David Smith

As printed in 1884

DAVID SMITH, formerly a prominent farmer of this township, was born in Hampshire County, Va., January 26, 1814. His father and mother, Jacob and Mary (Long) Smith, were natives of Pennsylvania and Virginia respectively, the former being of German parentage, and a matter by trade in his younger days. After his marriage he operated a flour mill in Virginia. The family consisted of six children — Eliza, George, John, David, Samuel and Sarah A. Mrs. Smith had two sons by her first husband —William and Jacob Rannells. In the fall of 1824, Mr. Smith moved from Virginia to this county and located about one mile west of the present site of Carey, where he entered eighty acres of land. On this farm the children grew lip, and in due season began life on their own responsibility. George Smith entered the Methodist Episcopal ministry, and died in Michigan. The parents died in the neighborhood where they had spent most of their mature days, the father in 1859, in his eighty-second year, the mother in 1869 in her eighty-sixth year. Mr. Smith was a man of liberal views and highly respected. He served as Associate Judge while this was yet Crawford County. David Smith, our subject, worked on the farm with his parents till twenty-six years of age. He married Amelia Brown, daughter of William Brown, June 4, 1840. Her parents came to this county in 1824. She was born at Columbus, Ohio, April 28, 1823. After his marriage Mr. Smith began farming on the Big Spring reservation on land purchased by his father. He here improved 200 acres, to which he added 300 more in after years. His chief business for the past twenty years has been the raising of tine grades of stock — thoroughbred short-horn cattle. In 1868, he came to Carey and purchased a farm near town, dividing most of his Hancock County property with his children, whose names are as follows: Ellen A., McKendree, Ann L., William B., Albert, Emma V., Clinton D. and Virgil A. The eldest son, McKendree, enlisted in Company A, One Hundi-ed and Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in the fall of 1862, and served about two years in the war when he was taken sick and died in the hospital at Philadelphia, Penn. Mr. Smith is Republican in politics; he was elected Land Appraiser in 1880, and has served several years as School Director. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. After a life of toil and hardship for many years, they are now enjoying the fruits of their labors.

As printed in The history of Wyandot county, Ohio, containing a history of the county: its townships, towns, churches, schools, etc.; (1884). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.