Lake County IN Archives Biographies.....Smith, Clarence C. 1863 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 10, 2006, 4:31 pm Author: T. H. Ball (1904) CLARENCE C. SMITH. Clarence C. Smith is a member of the firm of Smith & Clapper Brothers, liverymen at East Chicago, Indiana, and was born in Mason, Michigan, on the 5th of October, 1863. His paternal grandfather was a native of New York and was a farmer by occupation, but aside from that little is known concerning the ancestry of the house in the paternal line. Gideon Smith, the father of C. C. Smith, was born in the Empire state and became a boot and shoe maker. He followed that occupation in the east for a time and then abandoned it and removed to the middle west, locating in Michigan about 1862. He took up his abode at Mason, that state, where he remained until 1864, when he came to Lake county, Indiana, and settled one mile west of Deep River postoffice, where he purchased what was known as the Ed Chase farm There he carried on agricultural pursuits and also worked at his trade to some extent. He lived a life of untiring activity and industry, and whatever success he achieved was due solely to his own labors. He married Mrs. Anna L. Hanna, nee Marble, who was the widow of Thomas Hanna and a daughter of Simeon Marble, who was born in Vermont, which was also her birthplace. Mr. Marble followed the occupation of farming in New England and on emigrating westward about 1858 he located a mile and a half west of Deep River postoffice, where he purchased what was known as the Booth farm. There he carried on the work of tilling the soil throughout his remaining days, and his death occurred when he was seventy-five years of age. He was married five times, his first union being with a Miss Imes. He had but three children, all born by his first wife: Ann L., who became Mrs. Smith; Horace Marble, who is living at Crown Point and Wheatfield, Indiana; and one that has now departed this life. Both Mr. and Mrs. Gideon Smith were members of the Methodist church and lived earnest, consistent Christian lives. Her death occurred in Hobart, Indiana, about 1880, when she was thirty-nine years of age, and Mr. Gideon Smith-passed away in December, 1902, in East Chicago, at the age of eighty-two years. Mr. and Mrs. Gideon Smith were the parents of six children, three sons and three daughters, of whom five are now living: Eva, the wife of Henry Hanson, of Chicago; Clarence C, who is living in East Chicago; Flora, the wife of George Green, also of East Chicago; Simeon, who makes his home in Hammond, Indiana; and Alice, the wife of S. G. Carley, of Hammond. Clarence C. Smith was reared in the usual manner of farmer lads, partly spending his boyhood days on the old homestead place west of Deep River. As soon as old enough to handle the plow he took his place in the fields and assisted in their cultivation from the time of early spring planting until crops were harvested in the late autumn. His education was acquired in the district schools, which he attended mostly through the winter months. When he was quite young his parents removed to Jasper county, where he remained until he was nine years of age, when he returned to Lake county and lived with his grandfather until he started out upon an independent business career. He was first employed as a farm-hand by the month and continued thus to serve until twenty-one years of age. At that time he took up the study of telegraphy, and in 1885 entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, working as telegraph operator until 1888. In that year he came to East Chicago as assistant station agent, and in March, 1889, ne was appointed agent at Hammond, Indiana. On the 27th of January, 1891, he was appointed agent at East Chicago and served in that capacity until the 29th of December, 1903, when he resigned in order to engage in business for himself. He then joined the Clapper Brothers in forming the present firm of Smith & Clapper Brothers, liverymen, of East Chicago. They have a well equipped barn and do a good business, which is constantly increasing. Mr. Smith is also agent for the East Chicago Company, a real estate firm which is developing one of the good sections of the city, and he also owns three valuable properties there, his home being located at 4414 Magoun avenue. In March, 1904, Mr. Smith was appointed agent for the United States Express Company at East Chicago. On the 21st of May, 1893, Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Maude Holmes, a daughter of Milton D. and Helen (Turner) Holmes. Four children have been born of this union: Leonard C. (deceased), Beulah, Irene and Rolland. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith hold membership in the Congregational church and take an active part in its work and contribute liberally to its support. He is now serving as a member of the board of church trustees. He is also deeply interested in the cause of education and is serving his second term as treasurer of the city school board. Politically he is a Republican, and is a progressive and public-spirited man and takes an active and helpful interest in every movement that he believes will contribute to the general progress and improvement. Additional Comments: Extracted from: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF Genealogy and Biography OF LAKE COUNTY, INDIANA, WITH A COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY 1834—1904 A Record of the Achievements of Its People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. REV. T. H. BALL OF CROWN POINT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ILLUSTRATED CHICAGO NEW YORK THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1904 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/lake/bios/smith450gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 6.0 Kb