Smith, William H (1837 - 1916)

SMITH, HUTTON

Posted By: Norman Hjelmeland (email)
Date: 7/25/2020 at 18:36:30

William H. Smith
Born March 21, 1837 Died February 16, 1916

Last Wednesday evening, February 15, between the hours of five and six o'clock, William H. Smith died at his home on East Water Street, after an illness of two weeks from neuritis. Although Mr. Smith had been in failing health for several years, he was able to be about most of the time up to his last illness and took an active interest in business and affairs of the day in general.

Mr. Smith was a native of England, born March 21, 1837, a son of William and Sarah Hutton Smith. In 1855, at he age of eighteen, in company with his mother and five sisters, Mr. Smith came to America and joined George Smith, an older brother who had preceded them and taken up land in Canoe township. Here the mother purchased forty acres and the subject of this sketch took charge until her death in 1862. He then engaged in farming for himself and from a small farm he increased his possessions until at the time of his retirement in 1901 he owned four hundred acres in Sections 13 and 14, Bluffton township. The fact that he acquired this property is sufficient testimony to his ability as a farmer and manager. Upon coming to Decorah he bought the home where he passed away. He was not content to be an idle man, however, and while his land was rented he maintained a proprietary interest and also became associated with the Citizens Savings Bank as one of its stockholders. His land holdings increased to over 750 acres during his residence in town, but he sold much of this last fall.

Although Mr. Smith was well known, especially in the north central part of the county, he became more widely known through his beneficence in connection with the Decorah hospital. Living with him during the last years of her life was his sister Matilda. Together they took thought of the need of a hospital and after her death Mr. Smith put this thought into concrete form by offering to donate from her estate and his own funds ten thousand dollars toward the construction of a hospital. It is not necessary to repeat here the story of the campaign that this offer inaugurated, for throughout the county it is known that the effort was crowned with success and that Mr. Smith made the achievement possible. Many who had previously known Mr. Smith as a speaking acquaintance learned through his interest in the hospital that under a rough exterior he concealed a heart that was warm in friendships and human sympathy, and by nature he was not lacking in the elements that build for the better things in life. Mr. Smith possessed a keen mind, and took particular delight in problems of an intricate mathematical character. Frequently he offered prizes for the solution of examples and was never happier than when some boy or girl gave a correct solution.

The funeral was held last Saturday morning at ten o'clock at the house, Rev. Wellington McVettie officiating, and interment was made in Russell cemetery beside the remains of his mother and other members of the family

Decorah Republican, February 24 1916

Russell Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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