John Smith

As printed in 1908

JOHN SMITH, a representative citizen and substantial resident of Tallmadge Township, owns two farms of sixty-five acres each, one of which is situated within the city limits of Akron. Mr. Smith was born about seventy-two years ago, in County Antrim, Ireland, and was fifteen years of age when his parents came to America. They were named Robert and Mary (McCracken) Smith, children respectively of Robert Smith and Patrick Mc- Cracken.

In England, prior to his losses, which were caused by the murrain in his cattle, the father of John Smith was a successful raiser and dealer in stock. He was born in the north of Ireland, where he owned three farms at one time. After his losses he decided to come to America. He embarked on one of the frail old sailing ships, which required six weeks and three days to make the voyage which the latest ocean marvel has accomplished in about four days, but it landed the family safely on

American soil and they came immediately to *Vkron. They lived first on Broad Street, removing later to Rubber Street. John and his brother went to work in the woolen mills of Rouse & Goodrich, where they remained for a number of years. In the meanwhile the father bought a farm of 160 acres from Roswell Kent, a part of which he sold for city lots.

The large family of Robert and Mary Smith included nine sons and three daughters. Joseph died in 1861. Robert died in the same year. Hugh married and moved to Missouri, where he died. William also died in Missouri. Samuel lived to within ten years ago. James, who lived on the homestead, died in the fall of 1906. Patrick married and is pro.spring in Arizona. John, as noted above, lives in Tallmadge. Eliza married John N. Hankey and died at Cleveland. Mary is the widow of John Honodle, who died in 1891. Margaret never married.

John Smith has spent a large part of his active life at work in woolen mills, his last labor in this line having been in mills at Cleveland. He resides with his two sisters on the farm which the family has owned for the past fifty years. Every acre of it is valuable. The Smith family belong to the Presbyterian Church, in which they were reared by their Christian parents. Politically, Mr. Smith is a stanch Republican and he cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln.

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.