Ellsworth W. Smith

As printed in 1916

ELLSWORTH VV. SMITH.

One of the most prominent old families of Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is that of Ellsworth VV. Smith, a well-known lecturer on scientific farming in this state, who was born thirty miles east of Buffalo, in Bennington township, Wyoming county, New York, March 23, 1864. Mr. Smith is the son of Isaiah S. and Maria ( Foster) Smith.

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Smith. Sardious and Isabel Smith, were natives of Vermont and, for many generations, were connected by blood ties with the oldest New England families. Sardious Smith was a pioneer in western New York, having immigrated to the "Holland Purchase," and settled in Bennington township in 1815. He died there at the age of ninety-six years. Although he carried a musket in the War of 1812, he was not an enlisted soldier. Ikwas the leading man in his community and was highly respected as a citizen. He and his wife were members of the Baptist church. They were the parents of eight children. Mr. Smith's maternal grandparents were farmers in New England, who, very early in the last century, immigrated to Bennington township, Wyoming county. New York.

Ellsworth Smith's mother, who before her marriage was Maria Foster, was born at Belfast, New York, about 1820. His father, Isaiah S. Smith, was born in Bennington township, Wyoming county in 1817. There they grew up and married. Isaiah S. Smith was a farmer, a contracting carpenter and a well-known builder of bridges, dams and mills. About 1866, he left New York state and made a trip to Nebraska, looking for a location. After remaining in Nebraska for six months, during which time he built a mill at what is now Decatur, he returned to New York and remained until the fall of 1876, when the family moved to Wisconsin. There they lived for four years, but in the spring of 1881, came to Woodside township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, and purchased eighty acres of railroad land, which was then wild prairie. Here they built a frame house and began to cultivate the farm. Isaiah S. Smith died in 1893 and his wife in 1872. He was always active in local politics. There were four children in the Smith family, George D., who died in Whatcom county, Washington, where he was engaged in farming: Ann Augusta, who married William Van Dyke and died in the state of New York; Warren A., who died at the age of seventeen, and Ellsworth, the subject of this sketch.

Ellsworth W. Smith was educated in the public schools of New York state, Wisconsin and Minnesota. He was reared on the farm and. early in life, learned the carpenter trade. Having come into possession of his father's farm, he operated the place since coming here. In 1892 Mr. Smith built a barn, thirty by forty-two feet, and about iqos erected an addition, which makes the barn now, thirty-six by seventy-six feet. He also has other barns and outbuildings. In 1902 he erected a good house.

Mr. Smith calls himself an all-around farmer, but makes a specialty of raising clover seed, potatoes and pure-blood Duroc-Jersey hogs. He keeps a drove of from fifty to seventy-five head and also operates a small dairy. He also breeds pure-blood barred Plymouth Rock chickens and generally has from eighty to one hundred hens.

For the past eight years, Mr. Smith has been employed by the farmers institute department of agriculture of the state of Minnesota, to address institutes all over the state. He spends from four to six months of each year in this work. Mr. Smith is the kind of a farmer who "takes something to town to sell every time he goes" and this is the slogan of his lecture, and the principle which he practices and preaches throughout this state. Mr. Smith has often exhibited products raised on his farm at nearby fairs. I lis wife, who is an expert cheese maker, took a prize at the state fair at one time. In their early lives. Mr. and Mrs. Smith experienced many hard times, but, by pluck ami hard work, they have made a large success of farming. Mr. Smith is a director in the Farmers State Bank, at Bertha, Minnesota.

In 1887 Ellsworth W. Smith was married to Anna S. Streit, a native of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, and the daughter of Benjamin Streit, who was born in Missouri, of German parentage. Benjamin Streit came to Otter Tail county about 1878, but is now living at Roseburg. in Douglas count) Oregon.

Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth W. Smith have six children, namely: Ralph, who lives on the farm in Woodside township and is a graduate of the agricultural school; Roy A., who also lives on the farm in Woodside township; Ina G., who lives at home and was educated in the Parkers Prairie high school and at the Agricultural and Teachers Training school of St. Anthony Park; Clifford, who is a student in the Alexandria high school; Zetty and Marjorie, both of whom are at home.

Mr. Smith has killed practically all of the township offices but has always been especially interested in school affairs. He is independent in politics and prefers to vote for men whom he considers best fitted for the office. Fraternally, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.

As printed in History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1916). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.