Philip Smith, a Civil war veteran and early settler of this county, has been a successful farmer and stock raiser of Plum Grove township

for a number of years. He was born in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, May 17, 1841, and is a son of Adam and Mary Ann (Shoemaker) Smith, both Pennsylvanians, the former a native of Northumberland county, and the latter of Westmoreland county, and of Holland descent.

Philip Smith was reared on the home farm in Armstrong county. He was one of a family of eight children, and is now the only surviving member. The old homestead in Armstrong county, which Mr. Smith has visited four times since coming to Kansas, is still in the family, now being owned by a son of his oldest brother. Philip Smith and two of his brothers served in the Union army during the Civil war. J. E. enlisted July 4, 1861, in Company D, Sixty-second regiment, Pennsylvania infantry, and served in the army of the Potomac, at first under Gen. George B. McClellan. W. A., a younger brother, enlisted in October, 1864, serving in the Seventy-eighth regiment, Pennsylvania infantry, until the close of the war. On August 14, 1861, when he was a few months past twenty, Philip Smith enlisted in Company B, Seventy-eighth regiment, Pennsylvania infantry. His command was attached to the army of the Cumberland under General Thomas at first, and after joining the army at Pittsburg, Pa., he went to Camp Nevin, near Louisville, Ky., and from there to Bacon creek, Knolluns, Green River and Bowling Green, Ky., and then to Nashville, Tenn., and guarded railroad bridges and other property in that vicinity, and went from there to Murfreesboro and participated in the battle of Stone River. They then participated in the battle of Chickamauga, and his regiment was the first to cross Lookout Mountain on their way to the battlefield at Chickamauga. After that battle, they fell back to Chattanooga, and remained there until May 3, 1864, when they joined Sherman on his march to Atlanta and from Atlanta to the sea. After the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, Mr. Smith's regiment was sent back to Chattanooga with General Thomas' army to guard supply trains to Shermans army, and they operated back and forth between the base of supplies and Sherman's army during that campaign. They were detailed in squads of about twenty soldiers to each train and had many interesting and exciting clashes with rebel guerillas who were harassing the Union supply trains. After that campaign they went from Chattanooga to Nashville, where the Seventy-eighth regiment embarked on a steamboat, and went up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to Pittsburg and from there to Kittanning, Pa., where Mr. Smith was discharged and mustered out of service, October 4, 1864.

After the war, Mr. Smith engaged in farming in Armstrong county within three miles of his first place. He remained there until 1878 when he came to Butler county, Kansas, where his brother, J. E., had located in 1871, and had taken up a homestead. Here he settled on section 23, Plum Grove township, and later bought a half section of land which he still owns. He paid $8 per acre for this farm, which, at a conservative estimate, is now worth $75 per acre. Mr. Smith has followed

stock raising quite extensively, and has been successful in raising cattle and hogs. He has been quite an extensive feeder, which has proven very profitable. He began in Butler county with very little capital, and is now one of the well-to-do men of the community.

On March 16, 1865, Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Miss Susanna Wise, a native of Pennsylvania and a daughter of Jacob and Katherine (Holden) Wise, natives of Pennsylvania, and of Holland descent. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the following children have been born: Cora, married S. A. Markee, Plum Grove township; Clara, married R. M. Poe, Potwin, Kans.; J. E., Potwin, Kans.; Minnie, married R. L. Fowler, Marion county, Kansas; Edward, El Dorado, Kans., and Homer, Potwin, Kans.

Mr. Smith is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is commander of Potwin Post No. 377. He is a member of the Evangelical Church at Potwin. Although he has never taken an active part in politics, he has supported the policies and principles of the Democratic party, and has served as township trustee three terms, and has been a member of the Potwin council, two years. Mrs. Smith died August 11, 1914. Mr. Smith is now living retired, and is one of Butler county's most substantial citizens.

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