BIOGRAPHIES:  Absalom SMITH, Eau Claire, Eau Claire Co., WI 

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** Posted for informational purposes only - poster is not related to the 
subject of this biography and has no further information.

Absalom Smith, who for more than two score years has been prominent
among the successful lumbermen of the NOrthwest, was born February
10, 1854, and while his birthplace is given as Lincoln, Sunbury
Parish, N. B., he was really born in the state of Maine, while his
mother was there on a visit.  His grandfather, Jeremiah Smith, was a
native of England and a captain in the British army, and after his
removal to New Brunswick at about the age of 30 he also served as
captain in the army there, and later successfully carried on an
extensive lumber business, and died at the age of 80 years.  His son,
Jeremiah Smith, father of our subject, was born in New Brunswick,
February 19, 1823, and also served as captain in the army stationed
there, and was a successful lumberman.  He married July 29, 1843,
Elizabeth Foss, who was born in Sunbury county, July 29, 1815, and
died Luly 29, 1890.  She was of German descent, and the name "Foss"
was originally spelled "Fofs."  She had a brother named Leonard, a
bachelor, who lived in Cape Town, South Africa, and was many times a
millionaire, but he and his wealth have both disappeared.  They were
the parents of six children, viz.:  Orin (whose sketch appears
elsewhere in this work) was born April 26, 1845; Leonard, born
September 18, 1846; David, born April 26, 1850; Louisa, born November
3, 1852, married Thomas E. Till; Absalom, our subject, and Emeline,
who was born September 6, 1855, married George Armstrong, of New
Brunswick, and had one son, Moses, who now resides in New Brunswick. 
She died August 1, 1876.

Absalom Smith attended the common schools of New Brunswick until he
was thirteen years of age, and from that time on he worked on his
father's farm and in the lumber woods until 1872.  In October of that
year, accompanied by his brother, he came to Eau Claire county and
for one year was engaged at lumbering with J. S. Goodrich.  For the
next six years he was in the employ of the Eau Claire Lumber Company
and was at one time foreman of the Valley Lumber Company.  In 1879 he
engaged in lumberin on his own account on the Chippewa river,
employing at that time fity men, but his business has increased to
such an extent that he now employs 400 men.  His seat of operations
is now in St. Louis county, Minnesota, where he uses the most modern
and up-to-date appliances in his lumber and logging operations.  In
addition to his many thousand acres of timber land he owns a fine
farm in Union township of 240 acres, which is carried on under the
supervision of his wife, while he spends a great part of his time in
the woods looking after his extensive lumber interest.

On March 25, 1877, Mr. Smith married Margaretta Mealy, who was born
April 22, 1857, daughter of John and Mary Mealy, of New Brunswick. 
Mrs. Smith died on March 26, 1891, leaving besides her husband two
sons, Charles M., born February 23, 1878, and Claude V., born August
12, 1885, both of whom reside at Fairbanks, Minn., where they are
extensively engaged in the lumber business.

On May 29, 1892, Mr. Smith took for his second wife Matilda Israel,
who was born August 19, 1870, daughter of Israel, now aged 74 years,
and Martha (Nelson) Israelson, now aged 54 years.  Her father is a
member of one of Eau Claire's pioneer families.

John Smith, son of the first Jeremiah Smith, went to California in
1849 during the gold excitement and while there succeeded in
accumulating a fortune.  He later went to Australia and fromt here
moved to Alberta, B. X., where he had a family and made his home.

Fraternally Absalom Smith is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the
Modern Woodmen and the Masons, and religiously is a member of the
Baptist church.  While he adheres to the principles of the Republican
party, he has never aspired to political fame, but is always ready to
sanction any movement on foot tending toward the betterment of his
community and the county at large.  He is rated as one of our most
successful and public-spirited citizens, and a man well worthy of
prominent mention in the history of Eau Claire county.

-Transcribed from the "History of Eau Claire County Wisconsin,
1914," pages 862-863.

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