David C. Smith

As printed in 1908

DAVID C. SMITH, a representative citizen of Clinton, who does an extensive business in hardware, paints, implements, buggies and harness, was born on the home farm east of Clinton, Franklin Township, Summit County, Ohio, February 27, 1859, and is a son of Lewis and Elizabeth (Croft) Smith.

John Adam Smith, the grandfather of David C, was a substantial citizen of his native town in Germany, where he was mayor and professor in the High School. He came to this country with his three children, of whom Lewis, the youngest, was three years old, and landed at Baltimore. Mr. Smith brought with him $7,000 in gold, which, in the few hours at night that were spent on the boat at the docks in Baltimore, was stolen from him, and he was compelled to begin all over again in the new country. Sustaining his great lo.ss with fortitude, this sturdy emigrant settled for a short time in Pennsylvania, whence they came to the vicinity of Canton, Ohio, and located for a time on a farm. A small place was then purchased near Canal Fulton, Ohio, where John Adam Smith spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring at the age of 89 years. In spite of his great pecuniary loss in early life, Mr. Smith had become a very successful man, and at the time of his death was rated one of the substantial men of his community. He had three children, Catherine, Elizabeth and Lewis.

Lewis Smith, father of David C, being the only son of his parents, was compelled to spend his youth in hard labor on the home farms, and his period of schooling was limited to about eighteen months. After his marriage he lived for several years on a rented farm north of Canal Fulton, and then purchased eighty-one acres of fine land east of Clinton, Franklin Township, Summit County, where he resided for about thirty-three years. He then bought a farm of 160 acres west of Clinton, where his death occurred twenty years later, when he was in his eighty-first year. Mr. Smith was married to Elizabeth Croft, who was born in Stark County, Ohio, and who died at the age of fifty-seven. Of this union there are living five children: Adam, who lives on the home place in Franklin Township: William H., of Clinton, Ohio;.lacol), who died in 1901; David C. and Mary E. Ruck, residing at Canal Fulton. After the death of his first wife, Lewis Smith was married to Louisa Fritz, who died in 1903, there being no children of the second union.

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

On October 11, 1883, Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Mary E. Hul)er, who is a daughter of Phillip Huber, and tn this union there have been born eight children, namely: Dora, who married C. AV. McLaughlin, assistant cashier of the Fulton Bank; Clarence D., Thurman T., Carrie, Ruth, Lewis, Miriam and Amelia.

Mr. Smith is a Republican in his political views, but he takes only a good citizen's interest in public matters. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of the Maccabees and the Junior Order of United American Mechanics. With his family lie belongs to the Lutheran Church, in which he is deacon.

As printed in Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.