Bio of Smith, Silas Gerome (b.1833) 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, Silas Gerome (page 1292), carpenter and builder, is one of the
pioneers of this county and the father of the first white child born in
Highland township. His grandfather, Jared Smith, was a native of Maine,
was a farmer and settled at Pompey Hill, Oswego county, New York. Here was
born and reared Israel Smith, the father of this subject, who followed
blacksmithing from sixteen years of age. He married Eliza Richer, who was
born in West Monroe, same county. Silas G. Smith was born September 13,
1833, at the same place as his father. For seven years he worked with his
father at his trade, and never went to school after he was ten years old.
At twenty-five he began carpenter work, having previously been employed
for some time as filer and sawyer in a mill. After losing all his
possessions by fire, he determined to seek a home in the New West, and
came to Wabasha county, locating on land in Highland in the fall of 1854.
In the spring of that year he married Ellen S. Jacott, who died May 17,
1876, leaving two children. Julia Ann, the eldest, born January 20, 1857,
is the wife of Julius B. Lewis, in Wabasha. Silas Jerome resides with his
father, and was twenty years old March 5 last. Mr. Smith made his home on
his farm until 1875. August 31, 1864, he entered Co. A., 3d Minn. regt.,
as a recruit. He was placed on detached service, and remained at Duvall's
Bluff most of the time till discharged, July 28, 1865. Since 1875 his home
has been in Wabasha, where he owns two lots on the levee. In May, 1877, he
married Isabel A. Robinson, who is a native of Oxford, Massachusetts.
Despite his meager schooling Mr. Smith has contrived to secure a good fund
of general information, and is an intelligent citizen. In political
matters he affiliates with the democratic party. He was two years
constable in Highland, and subsequently served as deputy county sheriff.
He has been connected with a Baptist church which now indicates his
religious faith. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Congregational church in
Wabasha. Mr. Smith is a member of the Equitable Aged Union. He has been
engaged since his residence here in millwright work, and house, boat and
pontoon building. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway pontoons at
Read's Landing and Prairie du Chien show his handiwork; also one at Lacon,
Illinois.