Frank M. Smith

As printed in 1905

FRANK M. SMITH.

As an eminent 1\ successful farmer and business man and a n'ember of one of the older and letter-known families of Des Moines county, Frank M. Smith occupies in the community a position of considerable prominence. He is now residing on his large farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Section 15, Pleasant throne township, and besides the pursuit of agriculture is interested in a number of other prosperous enterprises. Mr. Smith was born in this township on.March jo. 1848, a son of Andrew J. and Jane (Westfall) Smith. The father was a native of the Olil Dtjminion, and was lion in Washington county, that State, Dec. 28, 181 1, first coming westward with his parents in 1817 and locating in Clarke county, Indiana. I'rom Indiana he came to Des Moines county, Iowa, in 1H43, arriving on the first day of May in that year, and settling in Pleasant Grove township). He was a poor man, his entire cajjital at that lime being about sixteen dollars in money; but he secured work plowing up the virgin ])prairie for other settlers, and by strenuous effort soon placed himself upon an independent footing, besides li(uidaling some iiulebtedness which he had previously incurred.

A few years after his arrival in the State he purchased a farm of eighty acres in this township] and on April 18, 1847, he married Miss Westfall. (puck peace])lion of oiiJortunity and an unfailing attention to his work marked him in all that he dikl. and he ra])idly achieved prosperiiN on a large scale. He increased his original ])purchase of land from time to time, and at one period was the owner of one thousand and three hundred acres in Des Moines county. His main interests were farming and the raising and feeding of cattle and high-grade stock. Hard and persistent work was the secret of his success. His education was rather limited.

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Politically a Democrat, he was honored by election to the office of county supervisor, and also was for a number of years trustee of his township. He and his wife were supporters of the Universalist church, which they attended. His death occurred Dec. i6, 1903, in Pleasant Grove township, and interment was at Pleasant Grove cemetery. He was a man of fine, strong, and upright character, an excellent example of American manhood at its best, and enjoyed the general respect in a remarkable degree.

The mother of our subject was born in Alleghany county. New York, June 20, 1829, and in girlhood came with her parents to Iowa, where her father died when she was quite young. She was the mother of a large family, there being twelve children, all of whom still survive. She died at Yarmouth, Washington township, in 1895.

Mr. Smith, the subject of this memoir, received the advantage of a good training in the district schools of his native township, and on attaining his majority purchased one of his father's farms, consisting of eighty acres near Yarmouth, where he conducted operations in the line of general farming and stock-raising for four years, at the expiration of which period he disposed of his holding and removed to Page county, Iowa. At the latter place he remained for two years, and then returned to Pleasant Grove township, there purchasing a farm, which he conducted for four years. Later he purchased, and for four years farmer one hundred and twenty acres of land in Keokuk county, and subsequently spent three very successful years on a farm of two hundred and ninety acres which he purchased in Jefferson county. Returning to Des Moines county, he purchased his present farm of three hundred and twenty acres, which lias been the place of his residence continuously ever since, and although the land was at that time already partially improved, he has by constant care and the expenditure of much time, energy, money, and thought, succeeded in raising it far above its former condition, and made it a model of its class. He had the misfortune to lose the original residence building by fire, but this he has replaced with a large and substantial dwelling-house. Besides general farming he has given much attention to the raising of fine stock, making a specialty of Shorthorn cattle and Chester White hogs, for both of which his farm has become widely and justly celebrated. He also raises some fine sheep and Angora goats, having two hundred of the latter at the present time.

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As printed in Biographical review of Des Moines County, Iowa (1905). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.