Yavapai County AZ Archives Biographies.....Smith, J. W. 1859 - living in 1896
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Author: McFarland & Poole

p. 474, 477

  J. W. SMITH. The nature of man is so complex, his individuality so pronounced,
his process of reasoning so varied and peculiar, that no two human beings are
ever found to be nearly alike. Some men snatch success from the very jaws of
failure, some are alternately prosperous and unfortunate, while a few are so
evenly balanced that their lives appear to be utterly free from friction. While
the latter is not strictly applicable to the subject of this sketch—J. W. Smith—
yet on the whole, his career has been practically one of steady progress and his
present success is owing to his individual efforts. He is a native of
Springfield, Ill., where he was born February 2, 1859, to Dr. A. J. and Caroline
(Brown) Smith, the former of whom was born in Kentucky and the latter in
Indiana. At an early day they removed to Illinois, and at Springfield and in the
vicinity of that place the father practiced medicine and surgery very
successfully for a number of years. During the Civil War he was a surgeon in the
Union army, and after many a bloody battle plied his noble and most useful
calling. After leaving Springfield, he removed with his family to Dallas County,
Iowa, where he has since devoted his attention to the practice of the healing
art. He and his wife became the parents of three children: Charles H., a
resident of Denver, Colorado; James W., the subject of this sketch, and Mary A.,
who lives in Delta, Colorado. Until he had reached the age of eighteen years, J.
W. Smith continued with his parents in Iowa, during which time he acquired a
practical education in the public schools. At the above mentioned age he began
the study of telegraphy, but the calling proved distasteful to him and he
abandoned it. In 1877 his adventurous and energetic nature led him to the Black
Hills, during the gold excitement of that region, and there he was alternately
engaged in mining and the livery and hack business at Deadwood and Central City.
He continued to follow these occupations successfully until 1882, when financial
reverses overtook him and he disposed of his business and came to Arizona
Territory. After residing for a short time in Lonesome Valley, he came to
Prescott, and for about eighteen months clerked in a grocery store. At the end
of this time he began dealing in cattle and purchased a ranch at Walnut Grove,
about forty miles south of Prescott, of which he is still the owner and which he
has well stocked. Besides this valuable property, he is interested in mining and
owns an interest in the Johnson group, which have been worked since 1867 on a
paying basis and which is considered one of the best gold mines in the
Territory. Mr. Smith has always manifested great interest in the welfare of
Yavapai County and in 1892 was elected a member of the Board of Supervisors and
two years later was chosen chairman of the same. In this capacity he has always
advocated all measures for the improvement or building up of the county and has
been the means of accomplishing much in this respect. He is one of the
representative young men of the Territory and his present prominence in local
affairs and his financial prosperity are owing to his own energy and business
qualifications. Politically he has ever been a Republican and socially has taken
a number of degrees in the Masonic fraternity. Mr. Smith is unmarried.


Additional Comments:
From:

A Historical and Biographical Record of the Territory of Arizona
Published by
McFarland & Poole, Chicago, 1896


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