William M. Smith

As printed in 1910

WILLIAM M. SMITH.

To William M. Smith, Civil war veteran and survivor of some of its fiercest conflicts, Scott county pioneer, and formerly one of Davenport's foremost business men, must be accorded a prominent place on the list of her retired citizens; After a well spent, industrious life, it is his happy fate to enjoy the peace and leisure of retirement in his declining years.

He was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, February 25, 1837, and is of German descent, his parents, Daniel and Barbara (Weinkle) Smith, being by birth subjects of the German emperor. The father was educated in the German schools, learned the trade of a blacksmith and entered the German army, where he served for the prescribed time. When still a young man he became a citizen of the United States, locating in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, where he followed his trade until 1854, when he brought his family to Scott county, Iowa. In Davenport he engaged in blacksmithing for several years, and both he and his wife died in this city.

William M. Smith received his education in the schools of the county in which he was born and after the family's removal to Iowa worked in sawmills until the breaking out of the Rebellion. In 1862 he enlisted in Company C, Twentieth Iowa Infantry, his service continuing until the close of the war. Joining the regiment at Clinton, Iowa, he went into camp with it at Camp McClellan for a short time. It was then ordered to St. Louis, Missouri, and after remaining there for a time, was in active service in that state. It subsequently participated in a number of engagements, among them Prairie Grove, Arkansas; Vicksburg and Fort Blakeley. He was mustered out at the close of the war at Mobile, Alabama.

During the trying reconstruction period Mr. Smith came back to Davenport and established himself in business as a manufacturer of vinegar. In partnership with Edward Fay, he opened a store on Front street, dealing in wrapping paper and grocery sundries, and they continued together until 1882, in which year the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Smith organized the Amazon Vinegar & Pickling Company, a local company with a capital stock of thirty thousand dollars. For four years our subject acted as business manager, but in 1886 he severed his connection with the company and bought three hundred and twenty acres of farm land in Butler township, where he lived and engaged in agriculture until 1901, when he retired from active life and returned to Davenport.

In August, 1863, Mr. Smith married Miss Clara Goetch, a daughter of Herman Goetch, one of Davenport's pioneers. Thirteen children were born of the union, seven of them being deceased. Those living are: W. H. Smith, of Davenport, his wife having been before her marriage Miss Anna Miller; Hilda, who married Matthew Schnell, of Chicago; Gustave, a resident of Rock Island; Ella, the wife of John Jeske, of Davenport; Arthur, who is married and living in Davenport; and Freda, who married Henry Toppendorf, of Rock Island.

The social is not wanting from Mr. Smith's nature and he is identified with several organizations, among them the Legion of Honor and the Knights of Pythias lodge No. 10, of Davenport. A self-made man, he has a successful life to look back upon.

As printed in History of Davenport and Scott County Iowa : Illustrated (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.