OBITUARIES:   George Harris SMITH, Galesville, Trempealeau Co., WI

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Submitted by Ruth Lindo <ruthlindo@adelphia.net>  18 January 2004
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Transcription of the Galesville Independent Dec 16 1892

Obituary

DIED At his residence in this village, Dec 7, 1892, George Harris Smith, 
aged seventy-two years, six months and twenty-four days.

Mr. Smith was born of Quaker parents, in Stanford, Dutchess county, N.Y., 
May 14 1820. He was the second child of a family of eight children, four 
sisters of which survive; three being in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and one in New 
York City.

Mr. Smith came to Elkhorn, Walworth county, Wisconsin, 1845, remaining there 
nine years. He married Miss Carrie C. Johnston, at her home in Macedon, 
Wayne county, N.Y. May 23, 1850.

In the fall of 1854, Mr. Smith came to Trempealeau, Wis., remaining there 
two months; from there he came to Galesville, living four months with 
another family and in the only house then in Galesville. In the spring of 
1855, he purchased the well-known farm on Beaver Creek, about four miles 
above Galesville, where he resided for twenty-nine years, coming to this 
village in March 1884.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had two children, Willie C. and Welcome J. The 
former died in childhood, the latter is a lawyer, being one of the firm of 
Tawney, Smith & Tawney, Winona, Minn.

Mr. Smith has always enjoyed the confidence of those who knew him. He was 
elected County Treasurer in 1857 and 1858, chosen Chairman of the Board of 
Supervisors for two successive years and Member of Assembly for 1882.

Intellectually, Mr. Smith was endowed with sterling common sense. He was a 
keen observer and had a tententive memory of dates and events. Physically 
he was tall, well-proportioned and of muscular prowess, until afflicted with 
rheumatism in his later years. Socially Mr. Smith won the esteem and love of 
his associates....early settlers there were many calls on his hospitality 
which met with a hearty response. A few of the pioneers remain to remember 
his cheerful face and kindly greeting. Morally he was a model of sincerity 
and integrity and honored his quaker parentage in his practice of "Peace and 
good will to men" and a child like confidence and trust in the future.

His sudden death brought intense grief to those nearest and dearest, and 
sincere sorrow to a large circle of friends.

Transcription of the Galesville Independent Friday January 6, 1893

Memorial Poem

Following are lines on the death of the late George H. Smith of Galesville:

And thou art gone, fallen asleep,
    Friend of my earlier years.
Though nature prompts, yet wherefore weep
    Mine would be useless tears.

Not for the dead the living weep.
    Who still must stem lifes waves.
But not a tear for those who sleep
    in loved and honored graves.

Of such is thine; thy sun has set
    Clear in the cloudless west.
Nature's full dues thou'st proudly met,
    And laid thee down to rest.

Sweet be thy rest, thy life would seem
    Drawn to a fitting close.
Calm be thy sleep; no fitful dream
    Shall near thy last repose.

What! though no proud memorial stone
    May bare aloft thy name;
Nor round thy manly brow is thrown
    The failing badge of fame.

Ah! better far than these could give
    above mere graven arts.
Revered thy name and worth shall live
    in warm fraternal hearts.

        An Old Settler, Centerville 

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