James E. Smith, one of the foremost citizens of Troy Grove, is a pioneer
of this locality, and has spent about thirty-five years of his busy,
enterprising life here, actively engaged in farming and other lines of
industry.
On both sides of the family, Mr. Smith is of German
descent, and both of his grandfathers were natives of Pennsylvania and
belonged to the agricultural class. His paternal grandfather, James Smith,
lived to an advanced age, dying in the Keystone state. He had three sons,
the eldest of whom was James, the father of our subject. The maternal
grandfather of our subject also attained a ripe age, and died on his
Pennsylvania homestead, where he had reared his five or six children.
James Smith, the father of J. E. Smith, removed from Pennsylvania, his
birthplace, to Ohio, at an early day, and came to Illinois in 1846. Here he
settled in LaSalle county, buying one hundred and forty acres of land in
Troy Grove township, and this property he continued to cultivate until about
seven years prior to his death, when he turned his attention to the coal
business. He was called to the home beyond in 1865, when he was in his
sixty-fifth year. For several years he had served as supervisor of Troy
Grove township, and held other local ofifices with credit. He favored the
platform of the Democratic party, but was in no wise a politician. Both he
and his wife were devoted members of the Presbyterian church, and he was an
elder for a long time. She was Miss Sarah Eaken prior to their marriage, and
she also was born in the Keystone state. She survived her husband several
years, being over three-score and ten years old at the time of her demise.
James E. Smith, born in Wayne county, Ohio, August 25, 1830, is now
the only survivor of his parents' family, as his brother and sister have
been called to the silent land. He was sixteen years old when he came to
Illinois, and he continued to reside with his parents until he was
twenty-two years of age. He obtained a district school education and early
learned agriculture in its varied forms. In starting upon his independent
life he bought an eighty-acre farm in Dimmick township, and later added
forty acres to the original tract. He lived there until 1861, when he
removed to Mendota, and for about nine years was engaged in buying and
selling grain. Then, going to Benton county, Iowa, he carried on a farm for
two or three years, after which he was in the grain business at Vinton for
four years or more. Then for a short time he resided in Hamilton county, and
during the next six or seven years he managed a homestead of two hundred
acres. This fine place, situated in Carroll county, Iowa, is still in his
possession. In 1883 he returned to this state, and has since been interested
in the grain and coal trade at Troy Grove. He has prospered, as he richly
deserves, and bears an enviable name for business rectitude and square
dealing. In all of his views he is liberal and broad-minded, and in politics
he prefers to be independent, voting for the man and measure which he deems
worthy of support, regardless of party lines.
The marriage of Mr.
Smith and Miss Caroline Matilda, daughter of Leonard and Julia (Dewey)
Towner, was solemnized December 14, 1853. Five children were born to them,
namely: Orlando, who is married and resides in Colorado; Orange L., who
died, unmarried, when about twenty-eight years of age; Harry G., who first
married Maggie Boyce, and, after her death, her sister, Bessie; Sarah M.,
who is deceased; and Tessie M., who is living with her parents. Harry G. has
two children by his first marriage, Raymond and Mattie May. He is managing
an elevator at Triumph. Illinois. The mother of the above-named children
departed this life in 18S3, aged fifty-one years. The lady who now bears the
name of our subject was formerly Celinda, widow of Erastus W. Dewey, and a
daughter of William A. and Polly B. (Butler) Hickok. She had two children by
her first marriage: Horace, who died at the age of sixteen years; and
Mattie, who is living with her mother. The pleasant dwelling of the Smith
family at Troy Grove was erected by our subject six years ago.
Extracted 13 Jun 2019 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois, published in 1900, volume 2, pages 660-662.
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