Smith, William H. bio

History of Fulton County, Illinois; together with Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious, Civil, Military, and Political History; Portraits of Prominent Persons and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Chas. C. Chapman & Co., Peoria, Illinois, 1879, page 474, Banner Township
William H. Smith, farmer, Banner tp.; P. O., Canton. His father, Henry, a native of Prussia, 1777, emigrated to this country in 1799, and married Mary Fry, a native of the United States, who died in Fulton Co., Feb. 14, 1829; he died Dec. 4, 1865. Wm. H. was born Feb. 4, 1819, in Jefferson Co., Va.; married May 24, 1839, Mary Bybee, who died Oct. 3, same year; Nov. 19, 1840, Elizabeth Wilcoxen, who died April 4, 1863; lastly, Abby Mason May 6, 1866. Children: Henry, John, Mary V., Frances, Lavina, Louisa J., Elizabeth A, Marshall, Charlotte, James D., William Henry, Elizabeth C., Charlie, Hattie and Marcus. Mary V. married G. R. Cobleigh: Frances, C. N. Coykendall; Louisa J., James R. Ellis; Elizabeth, G. C. Glassford, and Marshall was married to Rettie Spencer. William H. is a Democrat, and has been Supervisor, Town Clerk, Trustee, Justice of the Peace, etc.. His father fought against Great Britain in the War of 1812, and was a prominent man in Fulton Co. during his life.

Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County, Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890; page 513-516; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
William H. Smith, owner and occupant of a fine farm in Banner Township, and of much other valuable property, was born in Smithfield, Jefferson County, Va., February 4, 1819. His father, Henry Smith, born in Brandenburg, Prussia, July 4, 1777, landed at Baltimore, Md., July 4, 1779. He was a shoemaker, and in accordance with the customs of those days, went from house to house with his kit of tools, making up shoes for an entire family. On one of these trips he made the acquaintance of Mary Fry, with whom he was afterwards united in marriage, and who bore him nine children. The family consisted of six daughters and three sons, named respectively, John F., Catherine, Phoebe, Frances, Mary Eliza, Harriet, William H., Elizabeth and Braxton D.
The mother was born in Jefferson County, Va., June 5, 1783, and died February 14, 1829, at the age of forty-five years, three months and nineteen days. The father subsequently married a second wife, by whom he had two children - Mary, who married a Mr. Homer, and Matilda S., who married Thomas T. Bybee, and after his death, Lucian B. Farnsworth. The father, mother and step-mother of our subject lived and died in the same house, it having been built by Mr. Smith when first married. The father took part with the American Army in the last war with Great Britain, and died December 4, 1865, at the age of eighty-eight years and five months.
During the boyhood of our subject free schools were unknown in Virginia, instruction being obtained from a teacher who would secure patrons by subscription. Our subject began his attendance at one of these schools when seven years old, and freely confesses that while his parents were anxious for and did all in their power to secure his advancement in his learning, he did not see the importance of it, and secured but a limited education. When fourteen years old he went to the home of his brother-in-law, Samuel League, a tailor, from whom he intended to learn the trade, but his eyesight being impaired by the loss of one of his eyes a few years before, he abandoned the idea.
After a short time he went to another brother-in-law, George F. Ludwig, with whom he learned the milling business. The agreement was made between Mr. Ludwig and the father of our subject that the boy should have $2.50 per month, but the account being kept between the older parties it was seldom that he had money to handle. Needful clothing was bought for him by Mr. Ludwig, and he had little use for spending-money, without which he enjoyed life, there being plenty of company about the mill, and the days passing happily.
In the fall of 1836, there being much talk of the West, our subject encouraged by his father, determined to set forth. His greatest difficulty was money, but Mr. Ludwig gave him the privilege of buying a shoat and feeding it with his hogs, and when fattened the animal was sold for $12.18. An old smooth-bore rifle had been given to young Smith by his father, and having it stocked up new he was able to sell it for $12. He managed to get together about $30, with which he left his native soil on the 1st of May, 1837, to seek his fortune in the West.
