Lake-Elkhart County IN Archives Biographies.....Smith, Andrew J. 1861 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 21, 2006, 10:50 pm

Author: T. H. Ball (1904)

ANDREW J. SMITH.

    Andrew J. Smith, editor of the Hobart Gazette, at Hobart, Indiana, has been
numbered among the enterprising citizens of this Lake county town for nearly
twenty years, and for the past fifteen years has been identified with the
Gazette. This is the only newspaper of the town, having always maintained its
own against several ephemeral rivals that have for varying periods set up and
then struck their editorial tents in this town. Like all newspapers, the Gazette
has not traveled a continuous "primrose path." nor yet has it had many
vicissitudes or crises in its existence, but under the conservative and
business-like management of its publishers, who have always given the people a
sheet worth reading, it has enjoyed a continually increasing success, and is now
numbered among the substantial, permanent and prosperous institutions of Hobart.
The Gazette was founded in Hobart in August, 1889, by George Narpass and G.
Bender, and under foreclosure sale and at the instance of a number of citizens
was bought by Mr. Smith in the following December. The plant is up-to-date and
complete for a town of the size, having a large power cylinder press, and in
circulation and general patronage the paper ranks among the foremost of the
county. The Gazette is conducted on independent lines, the two publishers being
of opposite political tendencies, and thus their paper is unbiassed and
practical in treating all questions and problems of community and county
concern. While their endeavors are most successfully directed toward making
their publication a weathervane to indicate the direction of public opinion and
a mirror of current events, their columns also always show a public-spirited
interest in the welfare of town and county and their editorial influence is ever
for the progress and upbuilding of the community's institutions and interests.

    Mr. Smith, most of whose adult life has thus been identified with Hobart,
was born at Mottville, St. Joseph county, Michigan, March 20, 1861, being one of
five children, two boys and three girls, born to John A. and Emeline
(Shellenberger) Smith. His father died in February, 1900, but his mother is
still living on the home farm of three hundred acres in Elkhart county, Indiana.

    Mr. Smith had the wholesome rearing and training of a farmer boy, living
from the age of five to eighteen on the farm in Elkhart county. He had taught
one term of school before he was eighteen, and from the time he attained that
age until he entered newspaper work in 1890 he was almost continuously engaged
in that profession, the last four years of the time having been spent as
principal of the Hobart schools, so that his residence in this town dates from
August, 1886. In the interims of his teaching he studied at the Northern Indiana
Normal School at Valparaiso, and in 1885 graduated in the scientific class of
that institution. During three summers before 1890 he conducted normal classes
in Elkhart county, and had a reputation in that county as one of the best
instructors engaged in that line of work. By his purchase of the Gazette plant
late in 1889 his energies were directed to newspaper work, and he has made that
his principal vocation to the present. He was sole owner of the plant until the
fall of 1891, when he sold a half interest to Mr. Nevin B. White, and the firm
has since been Smith & White. They also carry on a general real estate, loan and
insurance business.

    July 7, 1884, Mr. Smith married Miss Elva L. Stiwald, of Lorain county,
Ohio. There are no children of this marriage, and after twenty years of happy
wedded life Mr. Smith lost his wife on February 2, 1904.

    Mr. Smith has never held office, but has been nominated for county auditor
of Lake county in 1904 on the Democratic ticket. He has at various times had
nominations to local offices urged upon him. In his individual political beliefs
he is a Democrat of the old-time, conservative, sound-money stamp, and as a
private citizen is interested in the success and growth of his party. He has
been a Mason for the past seventeen years, was master of his lodge for seven
years, and has since been secretary. He affiliates with M. L. McClelland Lodge
No. 357, F. & A. M., at Hobart; Valparaiso Chapter No. 79, R. A. M., at
Valparaiso; Valparaiso Commandery No 28, K. T., at Valparaiso; is a member and
past chancellor commander of Hobart Lodge No. 458, Knights of Pythias; a member
of Hobart Tent No. 65, K. O. T. M. He is secretary and treasurer of the Hobart
Gun Club, and is an active member of various social organizations. He was
christened and reared in the faith of the Dutch Reformed church, of which his
mother is still a member.


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


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