William H. Smith Biography


	This biography appears on pages 757-758 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	WILLIAM H. SMITH is a native of the Badger state, having been 
born in Juneau county, Wisconsin, on the 28th of April, 1857, and being 
a son of John and Bridget Smith, both of whom were born and reared in 
Ireland. The father of the subject left the Emerald Isle as a young man 
and came to America to seek his fortune, believing that better 
opportunities were here afforded for the winning of success through 
individual effort. He was employed for some time in connection with the 
great lumbering industry in Wisconsin, and through this means 
accumulated sufficient money to send home for the remainder of his 
family. He finally secured a tract of land in Wisconsin, and turned his 
attention to agricultural pursuits, in which he has since been 
successfully engaged, being now the owner of a well improved farm of 
two hundred  and forty acres, in Juneau county, Wisconsin, where he is 
held in high esteem. He and his wife are the parents of the following 
named children: William H., who is the subject of this review; 
Elizabeth, who is the widow of Daniel Murphy and who resides in 
Brookings county, South Dakota; Thomas, who is a successful farmer of 
Parnell township, Brookings county, South Dakota; Margaret, who is the 
wife of Michael Mead, of Moody county, South Dakota, John, Jr., who 
resides in Mauston, Wisconsin; Ellen, who is a teacher in the schools 
of Brookings county; and Rose and Mary, who remain at the parental 
home, in Wisconsin.  

	The subject of this sketch was reared to the sturdy discipline of 
the home farm and early became inured to the work involved in its 
improvement and cultivation, while he was accorded good educational 
advantages, prosecuting his studies in the public schools of his native 
county until he had attained the age of eighteen years, while 
thereafter he assisted in the work of the home farm until he had 
reached his legal majority, when he initiated his independent career. 
He came to South Dakota in the spring of 1878, and in May of that year 
filed entry on a quarter section of land in section 18, Brookings 
county, and thereafter he continued to work by the day or month for one 
year, in the meanwhile instituting the improvement of his claim, to 
which he eventually perfected his title. In 1878 he built a sod house 
on his place, the same being equipped with a board roof, and his father 
sent him sufficient money to enable him to purchase two yoke of oxen. 
He had no yoke to use when he first began the breaking of his land, and 
his finances were such that he was compelled to borrow this essential 
accessory, which he carried on his back for a distance of ten miles 
when he returned it to the owner. He remained on his first claim for 
fifteen years, within which time he made good improvements on the 
property and began to ,win a definite success. He purchased his present 
home place in 1893, paying nineteen hundred dollars for a quarter 
section, in Parnell township, and since taking up his residence here he 
has made many substantial improvements having extensively remodeled the 
house, which is now one of the attractive and comfortable farm homes of 
this section, while he also erected a fine barn, thirty-two by sixty-
four feet in dimensions and a granary eighteen by forty feet. He sunk a 
deep well, which supplies pure water in abundance, and this improvement 
was made at a cost of about five hundred dollars. Mr. Smith is now the 
owner of ten hundred and forty acres of land in Parnell township, this 
county, and also owns a half section of excellent land in Ransom 
county, North Dakota. He gives his attention to diversified agriculture 
and to the raising of an excellent grade of cattle and hogs, together 
with sufficient horses to supply the demands of his farm. He is 
energetic, has excellent business judgment, is ever fair and honorable 
in all his dealings, and it is pleasing to note that he-has not been 
denied the due reward of his labors. When he came to this state his 
cash capital was represented in the sum of sixty dollars, and a 
conservative valuation of his property today is placed at fifty 
thousand dollars. For the past several years he has owned and operated 
a threshing outfit, for which he has found a ready demand throughout 
the season. In politics he maintains an independent attitude, voting 
according to the dictates of his judgment and supporting men and 
measures rather than be guided along strict partisan lines. He and his 
wife are communicants of the Catholic church, as are also all of their 
children. Fraternally he is identified with the Ancient Order of United 
Workmen and the Modern Woodmen of America.  

	On the 26th of July, 1882, Mr. Smith was united in marriage to 
Miss Mary Buckley, who was born in Wisconsin, being a daughter of 
Edward and Ellen Ruckley, who were early settlers of that state, where 
they remained until 1880, when they came to Brookings county, South 
Dakota, and settled in Trenton township, where they passed the 
remainder of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have nine children, all of 
whom are still members of the home circle, namely: Nellie, John, Nora, 
Hugh, William, Edward, Charles, George and Fabian.