Seth Smith, Sr., a New Hampshire-born gunsmith and blacksmith, built the first cabin in what is now Grant Township in 1853, and the 1890 history calls him the township's first settler. His son Seth Smith, Jr., served in the 17th Iowa Infantry at the siege of Corinth, and his daughter Ellen married Socrates Smith, a New York-born man of a different Smith line, in 1867. Every fact below is cited to the 1890 History of Monona County.
Earliest in the record
Seth Smith, Sr.born 1803Most recent in our records
John W. Smithborn 1852Each number matches a section below. Tap a name to jump to that person.
First settler of Grant Township; gunsmith and Government blacksmith
SETH SMITH, Sr., deceased, the first set- tier of Grant Township, and at one time a 'l/ very important member of the farming community of that and other portions of the county, was a native of New IIami)shire, bom in 1803. When he was but a child he was taken by his parents to the Genesee Valley, in New York, where he grew to manhood. He was twice married, the first time in New York State, when ho wedded Miss Sophia Leach, a native of Vermont, with whom he removed to Ohio about 1833. There was born to them a family of eight children: Levi, Lois, Andrew, Francis, Emily, Ellen, now Mrs. Socrates Smith, Seth, Jr., and Chloe.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Son of Seth and Sophia (Leach) Smith; Civil War soldier
Husband of Ellen, daughter of Seth Smith, Sr.; of a separate Smith family
Pioneer of Ashton Township
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
Mr. Smith is the son of Reuben and Nancy (Farmer) Smith, who were engaged in farming and fruit raising in that section of Mardand. His paternal grandfather was a Spanish creole, born in Louisiana, near New Orleans, and was one of the first that settled down on the Chesapeake Bay. His maternal grandfather, was a native of Shropshire, England, who came to America about the year 1800.
John T. received a good common school education in the days of his youth and remained at home until attaining man's estate. Starting out in life for himself he came Westward, and locateti for sometime at McConnell's Grove, Ind., about twenty-live miles west of Lafa3'ette. From there he went to Chicago, and thence to St. Louis, Mo. From the latter city, he came to Monona County, in 1865, and here took a homestead of eigiity acres of land on section 12, Ashton Township, to which he has since added some forty acres on section 13. With him came a man by the name of James Williams, who soon became discouraged, and removed to Dubuque. Mr. Smith immediately broke about forty acres of land, and erected a log cabin, and commenced the development of his place.
During the War of the Rebellion, Mr. Smith was in the employ of the Government, having charge of the corral at Ridgeway, Kan., during 1862. In 1863, he had charge of a government train, and in 1864, commanded the post train at Ft. Scott. In the spring of 1867, he crossed the plains for Denver, Col., for B. Stratton, a freighter, in whose employ he continued about three months.
The succeeding year he was engaged in the same line of business for himself, and then came back to the farm. Ilis crop that year was consider.ably injured by the grasshoppers, so, renting his farm, he returned to Denver, and in that city and Omaha made his living for about a year and then returned to Monona County, where he has since made his home.
John T. Smith was united in marriage in May, 1858, with Miss Lydia Taylor, a native of Blackhawk County, Iowa, who died in 1860, leaving one child, Charles O., who is engaged in farming in Wright County, Minn.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Farmer and stock raiser, section 1, Belvidere Township
President of the Mapleton Bank
JOHN W. SMITH, the President of the Mapleton Bank, came to that village in August, 1878, and engaged in dealing in stock which ' business he still carries on. He became associated with the direction of the bank, April I, 1884, and was chosen its president in 1886. He is one of the large landholders of the county, owning some twenty-six hundred and forty acres, and is one of the leading business men of the community in which he makes his home.
Mr. Smith was born in Jackson County, Iowa, August 7, 1852, and is the son of A. C. and Martha (Hawkins) Smith. Ilis father, a native of Nashville, Tenn., located at Galena, Jo Daviess County, In., in a very early day, and was there engaged in lead mining. From there he went to Jackson County, Iowa, among its first settlers, and took up land under the pre-emption law. In the latter locality he was married to Miss Martha Hawkins, a native of Pennsylvania, and there made his home until 1867, at which date he removed to Clinton
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
Mr. Smith was united in iiiarringe.January 28. 1877, to Miss Chloe M. llart, a n.ative of Clinton County, Iowa, and is a parent of three children: Edna Belle, who w.is born March 10, 1870; Stella, March 28, 1882; and Clotilde, January 28, 1885.
Mrs. Smith is an active member of the Baptist Church of Maplcton.and a sincere Christian woman. Mr. Smith is a member of the <harry Lodge, No. 404. A. F. & A. M., of Mapleton, and at one time filled the position of secretary of the Maple Valley Driving Park Association, of which he was a leading member and originator.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Blacksmith and carriage maker at Whiting.
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