Our subject was obliged to economize, and so started out on foot for Wheeling, at which place he was to meet his brother-in-law, George Glassford, and his sister Elizabeth, who journeyed thither by stage, and with whom he was to continue his journey to Peoria, Ill., where a brother of Glassford was living. Over hills and mountains the youth of eighteen trudged manfully on, passing through Maryland, Pennsylvania, and his native State, having no trouble to find his way after reaching the National road. His feet were soon blistered by walking over the hard roads, which were an almost continuous bed of beat-up stone, making his journey one ever to be remembered. His expenses were very light, as he could obtain a cold lunch at a cost of ninepence, and lodging at the taverns along the route was proportionately cheap. By securing a deck passage and helping to carry in wood (there were no coal mines along the river then), the young man paid low rate for his fare from Wheeling to Peoria.
This being the first trip of any note which our subject had taken, it opened up a new life to him, and impressions were made upon his mind never to be obliterated. No incident of special importance occurred until they were ascending the Mississippi River when they attempted to pass another boat. The channel being near the right shore, the boats ran close together. Just as the "Swiss Boy" was passing her opponent, the latter swung around, and being heavily loaded, her guards came under the wheel of the "Swiss Boy," breaking the buckets and doing some damage to her own guards. Becoming interlocked it took some time to separate the boats. There was much profanity among the officers, with threats of having satisfaction before they reached St. Louis, but as the "Swiss Boy" was compelled to lay by for some time to put on new buckets, it did not again overtake the other boat.
Peoria, which was reached about the middle of May, was but a small place, the principal buildings being on Lake and Water Streets, above Main, the old court-house back of the town, and the surrounding country almost in a state of nature. An occasional house was to be seen along the bluff, but wild grass had possession of the soil, and the scenery was wild and beautiful. Our subject had about $7 in money, from which he paid fifty cents for lodging the first night, much troubled at the price, but not all by the hard bed upon which he lay. He made an eager search for employment at his trade, but found none in the few rude mills in that section.
While talking with a Pennsylvanian named Rinehardt, a blacksmith by trade, a few days after his arrival, Mr. Smith was approached by a Mr. Davis, who run a brick yard back on the bluff. He wanted to hire two hands and agreed to give the young men $25 a month each and board. Mr. Smith was not certain whether he could stand the work, but feeling the necessity of having some employment, accepted the offer and was set to work tending one of the molders. He soon blistered his hands, but kept his table full of mortar. Two sets of hands were run, each having a certain number of bricks to mold and take care of. The molder at our subject's table was inclined to be lazy, and the other set of hands would get their tasks completed first. This did not please Mr. Smith, who soon began molding himself whenever his molder would leave the table. The business seemed natural to him, as in a short time he was able to lead anyone in the yard in molding.
The result of the energy of Mr. Smith led to his being offered the position of molder, which was much easier than wheeling the mortar, and afforded him the satisfaction of getting his day's work done in good season, while he also aimed to gain Saturday afternoon free. He worked some time without receiving any money, the pay being taken in clothing, as there was little good money in the country and traffic was the rule. Seeing an opportunity to do better he settled up with Mr. Davis, taking an order on the store for what was due him. Mr. Davis desired him to remain, and finally proposed to give him an interest in the yard, allowing him a certain share of the bricks as he could make no sure calculations on money. Finding that his share of the brick would perhaps double his former wages, Mr. Smith agreed to stay.
Not long after this arrangement was made, Messrs. Nowland and Orrin Hamlin came to the yard one day inquiring for a young Smith who in May had been seeking a berth in a mill. They had bought a steam mill located at Utica, Fulton County, and wished the young man to go down and take charge of it. As the season for bricklaying was nearly over and milling promised employment during the winter, Mr. Smith gave up a good business in Peoria, leaving what proved to be a live town, to enter upon a life of toil and hardship.
