Bio of SMITH, Fred L. (b.1843), Hennepin Co., MN
=========================================================================
USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information
on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities,
as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is
obtained from the contributor of the file.
These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or
presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to
use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written
consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter,
and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent.

If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives 
Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm
Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find 
the submitter information or other files for this county.
FileFormat by Terri--MNArchives

Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Laura Pruden
Submitted: June 2003
=========================================================================
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
========================================================
submitted by Laura Pruden, email Raisndustbunys@aol.com
========================================================

EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical

Vol II, pg 106-110
FRED L. SMITH
No history of Minneapolis would be complete without extended mention of Fred L.
Smith, dean of the printing business in this city for many years. A contemporary
writer has said: "It is a matter worthy of note that in no other case on record
can one so truthfully be called the father of the printing business in so large
a community as that of Minneapolis. Starting as a boy in a small settlement,
forming the first job office, and from that time representing the largest office
in the city, continually holding his place as the representative of his craft,
both at home and abroad, is a record that will never be duplicated. During that
time many new faces have appeared upon the scene, active for a while, and then
disappeared. But Mr. Smith has held his position as the dean of the business
with none to dispute his right to the title."
Fred L. Smith was born in the little village of Lee, Maine, on the 2d of July,
1843. When a boy of fourteen years he went to the then small town of St.
Anthony. At that time he had received a diploma from the Lee Normal Academy of
Maine, entitling him to teach, but he never entered that profession. During the
first summer of his residence in St. Anthony he secured employment in the dry
goods store of Minor Ball, which was located in the Wensinger block, in
northeast Minneapolis. In September of that year the Falls Evening News was
established and published by Croffith & Clark, and he secured the position of
carrier, working in the office setting type in the daytime. He attended one or
two terms of school in the winter months afterward, in what was known as the
"Old Black School House," on University avenue, which got its name from the fact
that it had never received any paint. Mr. Smith assisted in the work of getting
out the first city directory at that time, setting type and also feeding the job
press, an old Ruggles, having to stand on an old type box in order to reach the
feed board. It is interesting to note here that Mr. Smith has assisted in some
manner in the production of nearly every city directory published since that
time. Some time ago Dr. W. W. Folwell, an intimate friend of Mr. Smith's, in
poring over the musty files of this ancient publication came across the
following item which appeared on the local page of the issue of October 23,
1857: "We have been very unsuccessful in trying to get reliable boys to carry
our paper. After great exertions we have at last procured an honest carrier,
Master Frederick Smith, for our route in lower town."
In 1861, upon the shutting down of the Falls Evening News, Mr. Smith sought
employment in St. Paul and for two years worked on the old Pioneer. He was then
given the foremanship of the job department of the same paper, where he remained
a couple of years longer. Mr. Smith's ability as a printer manifested itself at
that early day and he was rewarded with a salary of twenty-seven dollars a week,
which was not so bad for a boy of twenty. Mr. Smith was quick to take advantage
of every opportunity that came his way and he was a most efficient and trusted
employe. At that time there was no transportation with St. Anthony save by stage
coach, and the fare by this route was one dollar. Many times Mr. Smith walked up
from St. Paul on Saturday night, returning in the same manner Monday morning. He
readily recalls how he used to walk across St. Anthony Falls at low water. In
1865 he resigned his position in St. Paul and returned to Minneapolis. He
started a weekly paper and job office, the paper being known as the Weekly
Chronicle, and it was later turned into the Daily Chronicle. Mr. Smith was
associated in this enterprise with Colonel J. S. Stevens, Colonel L. P. Plummer
and Willard Whitmore. Colonel Stevens was the editor of the sheet, Colonel
Plummer was the business manager and Mr. Smith was the superintendent of the
mechanical department. In 1867 the Daily Chronicle was merged with Bill King's
Atlas, forming the Minneapolis Daily Tribune, and Mr. Smith remained in charge
of the mechanical department with special charge of the job department, and was
active in that capacity until starting into business on his own account.
In 1871 Mr. Smith withdrew, together with Colonel C. W. Johnson, city editor of
the Tribune, and started the first exclusive job printing plant in Minneapolis.
The plant was located near the corner of Nicollet avenue and Third street, in
what was known as the Jacoby building, and consisted of two Gordon job presses.
The business was first conducted on a very modest scale, but it soon outgrew
this building and in 1873 removed to the Barton block, on Washington avenue
North, where J. W. Swinburne was afterward located for many years. That location
