Hood River County OR Archives Obituaries.....Smith, Ezra Leonard January 22, 1921
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Jeffery Bryant bryajw@bridgemail.com January 28, 2012, 7:31 pm

The Hood River Glacier, Hood River, OR., January 27, 1921, page 1
DEATH COMES TO E.L. SMITH
Eventful Career Ends Saturday
Mr. Smith, One of the Founders of the Apple Industry, Was One of the Coast's
Prominent Pioneers

All places of business were closed from 1 to 3 p.m. Monday while Hood River paid
honor to E.L. Smith, Hood River valley's first citizen, and grand old man, who
died at his home Saturday. The Riverside Community church was crowded by
residents from all parts of the valley and pioneers from other districts. Rev.
W.G. Eliot, pastor of the Church of Our Father in Portland, a friend of nearly
50 years standing, delivered the funeral address. He read a memorial tribute
written by his father, Dr. T.L. Eliot, Pastor emeritus of the First Unitarian
church, Portland, who was unable to attend the service because of ill health.
Rev. W.H. Boddy aided with the service.

Mr. Smith was first master of the local Masonic lodge, a Knight Templar and
Shrine member. The local lodge of Masons attended in a body, observing
ritualistic services. Pallbearers, all members of the lodge, where L.N. Blowers,
W.H. Clipping, T.A. Reavis, W.L. Clark, Geo. F. Stranahan and A.J. Derby.
Honorary pallbearers, all pioneers of the section, were: S.F. Blythe, C.
Dethman, Henry L. Howe, M.D. Odell, Robert Rand, S. Copple, W.J. Baker and A.H.
Jewett, of White Salmon, Wash. K.W. Sinclair drove the car containing the active
pallbearers to Portland.

The body, accompanied by members of the family and friends, was taken to
Portland over the Columbia River Highway for cremation. It was the first funeral
cortege ever to pass down the Columbia gorge from here.

Mr. Smith was born in Vermont, September 17, 1837. While his name is closely
linked with the pioneer history of the three Pacific Coast states, California,
Oregon and Washington, he is best known in Oregon, having resided with his
family in Hood River county since 1876. He planted one of the valley's first
commercial orchards and for years was a leader in establishing the apple
industry in the northwest. He was one of the founders and for a number of years
president of the Oregon Horticultural Society. His enthusiasm for the local
fruit industry won for him the name of "Hood River" Smith. He was a member of
the Oregon Commission at the Pan-American exposition at Buffalo, N.Y., and had
charge of the state's horticultural exhibits, which received first awards at the
international contests there.

Mr. Smith was perhaps the last Pacific Coast survivor who attended the
Republican convention at Chicago in 1862, when Abraham Lincoln received his
first nomination for the presidency. At the time he was a student at Lombard
University at Galesburg, Ill., having accompanied Isaac Parker, a young
professor of ancient languages called from New England to the middle western
institution. He was a great admirer of Lincoln and visited him at his home at
Springfield, Ill. Mr. Smith's wife, Georgiana Slocum, was a fellow Lombard
student. Their wedding was set for the morning of March 4, 1861, but at the
request of the bridegroom, in order that he and his wife might say that their
married life was begun under the administration of Abraham Lincoln, the wedding
was postponed until the afternoon. The couple set off immediately for New York
City, where they sailed for California via the Isthmus of Panama. They made
their way to El Dorado county, where Mr. Smith engaged in mining for several
years. In 1864 and 65, Mr. Smith was a member of the California general
assembly. In 1867 he received appointment as secretary of Washington territory.
For the greater part of his term as secretary he was also acting territorial
governor. At the expiration of his official duties, Mr. Smith associated with
Geo. A. Barnes, a member of the first city council of Portland, and William H.
Avery, established the first bank at Olympia.

Mr. Smith arrived here with his family on March 1, 1876. He had previously
purchased a large acreage in the Frankton district just west of the present town
of Hood River. A home had been erected with lumber shipped by boat from
Portland. Mr. Smith established the county's first store, which was later moved
to Hood River.

Except for a short residence in The Dalles, where he served as a register of the
United States Land Office, Mr. Smith resided here continuously after his arrival
from Olympia. He was noted as one of the state's most eloquent public speakers
and took a prominent part as Republican leader in state and national politics.
In 1889 he was speaker of the lower house of the legislature. He was at one time
United States senatorial candidate.

Mr. Smith and his family became widely known throughout the Northwest for their
interest in civic affairs. Mrs. Smith, who died in 1911, was a leading pioneer
in Oregon Women's Club circles. Her charities among the Indians and unfortunate
whites covered a wide area. News of the death of Mr. Smith was received with
expressions of sincere grief by the remaining Indians here.

Mr. Smith was a close friend of Dr. T.L. Eliot, pastor emeritus of the First
Unitarian church of Portland. Formerly the two were accustomed to make
excursions of exploration into the surrounding forest wilds. They were members
of the party that discovered Lost Lake. It was largely through Mr. Smith's
financial support that a Unitarian church was established here. Mr. and Mrs.
Smith donated to Hood River the site of the county's imposing public library.

Mr. Smith is survived by four daughters, Mrs. J.F. Watt and Mrs. William
Stewart, of Hood River; and Mrs. J.E. Rand and Mrs. O.J. Nelson, of Portland.
Other surviving close relatives are Geo. I Slocum and Roy C. Slocum, the latter
of Portland.

The funeral was directed by S.E. Bartmess. 

Additional Comments:
Ezra, his wife, Georgiana, and other members of his family, were also cremated.
Their ashes were scattered in the Columbia River.  

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