Effingham County IL Archives Biographies.....Smith, Sebastian F. 1850 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 26, 2011, 5:25 pm

Source: See below
Author: Lake City Publishing Co.

SEBASTIAN F. SMITH, one of the representative business men of Shumway, Effingham
County, carries on general merchandising at this place. He established business
here in 1881, but did not personally take charge of it until two years later. He
carries a full and complete stock of goods and is doing a good business. His
fair dealing, his courteous treatment of his patrons and his earnest desire to
please them, have won the respect of the entire community and gained him a
liberal patronage, of which he is well deserving.

  Mr. Smith was born in Sidney, Shelby County, Ohio, February 2, 1850, and is a
son of Michael Philip and Mary M. (Balsor) Smith. The father was born in
Aushofenburg, Germany, and when n young man crossed the Atlantic to America. He
was a stone mason by trade and followed that business during the greater part of
his life. He died in Terre Haute, Ind., when our subject was quite young. His
wife was born in Alsace, Germany, and when quite young came with her brother to
the United States. She is now living with her son near Terre Haute, Ind. This
worthy couple had a family of two sons and a daughter, all of whom are yet
living. Henry P. is a prosperous farmer of Indiana; and Susan is the wife of M.
C. Wade, a trunk manufacturer of Logansport, Ind.

  The other member of the family is our subject, who, during his youth, went to
Terre Haute, Ind., where he remained until seventeen years of age, when his
mother married again and he left home. He had acquired a good education in the
Catholic schools of Terre Haute, and had taken a two-years course in the
Benedictine College of St. Meinrad, Ind. During the two succeeding years he
traveled over the Western country, and when about twenty years of age he came to
Effingham, Ill. Here he secured a position as fireman on the Vandalia Railroad,
in which capacity he was employed for about four years, when he was made
engineer. During the first two years of his service in that line he ran switch
and construction trains and was then placed in charge of a freight train. During
his services as engineer, he met with one serious accident, he and his fireman
being both badly burned on account of the netting being stopped up in the engine.

  On the 29th of May, 1872, Mr. Smith married Miss Henrietta Elizabeth McCosh,
who was born April 9, 1851, in Johnson County, Ind., and is a daughter of Arthur
and Nancy (McLean) McCosh. Three sons and two daughters were born of their
union, but Susan E., who was born March 1, 1873, died March 2, 1874. William,
born January 28, 1875, is a highly educated young man who now aids his father in
the store. The younger members of the family are Sebastian A., born December 6,
1876; Edward Quinn, born September 14, 1879; and Lucy Nancy, born July 28, 1889.

  Mr. Smith is now a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. He also
holds membership with Hero Lodge No. 991, K. of H., of Effingham, and with
Shumway Camp No. 1233, of Shumway. Himself and wife are members of the Catholic
Church. In politics he is a warm advocate of Democratic principles and has
served as School Director in his town for four years. Mr. Smith continued his
connection with the railroad until 1883. Two years previous he had established a
store in Shumway, which he placed in charge of his brother-in-law, but in 1883
he took charge of it personally. Besides his business he owns a beautiful home
in Shumway and is recognized as one of its respected and representative citizens.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Effingham, Jasper and Richland Counties
Chicago: Lake City Publishing Co.
1893


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