SMITH, JOHN HENRY 1827 – 1919

SMITH, DANNATT, TREADWAY, ANTHONY, CONOVER, COOLEY

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 3/21/2011 at 22:45:28

The Clinton Herald, Tuesday August 26, 1919
Col. J. H. Smith Dies In Camanche. Pioneer Resident Of County And Civil War Veteran Lives To Good Old Age. Funeral Thursday. Services Will be Held at Family Home in Camanche. Only Surviving Relatives Are Son, Two Daughters and Grandchildren. A Page of History
John Henry Smith, born in Albany county, New York, March 19, 1827, passed away this morning at 3 o’clock at his home in Camanche. Funeral services will be held at the family residence Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock with burial in Rosehill cemetery.
His wife preceded him in death in May, 1893, and his only surviving relatives are those of his immediate family, one son, Dr. George A. Smith of Clinton, and two daughters, Miss Frances E. Smith residing with him in the old home at Camanche and Mrs. W. L. Dannatt of Low Moor; also six grandchildren, Latimer P. Smith of Philadelphia, son of his eldest son, Charles E. Smith, deceased; Mrs. Carlos G. Treadway of St. Louis and Homer I. Smith of Clinton, Iowa, daughter and son of George A. Smith; Mrs. Agnes Anthony of Camanche, Mrs. Frank Conover and Miss Ruth Dannatt of Low Moor, daughters of Mrs. W. L. Dannatt.
In the passing of this pioneer resident of the county and valiant soldier and officer during the Civil War the people of the community will read another closing chapter in the early life in the community. Colonel Smith was self made and self educated, a man of recognized power and ability whose parents were among the earliest families to come to America from Germany. In his early manhood he came west to Michigan and later to Illinois where he learned the trade of a machinist in Chicago. He was a locomotive engineer in the days when the railroad coming west from Chicago had its terminal in what is now Dixon, Ill.
Pioneers Into Iowa. In 1851 he was married to Emma P. Cooley, daughter of Thomas and Ann Cooley, natives of Connecticut, who had pioneered to Illinois seventy years previously. In 1852 he and his young wife joined the pioneer group that came across the Mississippi river into Iowa and made their home in Center township, Clinton county. Here he engaged in farming and was zealous in the perfecting of the new home until the first gun was fired upon Fort Sumter at the beginning of the Civil War.
Literally leaving his plow in the furrow he recruited a company that became Company A. 16th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. At this time he was commissioned as a captain. He was soon promoted to the office of major of the regiment and afterward became the commanding officer of the regiment and as such was mustered out of the service after having participated in the Grand Review at Washington at the close of the war.
He was captured during the battle of Atlanta and after suffering great hardships in several Rebel prisons, escaped and returned to his command taking them through to a glorious triumph.
Always in Service For gallant conduct on the field of battle and for other meritorious service during this epoch he was voted a medal by congress. Returning home he sold his farm, and his health having been shattered by the hardships and activities of the four years of warfare and prison life, he engaged in the milling and grain buying business in Camanche, continuing this until he was appointed assistant assessor in the U. S. internal revenue service. While in this service he was largely instrumental in exposing the Camanche distillery frauds whereby the government had lost several hundred thousand dollars in taxes on high wines. He remained in the revenue service many years and during that time started small fruit farming. Not until he attained the age of 90 years did he relinquish his active interest in the melon and fruit farm that was conducted with his usual business sagacity.
He was a member of the first board of supervisors in Clinton county and established the county farm at Charlotte. He was elected senator from Clinton county at the close of the war and served as such on term, all in all a man to whom Clinton county owes much and who has been given recognition by his fellow citizens.
FUNERAL
The Clinton Herald, Thursday August 28, 1919
Impressive funeral services were held at 2 o’clock this afternoon for Colonel J. H. Smith, at the late home in Camanche. Rev. W. S. Cox of Lyons officiated at the services. Interment was in the Camanche cemetery.