W. W. Smith

As printed in 1881

W. W. SMITH.

William W. Smith was born May 5, 1827, in Guilford county, North Carolina. He is the son of Jedediah and Jane (Close) Smith, natives of North Carolina. In 1838 William, in company with his parents, removed to Ray county, Missouri, and settled near where he now resides. In 1845 our subject returned to Tennessee, and finished his education at Mount Pleasant College, Murray county, after which he came back to this county, and in 1850, went, with a party of neighboring young ment to California. They made the trip with mule teams, and were on the road from the loth of April until the 6th day of July, following. They mined while, and kept a provision store for a time, and withal made it pay pretty well. After staying in California one year, Mr. Smith sailed from San Francisco by way of the Isthmus of Panama and New Orleans, for home, which he reached in the spring of 1851, and has lived here ever since, engaged in trading, farming and stock raising. He owns two thousand acres of excellent land, the greater part of which is in cultivation. He has one thousand acres in the home place, which is handsomely improved by a fine, large dwelling house of fourteen rooms, well furnished and comfortably and conveniently arranged. He also has good barns and other buildings, for the accommodation of stock and the shelter of the products of his broad and fertile acres. His is one of the largest, best appointed and valuable farms in Ray county. Mr. Smith was married in this county, May 5, 1857, to Miss Sallie E. Miles, daughter of John N. and Margaret Miles, natives of Kentucky. She was born in Lawrenceburg, Anderson county, Kentucky, October 3, 1839. They became the parents of nine children, viz.: Thomas C, born April 17, 1858; Emma A., born November 24, 1859; Margaret J., born April 13, 1862; Robert A. L., born January 24, 1864; Miles W., born March 18, 1866; Susan K., born March 30, 1868; Annie J., born March 24, 1870; Sarah E., born August 17, 1872; Ella, born January 16, 1875. Mr. Smith and his wife are leading members of the Old School Presbyterian Church, and he also belongs to the Masonic fraternity, (Bee-Hive Lodge No. 393.) He has always been the friend of education and religion, an active supporter of schools and churches, a public spirited and valuable citizen, and his dealing and intercourse with his fellow men have always been characterized by just and honorable department, and he enjoys the confidence, respect and esteem of all.

As printed in History of Ray County, Mo. (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.