In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1915) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From History of Preble County Ohio: Her People, Industries and Institutions (1915), A Biographical history of Preble County, Ohio : compendium of national biography (1900)
HENRY P. SMITH.
This gentleman has the distinction of having won the proud American title of a self-made man. Several of the leading enterprises and business interests of Lewisburg bear the impress of his individuality and owe not a little of their success to his ability and capable powers of management. His great determination and energy have enabled him to overcome all the difficulties and obstacles in his path and work his way steadily upward to prosperity. He is known among his fellow townsmen for his reliability in all trade transactions and justly merits their confidence and regard.
Mr. Smith was born in the kingdom of Prussia, Germany, January 18, 1850, but was only two years old when brought to this country by his father, Frederick Smith, also a native of Prussia and a cooper by trade. The family located in Cincinnati, Ohio, where our subject was reared and educated. At the age of fourteen he commenced learning the cigarmaker’s trade, which he followed in that city for five years, and then worked at the same in all of the principal cities of the west, including Omaha, Kansas City and St. Louis, returning to Cincinnati in 1871, by way of Iowa, Milwaukee and Chicago. In 1872 he again went to St. Louis, where he spent a year, and on his return to Cincinnati was employed as a traveling salesman for a cigar house one year. In 1874 he accepted a position as salesman for a leaf tobacco house, with which he was connected twelve years.
On the ist of August, 1886 Mr. Smith came to Lewisburg and embarked in the leaftobacco business on his own account, buying and shipping that product extensively. In 1893 he formed a partnership with L. F. Parmerlee, which connection still continues. With others, he assisted in organizing the People’s Banking Company in 1892, and has since filled the office of vice-president. He is still interested in the tobacco trade, and is carrying on an extensive business along that line. He furnishes employment to forty people, and in 1899 paid out nine thousand dollars for labor alone. That year he handled two thousand cases of tobacco, the second largest amount handled by any firm in the county, and now has sixty thousand dollars’ worth of tobacco 011 hands in his warehouse. His plant is heated by steam and in every respect is a first-class establishment of its kind. Mr. Smith is one of the directors of the Miami Leaf Tobacco Association, with headquarters in Dayton.
On the 23d of September, 1874, in Lewisburg, Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Miss Anna M. Ruff, who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and came to Lewisburg with her parents when young. By this union has been born one daughter, Pearl C., at home.
Mr. Smith has taken all of the degrees in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; has filled all the chairs in the local lodge and encampment, and has represented the lodges of Preble and Darke counties in the grand lodge of the state. Politically he is a stanch Republican, and has taken an active and prominent part in public affairs, serving as a member of the city council two terms and mayor of the village in 1899, but he resigned the latter office before his term expired. His time is wholly taken up with his extensive business interests. He is energetic, prompt and notably reliable in all transactions, and has the entire confidence and respect of his fellow citizens.
As printed in A Biographical history of Preble County, Ohio : compendium of national biography (1900). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
HENRY P. SMITH.
Among the strong and influential citizens of Preble county, Ohio, the record of whose lives have become essential parts of the history of this section, Henry P. Smith occupies a prominent place. For many years Mr. Smith has exerted a beneficent influence in the locality where he resides. Several elements have been conspicuous in Mr. Smith's career. He is known for his keenness of perception, his tireless energy, his honesty of purpose and motive and his every-day common sense, characteristics which have enabled him not only to advance his own personal interests but also largely to contribute to the moral and material advancement of Lewisburg and the surrounding country.
Henry P. Smith was born, January 18, 1850, at Kempfeld. Germany, the son of Frederick and Katherine (Shale) Smith, to whom eight children were born, three of whom are living.
Frederick Smith was born on February 5, 1808, in Germany, where he was a cooper. He came to the United States eight years before the breaking out of the Civil War and settled at Cincinnati, Ohio, on July 10, 1852. Mr. Smith worked at his trade in Cincinnati until the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted in Company K, Twenty-eighth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served three years and was discharged at Camp
Dennison, Ohio. After quitting the army, Mr. Smith returned to Cincinnati and resumed work at his trade as a cooper. He followed this trade until his death, which occurred in 187&. Mr. Smith’s wife was born in March, 1818, in Germany and died.in 1883.
Henry P; Smith, the subject of this sketch, left Germany with his parents at the age of two years. When he was old enough to begin his education, he attended the public schools of Cincinnati and when he was thirteen he began to learn the cigar-maker’s trade. After having served his apprenticeship, he worked in several large western cities. Subsequently, he took a commercial course at a commercial college in Cincinnati, and in 1873 he became a traveling salesman for a tobacco firm. He followed this line of activity until 1886, when he came to Preble county, locating at Lewisburg, where he became engaged in the tobacco business with a partner, under the firm name of Smith & Parmerlee. In 1901 Mr. Smith's partner died and since that time the firm has been known as Smith & Company. A. T. Horn was associated with Mr. Smith after 1901, but is no lojiger connected with the firm.
When the Bank of Lewisburg was organized Mr. Smith became president, and he is now a heavy stockholder in the Peoples Banking Company of Lewisburg. Mr. Smith also is a director and a stockholder of the Interstate Stone Company and the Electric Light Company of Lewisburg and stockholder and treasurer of the Lewisburg Telephone Company.
Henry P. Smith was married in 1874 to Anna M. Ruff, who was born July 28, 1854, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of George and Anna (Rehfuss) Ruff, both of whom were natives of Wurtemburg, Germany. George Ruff built the tannery at Lewisburg and was in the tanning business twenty-five or thirty years. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ruff died at Lewisburg. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Henry P. Smith, Pearl C., who was born in 1878 and married J. C. Brinkman, of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Mr. Smith has been an extensive traveler throughout his life. He has traveled through most of the states of this country and has visited almost all of the European countries.
Mr. Smith is a Republican and since attaining maturity has been interested in the local politics of his home community. He has served as a member of the Lewisburg city council and in 1900 wras made mayor and also chairman and trustee of the city water works. Mr. Smith was largely instrumental in organizing the water works at Lewdsburg. Religiously, Mrand Mrs. Smith are adherents of the German Lutheran church. Fraternally, Mr. Smith is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a creditable representative of the present-day American citizen and is possessed of those admirable qualities and characteristics which have made the German people substantial citizens throughout the world.
As printed in History of Preble County Ohio: Her People, Industries and Institutions (1915). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1915. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.