George Carroll Smith Biography


	This biography appears on pages 240-241 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				GEORGE CARROLL SMITH. 

	George Carroll Smith, who is well known in business circles at 
Hot Springs as cashier of the Bank of Hot Springs, was born at Horicon, 
Dodge county, Wisconsin, January 24, 1867, a son of Samuel L. and 
Jeanette H. (Herrick) Smith. The father w-as born in Elmira, New York, 
and the mother just across the line in Pennsylvania. Mr. Smith in early 
life became a railroad man and was connected with the Union Pacific 
railroad for many years. He was a conductor and as the road was built 
westward he removed westward. In 1872 he took up his residence at 
Cheyenne, Wyoming, and twelve years later moved to Rathdrum, Idaho, 
which remained his home until he located in Spokane, Washington, where 
he passed away in 1908, his wife dying four years later. 

	George Carroll Smith, the second of nine children, attended 
school in Cheyenne until he was thirteen years of age, but when only 
nine years old began selling newspapers in that city, being so engaged 
until he was fourteen. He then worked on the government survey for two 
years, after which he removed to the state of Washington and became 
connected with mercantile business at Ainsworth, a town which has now 
gone out of existence. After a year spent there he went to Rathdrum, 
Idaho, where he engaged in merchandising until 1884, when his store was 
burned and all of his stock. He was compelled to begin at the bottom 
again and worked for others until 1886, when he removed to Buffalo Gap, 
this state. He entered the Lake & Halley Bank there as bookkeeper and 
proved so valuable that he was made cashier January 1, 1887. He 
continued in that capacity until New Year's Day, 1894, when the bank 
was moved to Hot Springs and the name was changed to the Bank of Hot 
Springs. He is the present cashier of that institution and takes just 
pride in its growth and solidity, while much of its prosperity is 
directly due to his vigilance and sound financial judgment. He devotes 
his entire time to the bank and is popular with stockholders and 
directors of the institution as well as with the general public. 

	On the 10th of December, 1889, Mr. Smith was united in marriage 
to Miss Mary E. Woods, who was born at Monmouth, Illinois, a daughter 
of Wilson and Rebecca (Armstrong) Woods. The family removed to Iowa and 
thence to Nebraska, where they remained until 1876, when they went to 
Wyoming. The father is deceased, but the mother still resides at 
Cheyenne. The acquaintanceship of Mr. and Mrs. Smith began when they 
were twelve years of age and their married life has been one of close 
companionship. To their union has been born a daughter, Rhea, who is 
now the wife of Joe Roth, of Omaha, Nebraska, who is president of the 
American Sarcophagus Company. Mr. Smith is a republican, but has never 
aspired to political office, although he served on the board of 
education at Buffalo Gap. His religious faith is that of the 
Presbyterian church and fraternally he is connected with the blue lodge 
and the chapter of the Masonic order and with the Eastern Star. His 
life is in harmony with the teachings of those organizations and the 
respect and esteem of his fellows is his in generous mesure.