In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio (1881)
JOSEPH S. SMITH, druggist, Akron; son of Christian Smith, was born in Warren, Warren Co., Penn., Dec. 4, 1855; at 14, he entered a drug store in Warren, where he remained four and a half years as clerk, after which he entered the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, from which he graduated in the spring of 1877, being engaged as clerk in a Philadelphia house at the same time. In the fall of 1877, he and his brother bought a drug store at Wilkesbarre, Penn., continuing until 1878, when they sold out and bought the present store in September, 1878, of Sisler & Sorrick, located the first door north of the post office; they have a full stock of pure drugs, chemicals and sundries; they have a laboratory for the manufacture of fluid and solid extracts, gelatine-coated pills, elixir and pharmaceutical preparations in general; they are doing a prosperous wholesale and retail business.
As printed in History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1881. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.