Richard Edmund Smith

As printed in 1905

RICHARD EDMUND SMITH.

R. E. Smith, who died in Keokuk in Februarw 1802. was a man of marked business energy and personal popularity, and his death was the occasion of deep regret throughout the city in which he had long made his home and in which he had come to be recognized as a man whom to know was to respect and honor. He was lion, reared and educated in Maryland and in early manhood removed from that state to Pennsylvania, where he became a snh-contractor in the building of a tunnel a mile and a quarter in length through the Alleghany mountains. This was a difficult piece of engineering and indicated his superior skill in that direction. Mr. Smith arrived in Liwa in 1854. at which time he took uj) his above in Davenport. Init not pleased with that city he came to Keokuk in 1855 and purchased property here with the intention of making his permanent home in Lee county. He then returned to Loretta. Pennsyh-ania. where on the 4th day of May, 1856, he was married. He then brought his bride to his new home and here began contracting and building, his attention being given to the construction of houses. Later he was made assistant superintendent on the Des Moines-Valley Road, occupying that position for sixteen years, when his health failed and he turned his attention to the building of county bridges for Lee county. He was employed as count\' supervisor and afterward took small contracts up to the time of his death, doing whatever his health ])iTmitted. lie enjoyed the unqualified conlitlence of the business community because of his fidelity to the terms of a contract and his strict conformity to the ethics of business life. He constructed the first freight car ever built in the State of Iowa and the tree is still standing unfler which he did his work, for that was before any shops were built. Later he gave his attention to the building of passenger coaches. As stated. Mr. Smith was married, in Loretta. Pennsvlvania, the lady of his choice being Miss Catherine A. Myers. who was born in that city April 18, 1832. Her parents were John B. and Catherine (Meyers) Myers. Her parents were natives of Germany and came to the United States soon after their marriage, locating in Loretta, Pennsylvania, where 'Mr. Myers carried on farming. Sul)sequently he turned his attention to hotel keeping at that ]place. Mrs. Smith is related to the Schwab millionaires, of Pittsburg, and is an aunt of Charles M. Schwab, of steel fame. L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Smith were born six sons and two daughters: Charles, now living in Hannibal, missouri; b'rank, who died in 1899, at the age of thirty-seven years; Edward, a resident of Pentler, Nebraska; George, who is living in Omaha; \Villiam, who is with the FrankcblM-ank & Company, wholesale milliners, of Kansas City, Missouri; John, a member of the firm of Cherry, Sither & Company, stoves and tinware, of Keokuk; Mrs. Anna White, a widow residing with her mother, and M.ary (race. the wife of W. Winger, a dry goods merchant of Keokuk. Mrs. Smith now has ten grandchildren.

Mr. Smith held membership in St. Frances De Sales Roman Catholic church, to which all his family belonged. He was a man of many estimable traits of character, was very generous and kind to the poor and needy, sympathetic with those in distress and had a ready understanding that enabled him to enter into the feeling and realize the conditions of others. His benevolent spirit prompted him to give assistance wherever it was needed and yet he was always unostentatious in his charity. He was a wise cousin seller in business, giving his advice freely when it was sought, and his judgment was rarely, if ever, at fault. In his family, however, his best traits of character were shown. He was a devoted husband and father, doing everything in his power to promote the welfare and happiness of his wife and children. His relations to his employes is shown by the fact that while he was serving as railway superintendent the employes of that road bought and presented to him a horse and saddle, the former valued at $250. His popularity- with his friends was proven by the gift of a gold-headed cane, which was voted to him at a Catholic fair as the most popular railroad man of the city He left his family in comfortable circumstances, having his home and other city property in addition to considerable life insurance. He died at the age of sixty-two years, respected by all who knew him and his memory is yet cherished not only by his immediate family, but also by the many friends whom he won during the years of his residence in Keokuk.

As printed in Biographical review of Lee County, Iowa; (1905). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.