Biographical Sketch of G. W. V. Smith, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg. >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** G. W. V. Smith, proprietor of The Clarified Milk Dairy, of Warrensburg was born in 1865 in Nodaway county, Missouri, son of Gus P. and Mary Ann (Riley) Smith, the former, a native of Kansas, having the distinct- ion of being one of the first children born in that state, and the latter, one of Warrensburg's most highly esteemed women, that being her present home. To Gus P. and Mary Ann (Riley) Smith were born six children: Jefferson, who resides in Kansas City, Missouri; Lemuel M., who resides in Kansas City, Missouri; Robert, Long Beach, California; Mrs. E. R. Wallbridge, Warrensburg, Missouri; Mrs. Lucretia Josephine Ramsey, who resides in Metz, Missouri; and G. W. V., the subject of this review. The father died in Stockton, California in 1907 and the widowed mother has made her home in Warrensburg since that time. In the public schools of Nodaway county, Missouri, G. W. V. Smith received his education. At the age of nineteen years, he began life for himself employed in the dairy business, working for Joe Christopher in Warrens- burg. That was more than thirty years ago and Mr. Smith is still in the dairy business in Warrensburg. He is the present proprietor of The Clarified Milk Dairy, located on East Broad street in Warrensburg. G. W. V. Smith is the pioneer dairyman of this city. He started with a wagon fifteen years past and from a two gallon can dealt out milk to his customers, using for measuring purposes a quart cup, which had a ring encircling it about the center to designate a pint. The dairy was then located at his present place of business on East Broad street. Mr. Smith sold his first dairy and for five years resided on a farm in Johnson county, where he was engaged in truck gardening. He then returned to Warrensburg and resided for two years, at the close of which time he returned to the farm. In March, 1917, Mr. Smith again returned to Warrensburg to engage in the dairy business at his former location. In 1887, G. W. V. Smith was united in marriage with Mattie Brummel, of Bates county, Missouri. Mattie (Brummel) Smith is a daugh- ter of John H. and Martha Brummel. Mr. Brummel died in February, 1917 at the age of eighty-two years and Mrs. Brummel, who is now eighty- three years of age, is making her home with her daughter, Mrs. G. W. V. Smith. The father was laid to rest in the cemetery at Warrensburg. No children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but they have taken into their home two little ones, a boy, Archie, and a girl Florence Frances. No children in this county are receiving better home training or more excellent care and both Mr. and Mrs. Smith regard their adopted son and daughter with the same affection that they would bestow had they been born to them. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are highly regarded among the coun- ty's best citizens. G. W. V. Smith is a member of the Knights of Pythias, of the Maccabees, and of the Modern Woodmen of America, all of Warrensburg. A large dairy barn, 30 x 50 feet in dimensions, with stanchions for twenty cows, concrete floor, and all the latest improved devices is, at the time of this writing in 1917, in the process of erection. One large room in the dairy is planned for the cooling room, which room the engine room adjoins. A three single units milking machine will be installed within a short time. Mr. Smith has thirty- eight cows and at the present time is milking thirty-two of them. Twenty head of these are Holsteins, which were shipped from Wisconsin in March, 1916. The rest are Jersey and part Jersey cattle. A pure- bred registered Holstein male heads the herd. Mr. Smith is raising nineteen head of fine heifer calves for use in the dairy, all of them promising to be splendid milch cows. Besides fourteen acres of land south of the city, Mr. Smith has leased one hundred eighty acres from Mr. Cheatham. The tract of fourteen acres he owns. One hundred fifty- five acres of the Cheatham place is in pasture and the remaining twenty five acres in corn. There is a silo on the farm and another large one will be erected this season, in 1917. The clarifying of milk is done by a DeLaval Milk Clarifier. This machine removes all impurities from the milk and allows the milk and cream to come from the same spout, thus eliminating separating the milk and cream. The whole milk is bottled, immediately after clarifying, in sanitary bottles and deliver- ies are made in the city twice daily. The Clarified Milk Dairy is kept spotlessly clean and pure. Much time, labor, water, and lime are used in keeping the place perfectly sanitary and G. W. V. Smith is doing everything in his power to make and keep his dairy first class. Two men are employed at this dairy all the time. ==================================================================== 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: <> Penny (Eisenbarger) Harrell ====================================================================