Samuel W. Smith

HON. SAMUEL W. SMITH, formerly a member of the Kansas Legislature, from Cherokee County, and now a prominent business man of Hollowell, was born in Kentucky, August 10, 1848, and is a son of Rev. William B. and Mary (Wilson) Smith.

Rev. William B. Smith was a well known Baptist clergyman, and for 13 years was pastor of the Pilgrim Church, of Louisville, Kentucky, which had a congregation of 600 members. Dr. Smith built this church up from a mission, and his memory is kept green in its annals. The death of Dr. Smith and that of his wife were occasioned by accidents. The former was thrown from a horse, and died at the age of 70 years. The latter was the victim of a railroad accident, in Indiana, at the age of 65 years. They had five children,—three sons and two daughters.

Samuel W. Smith remained in Kentucky until he reached the age of 24 years, teaching school for some time after he had completed his education. He then engaged in clerking in a general store, at La Grange, Kentucky. Four years later, he removed to Columbus, Kansas, and has been a resident of Cherokee County ever since. After coming here, Mr. Smith bought a farm of 160 acres which he operated for eight years, and then removed to Hallowell. Here he entered into a partnership, in the general mercantile business, with Jesse Forkner, which continued three years. The business was then discontinued on account of a disastrous fire which destroyed store and contents. Mr. Smith later went into the drug business, and subsequently engaged in a jobbing business in feed and flour. For the past nine years he has been a large grain buyer.

Mr. Smith is well known throughout Cherokee County, having been in public life for many years. He has served two terms as township trustee, and three years on the Board of County Commissioners, during two of these years being chairman. He was elected to the State Legislature at the same time that P. B. Plumb was elected to the United States Senate. During his term in the Legislature, he served on the committee on county seats and county lines, and was able to control legislation to the extent of preventing Labette County from securing a portion of Cherokee.

In 1870, on Christmas Day, Mr. Smith was married to Elizabeth Smith, who was born in Kentucky and died at the age of 5O years, in 1902. The only child of this marriage is Mrs. Agnes Brock, of Columbus. Mr. Smith's second marriage was to Mrs. Eva Wood, who was born in Cherokee County. She has one daughter,—Lucy.

Mr. Smith, who is a Democrat, served as postmaster at Hallowell during President Cleveland's last administration. He is a man of sociable instincts, and is connected by membership with the Odd Fellows and the Home Builders. His portrait accompanies this sketch.

History of Cherokee County Kansas and its representative citizens, ed. & comp. by Nathaniel Thompson Allison, 1904, transcribed by Carolyn Ward, instructor from USD 508, Baxter Springs Middle School, Baxter Springs, Kansas, 6-27-97