S. A. Smith

As printed in 1907

S. A. SMITH.

S. A. Smith is one of the most extensive land owners of Guthrie county, being the possessor of five hundred and twenty acres of rich and valuable land, situated on

Ohio; Sardine, of Miner county. South Dakota, and William P., who is acting as cashier of the Amesville Bank at Athens, Ohio. The subject of this review acquired his education in the common schools of his native state, and in early life learned and followed the carpenter's trade. \Mien a young man of twenty-three years he left his native state and came to Iowa, locating in Linn county, near Springville, but remained there for only a brief period, continuing his journey to Tama county. He took up his above near Toledo, where he remained for eighteen years, and during a part of that time worked at his trade. In 1882 he came to Guthrie county and invested in land in Orange township, to which he has since added as his financial resources permitted until he is today the owner of five hundred and twenty of the rich farming land of Iowa, from which he derives an income that today places him among the prosperous and well-to-do residents of his section of the state, his home place being located on section 26. Orange township. Mr. Smith was born March 31, sections 24, 25 and 26. He has been judicious in placing his investments, and in all his work displays a spirit of enterprise and progressiveness. With the assistance of his sons he is now engaged in general agricultural pursuits upon an extensive scale, and

1 84 1, in Monroe county, Ohio, near Woodseach year adds to his income through the field, a son of Aaron and Sarah Ann (Jones) Smith, the former also a native of the Buckeye state, his birth having occurred in Guernsey county, while the latter was born in Virginia, but was married in the former state. The father was a stone-cutter and followed his trade in Athens county, Ohio, where his death occurred in 1894. when he had reached the advanced age of seventy-two years. He had survived his wife for about a year, her death having occurred in 1893.

S. A. Smith is the eldest in a family of nine children, the others being Mrs. Mary P. Randolph, who resides in Washington county, Ohio; Thomas Osborne, who died in the army after he had participated in the harvesting of abundant crops. He has improved his place with good buildings, including a fine country residence and substantial! outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock, and everything about his farm is kept in a good state of repair.

On the 6th of April. 1862, occurred the marriage of Mr. Smith and Miss Elizabeth Parkins, a resident of.Xthens county. Ohio. They have become the parents of eight children, but the eldest, Lineas Osborne, is now deceased. Those still surviving are: Erastus L., who operates a farm belonging to his father; Celista Rosetta, the wife of Getorge Doty, a traveling salesman for the Medicated Stock Food Company, and a resident

S. A. SMITH of Council Bluffs, Iowa; William Finley, who follows farming south of Guthrie Center; Minerva May, the wife of J. W. Doty, who follows farming west of Guthrie Center; Aaron S., who is associated with his father in the management of the home farm; Maria Mabel Gertrude, at home, and Samuel J., who also assists his father on the home farm.

Mr. Smith's political views endorse the principles of the republican party, and by his fellow townsmen he has been called upon to fill some local offices, having served as justice of the peace and as a member of the Guthrie county high school board for eleven years, the cause of education finding in him a stalwart friend. For twenty years he served as postmaster at Erastus, but this effie has been discontinued. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church.

Mr. Smith and his family are prominent in the community where they have so long resided, and he is everywhere known for his reliable and straightforward methods in all business transactions, thereby enjoying the full confidence of his fellowmen. His success in the business world is richly merited, for it has been acquired only through the most honorable methods, and he is therefore deserving of mention in this volume.

As printed in Past and present of Guthrie County, Iowa : together with biographical sketches of many of its prominent and leading citizens and illustrious dead (1907). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.