Biographical Sketch of Benjamin Smith, Greene County, Missouri, North Springfield >From "History of Greene County, Missouri," St. Louis: Western Historical Company, 1883. ********************************************************************** This gentleman is the oldest engineer on the St. Louis & San Francisco railroad, having run the first engine on that line. He was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, February 26, 1827. When he was sixteen years old he went into the machine shops of the Housatonic railroad in his native town, and commenced learning the trade of a machinist. Two years later, after firing for a short time on the same road, he took charge of an engine, which he ran at intervals for three years, then regularly for six successive years. He then ran as engineer on the Rock Island railroad for two years, going thence to St. Louis, where he took charge of an engine on the Missouri Pacific till 1862. Going to Memphis, he ran on the Memphis and charleston road nine months, for the government, after which he was transferred to Nashville, Tenn., and given charge of an engine of the hospital train, which he ran on various roads in the South till the war closed, visiting several battlefields, among which were Mission Ridge, and the battle between Nashville and Decatur. After the war he returned to Pacific City, Missouri, and took the engine he had formerly run, and has been in same employ ever since. Mr. Smith was married to Martha Tyman some nine years before the civil war, by whom he has had seven children. His home is in Pacific City, where he has lived for thirty years. He is a member of Pacific division, No. 83, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, of which order he was a charter member. Besides this he is in the Locomotive Engineers' Mutual Life Insurance Association, and is also a member of the 'Frisco L. E. H. Association. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Joe Miller Penny Harrell ====================================================================