Anthony Smith

As printed in 1902

ANTHONY SMITH.

Anthony Smith is a retired farmer living in New Washington, and his position of financial ease has been Avon by years of indefatigable labor in the earlier period of his manhood. He was born in Hardin county, Virginia, February 24, 1831. his parents being John and Rebecca (Davis) Smith, of whose family of eight children our subject is the only survivor. The father was born in Virginia, about 1785, and in the Old Dominion was reared to manhood, early becoming familiar with farm work in its various departments.

He married Miss Rebecca Davis, also a native of Virginia, and upon a farm they began their domestic life. In the fall of 1833 they removed to Crawford county, Ohio, and the father entered 1hree hundred acres of land in Chatfield township from the government. At that time there were only two houses in New Washington and no roads had been made through this section of the country, so that the pioneer settlers blazed the trees in order to mark a path through the forest. Mr. Smith erected a hewed-log house in the midst of the wilderness and then began the arduous task of clearing his land and preparing it for the plow. He was a frugal, energetic man, and had placed much of his farm under cultivation at the time of his death, which occurred in 1845.

Anthony Smith, of this review, was then only fourteen years of age. His childhood and youth were passed at home and he received but a limited education, owing to the inadequate school facilities found in the pioneer settlement. After his death our subject and his brothers operated the home place until the time of our subject's marriage, in 1866. He then purchased the interest of the other heirs, becoming the owner of two hundred and twenty-five acres of the old homestead, and from that time until his retirement to private life he was successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits. In the fall of 1867, however, he sold the old home farm and purchased a better improved property comprising one hundred and sixty acres in Cranberry township, where he cultivated the fields until 1878. He then rented his farm and removed to New Washington, purchasing the present home property in which he yet resides.

On the 30th of January, 1866, Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Koehler, a native of Cranberry township and a daughter of Herman and Martha (Guiss) Koehler. Her father was a native of Helserberg, Germany, born August 2, 181 7, and when a lad of twelve years he came to America with his parents, the family settling in Cranberry township, Crawford county, in 1833, being among the first residents of this locality. His wife was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, February 1, 1825, and on the 1 2th of November, 1842, she gave her hand in marriage to Mr. Koehler, Her death occurred June 22, 1893. Both were consistent members of the Evangelical Lutheran church and were beloved by all who knew them. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Smith have been born three children, namely: John H., a resident of New Washington; Margaret M., wife of George Longyear, of New Washington: and William H., who is living with his parents.

Mr. Smith exercises his right of franchise in support of Democratic principles. He, too, belongs to the Lutheran church, and is a man of genuine worth, highly regarded for his sterling traits of character. He has made his home in Crawford county since pioneer days and has witnessed the wonderful changes which have transformed this region from a wild tract into cultivated farms and comfortable homes. He has seen the forests cut away, to be replaced by fields of having grain, and has watched the introduction of the railroad, the telegraph, the telephone, the business enterprises and industries and all improvements known to the older east. He takes just pride in what his county has accomplished, and is a loyal and public-spirited citizen.

As printed in A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio .. (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.