Smith, William N. – 1859-1916

GRAHAM, LYON, PRICE, SMITH

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 7/13/2021 at 21:35:34

Prominent Citizen Passes Away
William N. Smith, well known and highly respected citizen of Colfax, died Friday after several week’s illness from chronic stomach trouble. The funeral was held Sunday afternoon, services being conducted in the M.E. church by Rev. Prather of Des Moines in the absence of the pastor, Rev. Brown. Colfax lodge No. 476, I.O.O.F., of which the deceased was an honored member, had charge of the funeral. Interment was in the Oak Hill cemetery.
The decedent was born in Whitesides county, Illinois, in June 1859, and was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. T. G. Smith. At an early age he moved with his parents to Clinton, Iowa, and a few years later to Keokuk, where he and his father entered the service of the old Keokuk & Des Moines Valley railroad. Later the family moved to Pella and from there to Des Moines, where William went to work on the main line of the Rock Island as fireman. In 1883 he moved to Colfax and for 23 years he was engineer for the Jasper County Coal Company, afterward the Consolidated Coal Company. This was followed with eight years service as engineer of the Colfax water works. For 35 years he was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers, having been a charter member and the first secretary of Confidence lodge of Des Moines.
In 1880 he was united in marriage to Miss Ella Lyon at Council Bluffs. To this union there were born one son and two daughters, the son died several years ago, and the daughters, Mrs. Clarence Graham, of Colfax, and Mrs. Robert Price, of Newton, with their widowed mother, are left to mourn the loss of a loving husband and indulgent father. He also left his mother, aged 80 years, who for the past several months has made her home here with them, a number of other relatives and numerous friends.
Source: The Colfax (IA) Clipper; August 24, 1916