Pitkin County CO Archives Biographies.....Smith, True Albert  April 7, 1864 - ?
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Judy Crook jlcrook@rof.net March 16, 2006, 8:21 am

Author: Progressive Men of Western Colorado

     Prominent and successful as a miner, a business man, an early settler and a

stock-grower and ranchman of Pitkin county, True Albert Smith, of near Watson,

is wholly a product of Colorado.  In this state he was born, in its public

schools he was educated, on its fertile soil he learned and has practiced the

art of agriculture, and among its people he has grown to consequence and general

public esteem.  His life began at Denver on April 7, 1864, and he is the son of

Jonathan M. and Jennie M. Smith, the former of whom was born in Maine and the

latter in Iowa.  When the Pike’s Peak excitement over the discovery of gold in

the neighborhood of the famous elevation broke out the parents left their Iowa

home and came to Colorado, and here the father, who had been an industrious

shoemaker up to that time, became an equally industrious miner, following the

business in the vicinity of the Peak and Denver until 1879, when he moved to the

neighborhood of Aspen, and continued his operations there for a time, then

turned his attention to ranching which he followed up to his death in 1896, his

last few years being passed in California.  His wife preceded him to the other

world twenty years, dying in 1876.  He was an earnest Republican in politics and

a member of the Masonic order fraternally.  They were the parents of six

children, three of whom have died, Edward, Clarence and Xama.  The three who are

living are Frank E., a resident of Routt county, this state, and occupied in

raising cattle near Bear river; Della, the wife of Frank Yates, of Aspen, who is

a prominent Freemason and connected in business with the L.H. Thompkins Hardware

Company, and True Albert, the subject of this sketch.  The latter was educated

at the public schools and after completing their course pursued one in special

business training at the Bryant & Stratton Business College at Chicago.  He also

attended the high school at Georgetown, this state.  At the age of seventeen he

began making his own living by leasing and working mines and also ranching.

Afterwards he managed a ranch, and finally purchased the one he now owns and

conducts, acquiring the ownership of it in 1894.  It comprises three hundred and

twenty acres and about one-half of it is in a good state of cultivation,

producing excellent qualities of hay, grain and vegetables. Mr. Smith also

carries on a flourishing cattle business and raises horses to a limited extent.

 His principal crops are alfalfa and timothy hay, and of these his product is

large and superior.  He may properly be called one of the fathers of this

region, as he was one of its first settlers, one of its earliest prospectors,

and one of its most valiant defenders against hostile Indians.  When their

threats of violence alarmed and drove away a number of the early settlers he was

one of the thirteen men who remained and after some effort drove out the Indians

themselves.  There were at that time but two rifles in the party, and he owned

one of them.  In political action he ardently supports the Democratic party and

in fraternal circles is connected with the Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of

America.  On June 15, 1892, he was married to Miss Nettie A. Bourg, a daughter

of Benedict and Eulalia (Raroux) Bourg, a sketch of whom will be found on

another page of this work.  Mr. and Mrs. Smith have one child, Beloit E., who is

living at home and attending school. 

Additional Comments:
From Progressive Men of Western Colorado.  Chicago:  A.W. Bowen & Co., 1905

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