Northumberland County PA Archives Biographies.....Smink, William H. R. 1852 - living in 1899

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Author: Biographical Publishing Co.



WILLIAM H. R. SMINK, a popular and respected citizen of Shamokin, Pa., a

portrait of whom is shown on the preceding page, has the distinction of being

proprietor of the largest drug-store in this state, and his retail trade is said

to be among the largest of its character in Pennsylvania. Our subject is a son

of Daniel C. and Eva Ann (Kaseman) Smink, and was born April 29, 1852, in

Shamokin township, near what is known as Blue Church. Mr. Smink's career

strikingly illustrates the old belief that perseverance, energy and careful

attention to the "little things" win success despite most formidable obstacles.



  The grandfather of our subject on the paternal side, Jacob Smink, settled

about 1830 in the vicinity of Shamokin or Mahanoy township. He built many of the

saw-mills which were erected and operated in the early days when the wilds were

slowly but surely cleared for the use of the white settlers.



  Daniel C. Smink, father of the subject of this review, was born in

Northumberland County, in one of the saw-mills which his father had built. He

was reared in the environs of Shamokin, in the woods, and followed carpentry and

blacksmithing for many years. He has been for the past forty-five years a

resident of Shamokin, where he is a dealer in paints and wall-paper. Mr. Smink

was originally a Whig and subsequently allied himself with the Republican party.

He served one term as a justice of the peace. The mother of our subject is a

granddaughter of Joseph Kaseman, a native of Germany, who came to this country

when eighteen or nineteen years of age. He located near Blue Church and passed

his days on a farm. He passed to his final rest in 1866, having reached the rare

age of 107 years.



  Our subject, W. H. R. Smink, is one of four children, two of whom, Rosalie and

Elizabeth, are dead, and the fourth child, Albert H., is a physician in

Shamokin. When eight years old the subject of this sketch went into a

coal-breaker as a slatepicker. At the age of eleven years he entered the office

of the Shamokin Herald to learn the printer's trade, working in the newspaper

office until April 14, 1865, when President Lincoln was assassinated, when he

was thrown out of work by the closing of the office. After working at odd jobs

for some time young Smink went into the general store of Ryer Bros. & Company as

a cellar-boy. He worked for the firm five years, during the final two years of

his service acting as bookkeeper, which was quite an achievement for one so

young, as the store was a large one and the principal business house in the

town. For two years William slept in the store, and, being fond of reading, he

sought to educate himself by so doing at night after he had finished his labors

of the day. His health failed and he was compelled to give up his position.

Subsequently, with his father, he put up the first planing-mill in Shamokin and

they operated it for a year, when it was burned, wiping out the entire capital

possessed by father and son. Compelled again to seek employment, Mr. Smink went

to Chambersburg, Pa., where for a year he conducted a toy and confectionery

store. He then returned to Shamokin and entered the dry goods store of Leader,

Muir & Company, after trying the toy and candy business for a short time, and

for two years he was the only clerk in the employ of the firm. In 1877, on the

breaking out of the great strike of railroad men which extended to ten states,

including Pennsylvania, Mr. Smink went to Berks County and took charge of a

general store in Seisholtzville owned by his father-in-law, Henry Guiterman. He

had entire charge of his father-in-law's books, as Mr. Guiterman was principally

occupied in looking after iron ore mines in which he was interested. After

running the store for six years, upon the death of Mr. Guiterman, our subject

was appointed superintendent of the iron ore mines, which position he filled to

the satisfaction of the executors of the estate for three years. He then

returned to Shamokin in 1883, having studied medicine and pharmacy with Dr. Roth

of Seisholtzville, and established a drug-store. He began business as a druggist

in a room 9 by 14 feet at the corner of Market and Chestnut streets, and nine

months later removed to North Market street, where he occupied a store 16 by 28

feet, which has been replaced by his present large and elegant place of

business. In January, 1896, Mr. Smink took into partnership his son, Henry G.,

and the business is now conducted under the firm name, W. H. R. Smink & Son.



  Twice Mr. Smink has entered the marital relation. His first marriage was to

Annie L., daughter of Henry Guiterman of Port Carbon, Pa., and to them were born

three children: Henry G., Eva K., and Annie L. Mrs. Smink died September 8,

1879. Mrs. [sic] Smink's second marriage was on December 24, 1880, to Ella,

daughter of Charles Knappenberger of Allentown, Pa., and to them have been born

three children: Rosalie; Marion, deceased; and Daniel.



  Our subject always has been an active Republican. For two years he served as

councilman from the Third Ward, 1891-92, and in 1893 he was elected, burgess for

a one-year term. The State Assembly then made the term of the office three years

and Mr. Smink was again elected and served the term, giving four years of

efficient and beneficial labor to his fellow-citizens. During his service as

burgess Mr. Smink incessantly worked to secure the paving of streets and he was

rewarded by the putting down of three blocks of asphalt pavement. The street

improvement urged and started by him has-been continued by succeeding

administrations. He also was instrumental in bringing about the vote upon the

proposition to organize the borough into a city; he also labored zealously to

secure proper sewerage facilities and the result was that several miles of

sewers were laid in the borough.



   Our subject is a member of the American Pharmaceutical Association, also of

the Pennsylvania Pharmaceutical Association. He is a Mason of high rank, being a

member of Shamokin Lodge No. 255, F. & A. M.; of Shamokin Chapter No. 264, R. A.

M.; Mount Moriah Council No. 10, R. S. Ex. and S. M.; and Caldwell Consistory,

S. P. R. S. 32d Degree, A. A. S. R. Since 1869 he has been a member of Camp No.

30, P. O. S. of A., and he also is a member of the Knights of the Mystic Chain.

He was one of the organizers of the West End Fire Company and has been its

treasurer since its organization. He also was a director of the West End

Building & Loan Association for many years. Mr. Smink is a member of St. John's

Reformed Church of Shamokin.





Additional Comments:

Extracted from:



Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District

Published by 

Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899)











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