built up a marvelous business. He opened a branch store at Brewster in 1873, one at Adrian in 1876, and one at Fulda in 1878, Mr. Smith continued in the mercantile business until 188.5.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

MORTON W. SMITH (1878), secretary of the St. John Grain company, is a native of Jackson county, having been born in Weimer township June 21, 1878, the son of John T. and Jennie (Weir) Smith. He was brought up on the farm and attended the graded schools of Heron Lake. He was graduated from the Waupun (Wisconsin) high school, and in 1901 received his diploma from the university of Wisconsin.

Returning to Heron Lake after his school days, Mr. Smith took a position as bookkeeper in the Bank of Heron Lake. In the fall of the same year he took a like position with B. P. St. John, grain dealer. The next year the St. John Grain company was incorporated, and Mr. Smith continued to serve the new corporation as bookkeeper. In 1905 Mr. Smith was made secretary of the company, a position he still holds. He owns land in Weimer township and residence property in Heron Lake. Fraternally he is associated with the MasoAic order.

Mr. Smith was married at Heron Lake February 26, 1907, to Ethel D. St. John, daughter of the late W. P. St. John and Minnie E. St. John, still living in Heron Lake. To this union has been born one child, [name withheld], born November 7, 1908.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOHN J. SMITH (1866), of Jackson, has lived in the county over forty-three years. He is a native of Tompkins county. New York, and has born February 27, 1839, the son of Hiram and Lydia (McGowin) Smith.

When a small boy our subject accompanied his parents from Tompkins county to Chautauqua county. New York, and there he lived until 1858j receiving a common school education. That year he came west, driving from his New York state home to Wisconsin. He lived in the Badger state three years and then enlisted in the First Wisconsin regiment. After serving his term of enlistment he returned home and reenlisted in the 35th Wisconsin regiment and served until April, 1866. He received his discharge in Brownsville, Texas, and from that point the regiment proceeded to Madison, Wisconsin, and disbanded.

Immediately after his discharge from the army Mr. Smith determined to locate upon some of the land in the new countries farther west, and on the eleventh day of June, 1860, he arrived in Jackson county, having made the trip overland. He took a homestead claim in Wisconsin township, three miles southeast of Jackson, and lived thereon eleven years, selling the farm in 1877. He then bought a farm in Wisconsin and Des Moines townships, upon which he resided twenty-one years. He then sold out and moved to Jackson, where he has since resided. Mr. Smith was one of the first settlers of Wisconsin township and upon its organization he was made one of the first members of the board of supervisors. He is a member of the G. A. R.

Mr. Smith was married to Anna T. Fields in April, 1862. To these parents have been born the following named children: William E., born April 14, 1863; James Edwin, born August 2, 1869; Helen, born in 1877; Christie, bom February 27, 1879; Susie, born in 1884; Lydia, born in 1886.

TARJE K. OISEN (1873). Among the pioneer settlers of Alba township is the gentleman whose named heads this sketch, he having resided on his present farm for the past thirty-seven years. He owns 480 acres of land and is in prosperous circumstances.

Mr. Olsen was born in Brigham township, Iowa county, Wisconsin, April 14, 1853. Until May 26, 1873, he lived with his parents and worked on the farm in his native county. On the date last mentioned he came to Jackson county in company with his brother-in-law, E. O. Woien, and his sister, Kisten Woien. Upon his arrival he bought the homestead right to the southeast quarter of section 30, Alba township, from Israel Smith, took up his residence on the place, and in time secured title to the land. At the time of taking possession the only improvements was a 12x12 feet shack. This he rebuilt and lived in until 1882; then he replaced it with a part of his present house, completing the building in 1900.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

EDWIN SMITH (1869), mail carrier on route three out of Jackson, has been a resident of the county since he was one year, old, and is the son of one of the very early settlers of the county. His parents, John J. and Annie (Fields) Smith, were both born in New York state, but located in Wisconsin before the war and were married in Dane county of that state. John J. Smith is a veteran of the civil war, having enlisted in company K of the First Wisconsin regiment and later becoming a member of the Thirty-fifth Wisconsin regiment. He took part in the battles of Gettysburg, Bull Run and other important engagements. In the spring of 1866 the family came to Jackson county and took a homestead claim on section 32, Wisconsin township. After a two years* residence in the frontier country they returned to Wisconsin, but two years later again moved to Jackson county. Mr. Smith now lives in Jackson and is 73 years of age. Mrs. Smithy our subject's mother, died fifteen years ago.

While the family were temporarily living in Dane county, Wisconsin, after having spent two years in Jackson county, on the second day of August, 1868, Edwin Smith was born to these parents, the next to the eldest of a family of six children. One year after his birth Edwin was brought to Jackson county by his parents, a county which has ever since been his home. He was brought up on the farm and until his mother died he lived at home. After reaching mature years he engaged in farming on his own account and followed that occupation until six years ago. In 1898 he bought six acres of land in the south part of Jackson, where he now lives. In 1901 Mr. Smith received the appointment of rural mail carrier from the Jackson office and has been so engaged since, now ranking as the oldest carrier in point of service in Jackson county. Mr. Smith is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOHN SMITH (1886) is a farmer and land owner of Kimball township and has resided in Jackson county nearly a quarter of a century. He is a native of Monroe county, New York, and was born June 5, 1865, the son of Fred and Mary (Groth) Smith, both natives of Germany, he having been born in Mecklenberg and she in Prussia. They came to America

President of the Firat National Bank of Laketield and a

Believer in Cooperation.

in 1863 and after living in the £empire state nineteen years came to Minnesota and died in Middle town township, Jackson county. They were the parents of six children, of whom the following three are living: Minnie, who lives in New York state; Fred, of Des Moines township; and John, of this sketch.

John spent the first twenty years of his life in his native county, attending school and working at various occupations. He came to Jackson county in 1885 and for thirteen years lived on a farm in Middletown township. Then he moved to Kimball township, where he engaged in farming rented land until October, 1909i At that time he moved onto his present farm, which he had bought the spring before. Uis farm is the south half of the southwest quarter of section 32. On August 13] 1901, Mr. Smith lost his right arm as a result of a runaway accident. The arm was caught in a wagon spring and literally torn off at the elbow.

Mr. Smith was married in Middletown township October 17, 1891, to Mrs. Lena Hamp, a native of Prussia. To them has been born one child, Albert, bom October 22, 1892. By a former marriage Mrs. Smith is the mother of five children: Will, bom May 9, 1879; August, born April 3, 1881; Freda, bom November 24, 1882; Herauin, born November 14, 1887; Emqia, born November 14, 1887. The family are members of the German Lutheran church.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

GEORGE H. SMITH (1887), teacher of the school in district No. 91, Ewington township, is one of the best known educators of western Jackson county and has devoted his entire life to educational work.

Mr. Smith was born in Phoenix, Michigan, April 25, 186G. AVhen four years of age his parents moved to Dodgeville, Iowa county, Wisconsin, and in that town our subject grew to manhood and secured his early education. He was graduated from the Dodgeville high school in 1886 and later took a course of study at the Iowa state normal school, Cedar Falls. He completed his education in the Cherokee (Iowa) Institute, from which he was graduated in 1891.

During the years Mr. Smith was securing his education he spent the summer months working on farms and teaching at intervals. He came to Jackson county in 1887 and for the last twenty years has been engaged in teaching school, having taught in Jackson county during the past fifteen years. He has had charge of the west school in district No. 91 for the last 6ix years. Mr.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.