Smith, John

SMITH, JONES, LATMAN, PEACOCK, PATTERSON, FELLOWS

Posted By: Volunteer Transcribers
Date: 2/14/2003 at 15:46:07

JOHN SMITH

Among the highly esteemed and honored citizens of Clinton is John Smith, who was the first engineer to run a train west of the Mississippi river on the old Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad, now the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, the name of his engine being the Clinton. This was in December, 1856. His railroad career was begun previous to this time in the east.

Mr. Smith was born in Middlebury, Vermont, July 5, 1830, and is a son of Adnah and Sophronia (Jones) Smith. The father was a native of Shoreham, that state, and was a blacksmith by trade, which occupation he followed in early life and later served as sheriff of Addison county, Vermont, for nine years. He died at the age of forty-four years, his wife at the age of seventy-six. They were the parents of four children, namely: Edwin, deceased; John, our subject; Charles, a resident of Denver, Colorado; and Sophronia, deceased.

John Smith was reared in the Green Mountain state and educated in its public schools. He was quite young when his father died, and at an early age began earning his own livelihood as a clerk. At the age of fifteen he found employment in Middlebury, Vermont, and later in Burlington, that state. Subsequently he worked as a journeyman in New York state for five years, and in 1854 went to Illinois, where he was employed as fireman on the Fox River Railroad running out of Elgin for seven months, and was then promoted to engineer, being given an engine of early make, known first as the Galena and later as the Dundee. In 1856 he came to Clinton to accept a position on the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad. He was given a Manchester engine, which had been used for track work, being run by a master mechanic, Robert Huffman, for a few days. Our subject’s first fireman was Thomas Davis, and his first regular run was from Clinton to DeWitt, making two trips a day, one with a passenger, the other with a freight train. He remained on the road, running on different lines until 1868, when, becoming tired of being on the road, he accepted the position of foreman of the round house at Clinton, which was a fine one for that day with twenty-five stalls, and remained in charge of the same until his retirement from active labor in 1892. Although he had many narrow escapes he was never injured during his entire railroad career, and is today a well-preserved man, finely built and appearing at least ten years younger than he really is.

In 1852 Mr. Smith wedded Miss Mary E. Latman, of Keeseville, Essex county, New York, who was born in Luzerne, Warren county, that state, and is a daughter of Ira and Besheba (Peacock) Latman. Her father was a large lumber dealer of Keeseville. Our subject and his wife have three children, namely: Laura Evelyn is now the wife of Nathaniel B. Patterson, one of Clinton’s largest insurance and real estate dealers; Herbert, senior member of the firm of Smith & Oats, of Clinton, dealers in coal, cement, wood, etc., and agents for river steamers, married Minnie Fellows, and they have one child, Katherine Helen; and Charles Edwin is a traveling salesman for Curtis Brothers, of Clinton.

On coming to Clinton Mr. Smith built a small frame house in which he and his family lived until he purchased his present fine residence on Fourth avenue, which was erected by John Vosburg. He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workman and the Legion of Honor, and is held in the highest respect by all who know him.
Source: The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.