Bio of Smith, Oscar (b.1844) Wabasha 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: Barbara Timm and Carol Judge ========================================================================= This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1884. Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book: http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab1.htm There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some of the bios on her pages. Smith, Oscar, of Plainview, was born in Columbia county, Pa., October 8, 1844. His father, Peter Smith, was a farmer, and removed from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin when Oscar was in his tenth year. Here they remained near Watertown until 1855, when they came to Greenwood Praire and located a claim on section 13, in Plainview township. Oscar early manifested a marked fondness for hunting, and during the brief sojourn of the family in Wisconsin he was so unfortunate as to lose his left arm, the result of the accidental discharge of his gun. But this did not check his career as a sportsman, and in 1858 he had become sufficiently acquainted with the Indians that then inhabited Minnesota, as to engage in the fur trade. For three years he followed this business. He next learned the painter's trade, which he has continued successfully to follow more or less closely since, although he has also engaged in farming, and now owns 100 acres of his father's original claim on Greewood Prairie, and a half section of fine land near Canby, Laquinparle county, Minnesota. This latter he acquired in 1879. Since 1880 he has spent most of his time in Fargo and Minto, Dakota. He is thoroughly endowed with the rugged and independent hunting in the northern portions of Wisconsin, Minnesota or Dakota, and has many interesting exploits to relate to his large circle of acquaintances. War of Rebellion (Civil War)