Manville P. Smith

As printed in 1911

MANVILLE P. SMITH

Manville P. Smith is now living practically retired in Marion, having gained a handsome competence through the careful conduct of agricultural interests in this state. His birth occurred in Jones county, Iowa, his parents being B. A. and Irene (Reed) Smith, who were natives of West Virginia and Ohio respectively, the former born in 1833 and the latter in 1832. In the year 1849 they removed westward to Iowa, settling in Jones county, where the father entered a quarter section of land, making his home thereon throughout the remainder of his life. Until 1875 he lived in a log house which he had erected on his arrival but in that year replaced. the primitive structure by a more commodious dwelling. He likewise brought his fields under a high state of cultivation and improvement and made the farm a most valuable and productive one. At the time of the Civil war he enlisted for service in the Union army as a member of Company G, Thirty-first Iowa Volunteer Infantry and served three years and four months, participating in the battles of Shiloh, Gettysburg, Lookout Mountain and other important engagements. He was also with Sherman on the march to the sea. He passed away in 1890 in the faith of the Baptist church, his remains being interred in the cemetery at Olin, Iowa.

Following his demise Mrs. Smith left the farm and removed to Olin, where she resided until called to her final rest in 1906. She was also a devoted member of the Baptist church and was buried in the Olin cemetery. Her family numbered eight children, as follows: Commodore A., who is married and lives in Texas; Katherine, the wife of C. A. Coppess, of Olin, Jones county; Mary V., who is the wife of W. F. Giddings and resides in Hale, Iowa; Manville P., of this review; Tilly I., the wife of W. II. Walston, of Dallas county, Iowa; Frank W., who is married and makes his home in Colorado; Ina B., the wife of W. F. Freeman, of Olin, Jones county; and Ila V., who is the wife of J. Stokes and resides in Iowa City, Iowa.

Manville P. Smith remained at home until he had reached man's estate and then started out as an agriculturist on his own account, operating a rented tract of land for four years. On the expiration of that period he purchased a farm of two hundred and twenty acres in Marshall county, Iowa, resided thereon for five years and then leased the property'to a tenant for one year, removing to Jones county. There he purchased one hundred and seventy acres of land and in 1895 also traded his Marshall county farm for one in Jones county, where his land holdings therefore aggregated three hundred and fifteen acres. After living in Jones county for eight years he sold his property and went, to Cedar county, Iowa, where in 1902 he purchased two hundred and forty acres of land. He likewise bought property to the value of one thousand dollars in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, which he later sold at a good profit. In Cedar county he made his home for five years and in 1907 came to Linn county, purchasing eighty acres of land within the corporation limits of Marion. After residing thereon for three years, however, he bought city residence property and is now living practically retired, having won a handsome competence through his successful operations as a dealer in Iowa land. In connection with the tilling of the soil he devoted considerable attention to the feeding of stock and this branch of his business likewise proved very profitable. lie still owns the eighty-acre farm within the city limits of Marion and is interested in the dairy business which is there conducted by his son-in-law, Chester Knight.

On the ist of January, 1885, Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Emma B. Clay, a daughter of D. A. and Lovisa N. (Root) Clay, who are residents of Hale, Jones county, Iowa. The father was born in London, England, in 18-12, while the mother's birth occurred in Connecticut in 1849. Until his health began to fail in recent years, Mr. Clay took an active part in public affairs and served as trustee of his township and as a member of the county board of supervisors. His children were ten in number, as follows: Mrs. Smith; Josephine, the wife of E. Sawyer, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Ida E., the wife of James Ballon, of Cedar county; Oren E., who is married and resides in Spokane, Washington; Ozias, deceased; one who died in infancy; D. L., who is married and makes his home at Hartley, O'Brien county, Iowa; Lyda, who gave her hand in marriage to J. W. Fowlie and resides in Cedar county; Bertha I., the wife of L. A. Pattent, of Yorkshire, Iowa; and Leona M., at home. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Smith were born four children, namely: Clarence E., whose birth occurred on the 12th of March, 18S6, and who passed away in September of the same year; Clayton P., at home, who is a high school graduate; Laverne E., who is the wife of Chester Knight and resides in this county* on her father's farm, and Bert A., likewise at home.

In politics Mr. Smith has ever been a stanch republican yet has never sought office as a reward for his party fealty. He belongs to the Sons of Veterans and is officially connected with the camp at Marion as consul. His wife is conductor of the Woman's Relief Corps, the ladies' auxiliary of the Grand Army of the Republic. Both are devoted and consistent members of the Christian church and take an active interest in its work. Mr. Smith has gained the warm esteem of all with whom he has come contact because of his upright and honorable life and also by reason of the straightforward methods he has ever followed in his business career.

As printed in History of Linn County Iowa : from its earliest settlement to the present time (1911). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.