Seth Smith

SMITH, LEACH, BAYLISS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 3/18/2007 at 23:58:37

Source: History of Monona County Iowa
Chicago National Pub. Co 1890

Seth Smith, Sr., deceased, the first settler of Grant Township, and at one time a very important member of the farming community of that and other portions of the county, was a native of New Hampshire, born in 1803. When he was but a child he was taken by his parents to the Genessee Valley, in New York, where he grew to manhood. He was twice married, the first time in New York, when he wedded Miss Sophia Leach, a native of Vermont, with whom he removed to Ohio about 1833. There was born to them a family of eight children: Levi, Lois, Andrew, Francis, Emily, Ellen, now Mrs. Socrates Smith, Seth, Jr., and Chloe.
Mr. Smith and his family came to Council Bluffs in 1852, and in December of that year located some land on section 3, Grant Township, to which he removed in 1853. His wife died July 24, 1856, on section 13, Kennebec Township, where he had removed in 1856, and a few years after he espoused Mrs. Hannah Bayliss, who became the mother of five children: Frederick, Fanny, Emma, May and Jesse. Mr. Smith died on his farm on section 7, Kennebec Township, in November, 1876.
Mr. Smith was a natural mechanic, and could do almost anything with blacksmiths’ or gunsmiths’ tools, but preferred to follow the latter trade, as there was the most money in it. In an early day he did considerable work for the Sioux Indians, they paying him well for repairing their fire arms. He was also appointed Government blacksmith on the Omaha Reservation, upon which he spent considerable of his time from 1858 until 1862. He built the first cabin in what is now Grant Township in 1853, and the frame house on section 13, Kennebec Township, now forming a part of the residence of Socrates Smith, in 1856.