Mr. Smith landed at Copperas Creek and passed along a road where the prairie grass was taller than his head to reach the mill of which he took charge. In the course of the next year he and Israel Miller rented it for two months, at the end of which time Mr. Smith alone rented it for a year, and also refitted a distillery which was connected with it, but in need of repairs. He hired men to run the distillery and himself took charge of the mill, doing very well that year, and renting the plants for the second year. Thomas Maxwell, of Utica, made a proposition to go into partnership with him, claiming to have money and ability to enlarge the business. After becoming a partner this man did not balance up, so our subject sold out and went into other business.
The School Directors wished to hire him to teach, but he said he was not qualified, and ought rather to attend school himself. They would take no excuse, however, and no certificate being required, Mr. Smith took charge of the institution of learning, where scholars older and larger than himself attended. The next enterprise of our subject was carrying on a small store in Utica, which was broken into by thieves who stole about $300 in money and some goods. The money had been collected for the purpose of recruiting his stock, and the loss completely prostrated Mr. Smith and left him in debt. In some of his trades he had come into possession of one hundred and twenty acres of land two miles below Utica, and the only chance left him seemed to be to take possession of the place, and try to cultivate it.
This land had been secured from Warner Hurd, who was separated from his wife, the deed consequently lacking her signature. Mr. Hurd died not long after, and Mr. Smith was obliged to buy the property again from the widow, who laid claim to it. About three acres of land was cleared, the balance being heavy timber. Taking possession of the log cabin Mr. Smith fought his way onward, encumbered by a debt of several hundred dollars, on which he paid twelve per cent interest. On looking back he often wonders how he made his way through the privations which beset his way during the many years in which he was often denied the real necessaries of life, in order to save and be prepared for any vicissitude that might befall himself or family. He attributes the greater part of his success to the good management, industry and economy of his wife, whom he feels to have been one of the best helpmates a struggling man ever had. It is with deep grief that he recalls her efforts and the fact that she was removed from his side just as they were becoming able to enjoy the fruits of their toil.
Whenever Mr. Smith had a few dollars to invest he bought calves or other stock, and when he could control sufficient money would buy unimproved land which could always be bought cheap for ready cash. This would be sold on time at an advance and interest, and it was seldom that Mr. Smith had to take the land back. Before railroads were built here he had a large trade in beef, vegetables and other garden stuffs to supply steamboats. In 1856 he built a steam mill which accomplished a great deal toward opening up and developing the country, and by dint of hard work gave him some profit. In 1868 he bought the Fidler farm, adjoining his old place, and some time afterward twelve quarter sections in Seward and Butler Counties, Neb. In November, 1881, he purchased of James Turner the tract on which he now resides, paying $14,300 for the same. Early in the spring of 1885 he paid over $8,000 for two hundred and twelve acres in the south part of the McKinley lands. He also owns three hundred and seventy-nine acres, with good buildings, in Mason County, eighty acres of the Turner land, known as the Walnut Grove, another farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres in Peoria County, and other pieces of property on none of which is there a dollar of incumbrance.
On May 24, 1839, Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Lovina, daughter of T. T. Bybee, the ceremony taking place at the residence of the bride, and the entire neighborhood being present. The groom being but twenty years old, Mr. Bybee became security to the County Clerk before he could obtain the license. The young couple made their home in Utica until September, when the wife sickened and was taken to her parents' roof. There she breathed her last October 3, after a wedded life of but four months and ten days. After having lived a widower until November 19, 1840, Mr. Smith married Elizabeth C., daughter of Elijah Wilcoxen, and a cousin to his first wife. This lady shared his cares and privations until April 4, 1863, when she too passed away at the age of thirty-eight years, seven months and five days. This marriage was blessed by the birth of five sons and seven daughters, four of whom died when quite young.
On May 6, 1866, Mr. Smith was again married, his bride being Miss Abbie Mason, who has borne him two sons and two daughters.
On another page of this volume will be found a lithographic portrait of Mr. Smith.