was then in the heart of the city and it was while here that Lewis Harrison
entered the firm, 1t then becoming Johnson, Smith & Harrison. In 1878, the plant
was moved to Lockup alley, on Second street, between Nicollet and First avenue
South, in a building owned by I. C. Seeley. By this time the shop had grown to
some size and boasted of three cylinder presses and several more jobbers. While
in Lockup alley the firm secured the contract for several classes of the state
printing. That neighborhood at that time was a veritable hive of printing
offices, a number of which have since reached very large proportions and become
well known throughout the state. Among these were the Kimball & Todd plant, the
parent plant of the Kim-ball & Storer Company, and the Northwestern Miller. The
growth of the firm of Johnson, Smith & Harrison was continuous and in 1885 the
company built and moved into a four-story brick structure at Third street and
First avenue South. When it built its new plant the firm was derided for
building so far out of town. The members of the firm were men of keen foresight,
however, and bided their time. A part of their building was occupied by the
Chamber of Commerce, which remained in its offices there until the new Chamber
of Commerce building was erected at Third street and Fourth avenue South, and
shortly after the firm moved into its new quarters the post office was built
directly across the street.
Mr. Johnson retired from the firm in the early '90s to become chief clerk of the
United States senate, which position he held for many years and the firm then
changed its name to Harrison & Smith. Mr. Harrison retired from the firm in
1899, and it was then reorganized as a stock company, C. E. Dickinson becoming
identified with it as secretary and treasurer. The company then became known as
the Harrison & Smith Company. In 1900 the firm again changed quarters, moving
out of town into the country, this time settling in its present location,
Seventh avenue South and Fourth street. The counting room is located on the site
of the frame dwelling in which Mr. Smith resided for twelve years when he was
first married.
In 1868 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Smith and Miss Roxana G. Sinclair,
and to their union two children were born: Henry S., who is in business with his
father; and Agnes M., who is the wife of H. C. Rompage of this city. Mrs. Smith
died on the 12th of January, 1915. She was essentially a home woman and her
demise came as a severe shock to her family and many friends.
Mr. Smith has always voted with the republican party and he cast his first
ballot for Abraham Lincoln. He has always been more or less active in public
life and was a member of the city council of Minneapolis, as a representative
from the fifth ward, for five years. He was occupying the president's chair when
he resigned in 1881. He served lor twelve years on the Park Board of this city
and is an ex-president of this board. Mr. Smith is an exemplary member of the
Masonic craft and was formerly quite active in Masonic circles. He is a member
of Cataract Lodge, P. & A. M.; St. Anthony Falls Chapter; Adonirum Council; and
Darius Commandery, in all of which he has held the executive chairs. He has
reached Zuhrah Temple of the Mystic Shrine by both Scottish and York Rites,
having attained the thirty-second degree in Minneapolis Consistory. Mr. Smith
also belongs to Minneapolis Lodge, No. 44, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks.
He is a life member of the Minnesota State Historical Society; a member and
ex-president of the Hennepin County Territorial Pioneers; a member of the
Minnesota Territorial Pioneers of the Manufacturers Club, and the Chamber of
Commerce Association. He also holds membership in the following: The Minneapolis
Athletic Club, St. Anthony Commercial Club, Interlachen Country Club, Golden
Valley Golf Club, the Automobile Club, and is a charter member of the Minnesota
Editorial Association.
Mr. Smith has always stood for advancement and progress in everything that
pertained to the welfare of the craft of which he is dean and in 1884 he
assisted in the formation of the first organization of job printers in
Minneapolis, known as the Employing Job Printers Protective Association, and
became president of this body. This was just three years prior to the
organization of the National Typothetae of America, which took place in Chicago
in 1887. Mr. Smith and C. A. Mitchell attended the convention as delegates and
took a prominent part in the organization. He has served over fifteen years as a
member of the executive committee of the United Typothetae of America and is
today the only surviving charter member of that organization. After the
organization of the National Typothetae the Minneapolis organization assumed the
name of the Minneapolis Typothetae and Mr. Smith has held the office of
president for many years. When retiring from active participation in the affairs
of the organization he was made honorary president for life.
Upon the organization of the Ben Franklin Club in Minneapolis, in March, 1909,
Mr. Smith was one of the most enthusiastic organizers, although he passed the
active work over to the younger men. His assistance can always be counted upon
when needed, and his counsel is eagerly sought by the younger element, it being
a source of pleasure to them to be able to rely upon so able a counselor.
At the printers' picnic on Saturday, July 2, 1910, in honor of his sixty-seventh
birthday, Mr. Smith was presented with a one hundred and fifty dollar diamond
ring. On his seventy-fifth birthday he was presented with a handsome gold watch,
Swiss, by the employing printers and the supply men. Mr. Smith has a host of
friends in every walk of life and his picture is hung in many offices of
prominent business men throughout the county and state. A contemporary writer
has said of him: "He never attempted the unattainable-he has lived his life as
he deemed fit, and no one can deny that he has earned every honor accorded him."