Columbia County PA Archives Biographies.....SMITH, James E. 1859 - living in 1899 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com July 8, 2005, 6:06 pm Author: Biographical Publishing Co. JAMES E. SMITH. The thriving town of Berwick is well represented by a thorough-going, wide-awake and energetic class of business men, among whom J. E. Smith is prominent. He has served two years as president of the borough council. He is senior member of the widely-known firm of Smith Bros., dealers in general merchandise, and is a member of the firm of Lilley & Smith, shirt manufacturers. Our subject was born in Morris County, N. J., August 22, 1859, and is a son of Isaac S. Smith, a retired merchant of Stephensburg, N. J. The great-grandparents of our subject, on both the paternal and maternal sides, were of Scotch-Irish origin and were born in the North of Ireland. The paternal great-grandfather, Isaac Smith, came to this country and located near Blairstown, N. J., where he followed farming. He married Miss Wintermute of Sussex County, N. J., and they reared the following children: John; Charles; Enoch; Isaac; Henry; Joshua; Nathan S.; and Sarah A. (Cook). John Smith, the grandfather of our subject, resided near the old homestead all his lifetime, was a farmer and was prosperous and prominent. He was united in marriage with Katharine Kinney of New Jersey, and to them were born the following children: Isaac S., the father of the subject of this biographical sketch; Margaret; Katharine; Sarah; and Rachel. Religiously, John Smith was a Presbyterian. Isaac S. Smith, in October, 1857, married Ann Elizabeth Beatty, eldest daughter of James and Sarah A. (Fritts) Beatty of Pleasant Grove, N. J. To them were born: James E.; Florence; Willard; Mary F., deceased; Bertha; and Katharine. James E. Smith has been engaged in the mercantile business ever since he attained his majority. In 1887 he moved to Berwick, and in March of that year he and his brother, Willard Smith, embarked in the mercantile business, succeeding Freas Brothers. In 1889 they moved their store to the corner of Front and Market streets, where they occupy a large and commodious store-room. They enlarged their already extensive stock, and now carry a complete line of dry goods, groceries, crockery, and all the other articles suited to the wants of every household that go to make up a general store. The store is one of the largest of its kind in Columbia County, and such has been the character of the proprietors, their dealings being always honorable and upright, and their manners genial and affable, they have secured a large trade. In 1896 the Berwick Manufacturing Company was established with our subject and Mr. Lilley as proprietors. They have erected a large two-story building, 30 by 90 ft., with an engine room 15 by 20 ft., on the corner of North and Pine streets. They employ seventy hands, who are constantly kept busy in the making of men's shirts and ladies' shirt-waists. Mr. Smith has purchased the W. B. Freas residence, which is a very handsome house, and makes it his home. He also possesses other houses and is the owner of a large tenement house on Railroad street. Our subject is one of the leaders of his community and takes an active interest in the affairs of Berwick. He has served on the school board; has been a member of the town council six years, and is active in Christian work, having joined the church in childhood, of which his father is an elder (Pleasant Grove, N. J., Presbyterian); on removing to Pennsylvania he transferred his membership, and is now serving as a ruling elder and trustee in the First Presbyterian Church of Berwick. He was united in the bonds of matrimony with Hattie Petty, a daughter of M. H. Petty, a prosperous farmer of Briarcreek township, who was born in Wilkesbarre, Pa. His father, William Petty, was born in Northampton County, Pa., and was a son of John Petty, who came from Connecticut to Northampton County, and was one of the pioneer farmers of that section. William Petty was a farmer and was extensively engaged in lumbering. In 1827 he moved to Luzerne County, Pa., where he purchased a large tract of land in Hanover township, and erected a grist-mill, which he operated in connection with farming. He passed from this life in 1869, aged eighty-three years. His wife was Lydia Stroh, who was born in Berks County, Pa., and died in 1883, at the age of eighty-six years, leaving the following children: Peter; Levi; Amy; and Mathias H. Mathias H. Petty, the father of our subject's wife, was born November 25, 1832, and on December 28, 1854, he wedded Mary Pell, and left his father's home to establish one of his own. He followed farming fourteen years in his native township and six years in Salem township; in 1876 he moved to Briarcreek township, Columbia County, where lie has since been engaged in his chosen occupation. He owns one of the best farms in his section of the county and is recognized as a leader in the community. He is the father of ten children, all of whom are well-to-do citizens in the various localities in which they reside. They were named as follows: Hattie, the wife of our subject; Amy; Samuel; William; Charles M.; Margaret; Mary; Louise; Edyth; and Emily. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are the parents of three children, namely: Rose Lee, born in 1885; James Howard, born in 1887; and Arthur Mathias, born in 1893. Mr. Smith is a past master of Knapp Lodge, No. 462, F. & A. M.; a member of Berwick Lodge, No. 246, I. O. O. F.; Washington Camp, No. 105, P. O. S. of A.; and Royar Arcanum. His portrait is shown on a preceding page. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District Published by Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899) This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 6.1 Kb