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.
Born 1832, Marion County
From History of Allen County, Ohio : containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; hist (1885)
O. W. SMITH, attorney at law, Lima, was born March 7, 1834, in Marion County, Ohio: son of John H. and Elizabeth (McNeal) Smith, natives of Pennsylvania, and of Scotch and English descent, respectively. John H. Smith came to Ohio in 1831, and settled in Marion County as a farmer and stock dealer, and raised a family of fifteen children, thirteen of whom are now living; of those deceased, John H. was accidentally killed by the kick of a horse, when a man grown, and Edward was scalded to death accidentally. Our subject was educated in the common schools of Marion County, Ohio, afterward taking a six years’ term, and commenced reading law about the time of his leaving school, in June,
1864. He was admitted to the bar in January, 1867, under the supreme court, and came to Lima, November 28, 1868.
As printed in History of Allen County, Ohio : containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; hist (1885). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1885. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.