Smith, David, 1905 Bio, Rio Blanco County, Colorado
http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/rioblanco/bios/smithd.txt

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Donated March 2001
Transcribed by Judy Crook <jlcrook@rof.net>  from the book:
Progressive Men of Western Colorado 
Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill.

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David Smith

     For nearly twenty years Mr. Smith, one of western Colorado's most 
active and enterprising business men and public-spirited citizens, has 
been a resident of the state, and for about seventeen has lived in the 
neighborhood of Meeker.  During all this time he has been prominent in 
the business and public life of the community of his home, and to every 
undertaking for its advancement he has contributed essentially and 
substantially, his helping hand being strongly felt in many phases of 
the industrial and mercantile activity of the section.  He is a native 
of Scotland, born in Fifeshire on January 22, 1854.  His parents, 
Andrew and Ann (Durie) Smith, were natives of Scotland.  The father was 
a busy contractor and builder and also held public office as an 
inspector and collector.  He died in 1898 and the mother in 1903.  
Their son David obtained his education in a common school, and leaving 
while yet a youth became a bookkeeper and cashier in the office of a 
distillery.  After a service of some years in this capacity he began to 
study brewing practically in the distillery and prosecuted his study of 
the business a number of years.  In 1885 he came to the United States 
and impelled by the promise of favorable opportunities for business of 
all kinds in the West, located at Fort Lupton, this state.  Here he 
purchased railroad land, which he sold after farming it for awhile.  In 
the fall of 1887 he moved to Meeker and located a ranch six miles south 
of the town on what is commonly known as Strawberry.  On this ranch he 
became extensively engaged in the sheep industry as a member of the 
Robinson-Smith Sheep Company.  He pre-empted one hundred and sixty 
acres and made extensive improvements, then in 1891 sold the place and 
bought the one he now owns in the vicinity of Meeker.  This also 
contains one hundred and sixty acres, and on it hay, grain and hardy 
vegetables are produced with success and profit.  The land is well 
watered from the Town ditch, which Mr. Smith owns.  Having a commercial 
turn of mind, since 1888 he has been prominent in the lumber business, 
and since 1889 with the saw-mill industry, his enterprise in the latter 
being the first one started in Rio Blanco county.  He also has valuable 
interests in the oil trade and in coal fields.  By his efforts the 
lumber company in which he is interested has so prospered and 
progressed that it is equipped to meet all demands for first-class 
material.  The name under which it trades is the D. Smith Lumber 
Company.  He was also for some time assistant cashier of the Bank of 
Meeker and occupied this position at the time of the robbery of the 
institution on October 13, 1896.  The robbers fired two shots at him, 
but he escaped without injury.  He has been active in the fraternal 
life of the community, being connected with the Masonic order and the 
Woodmen of the World; and in the spirit of progress and development in 
the community he has been one of the valued inspirations.  On March 5, 
1891, he was married to Miss Mary Allsebrook, and their home has been 
brightened and blessed with six children, Andrew L., Dorothy H., Allan 
D., David H., Colin A. and Isabel L.  Mr. Smith has in a marked degree 
the confidence and esteem of the business and social life of the county 
and adjacent territory, and is generally accounted one of the best 
citizens and representative men on the Western slope.

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