Washington B. Smith

As printed in 1906

WASHINGTON B. SMITH, whose time and energies are given to general farming on section 33, Berrien township, was born in Milton township, Cass county. May 25, 1845. His father, George Smith, was a native of Delaware, his birthplace being near the city of Dover. He was eighteen years of age when he came with his parents. Canon and Lottie Smith, to Michigan, the family home being established in Cass county in 1828. They located near Edwardsburg, where the father purchased one thousand acres of land in Milton township. He and his brother John broke land on what is known as Beardsley's prairie, turning the first furrows on many an acre and thus converting the wild tract into cultivable fields. It was in Cass county that Canon Smith was married. His wife was a native of Delaware and became a resident of Cass county in 1829, locating near Edwardsburg. In community affairs Mr. Smith was very prominent and influential and took a deep and helpful interest in the material, intellectual and moral progress of the community. Smith Chapel was named in his honor and he donated the land for the church. He was an earnest and sincere Christian and his life was characterized by the kindly purpose and honorable principles which are ever manifest in the life of a true followed of the church. He died in Milton township of the age of seventy years, while his wife survived to the age of eighty-four years. In their family were ten children, eight of whom reached adult age, their son, Washington B. Smith, being the fifth child and fourth son of the family.

Upon the old homestead farm in Cass county Mr. Smith, of this review, was reared, early becoming familiar with the duties incident to the development ' and improvement of the fields. He was thus engaged from the time of early spring planting until crops were harvested in the late autumn and through the winter months he pursued his education in the public schools. He was married on the 24tii of March, 1875, to Miss Maria Walker, a daughter of Joseph and Catharine (Neugent) Walker. The father was born in England, while the mother was a native of Ireland and they were early settlers of Berrien county. Mrs. Smith was born in Niles township, this county, September 6, 1849, is the ninth in order of birth of a family of twelve children, two of whom passed away in infancy. In 1875 Mr. and Mrs. Smith located on a farm which is now their home and here he has resided continuously for thirty-two years. Three children have come to bless the union: Dr. Warren A. Smith, who is mentioned on another page of this work; Lawrence V., at home; and Gertrude, who became the wife of Leo Austin, and died July 2y, 1906.

Mr. Smith has an excellent farm of one hundred and twenty acres of rich and productive land and upon the place are seen all of the evidences of a model farm of the twentieth century, including good buildings, high grades of stock and well tilled fields. He has been a life-long Republican but has never been a politician in the sense of office seeking, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs, in which he has met with signal success.

As printed in A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan (1906). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.