HARRY S. AND WILLIAM L. SMITH

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James Smith and Mrs. James Smith

Harry S. and William L. Smith, proprietors of Sunnyside Farm, located on section 4, Red Oak township, are well known as progressive and enterprising agriculturists of Cedar county. Their father, James Smith, was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, on the 7th of November, 1825, and on his emigration to America, in 1852, came direct to Cedar county, Iowa, where soon after his arrival he purchased the farm now owned and occupied by his sons. Upon this place he continued to reside until called to his final rest April 26, 1901. He was the only one of his family to come to the new world but here he prospered and never regretted his determination to locate in America. Throughout his active business life he continued to engage in agricultural pursuits, first buying eighty acres of land, to which he added as he found opportunity until he became the possessor of three hundred acres on section 4, Red Oak township, and twenty acres of timber land on section 10. He had to break his land and place it under cultivation, and all the buildings were erected by him. For about two years he engaged in breaking land for others and put under cultivation six hundred acres near Clarence, Iowa.

It was on the 2d of May, 1855, that James Smith was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Lindsay, who was also born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, on the 11th of October, 1832, and came to the United States on the 1st of May, 1844. She made the voyage in the sailing vessel Niagara, which was six weeks in making the trip from Glasgow to New York, and it was seven weeks later before she arrived in Iowa. After the death of her husband she went to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to make her home with a daughter and died in that state on the 30th of September, 1905. She was the mother of the following children: Susie E., now the widow of Frank B. Dickey and a resident of Mechanicsville; Matie B., the wife of H. P. Thomas of Cedar Rapids; Hattie H., who is engaged in teaching school at Minneapolis; William L., residing on the home place; Anna M., also of Minneapolis; and Harry S. The father was a stanch supporter of the republican party and filled the office of justice of the peace for many years. He also served as secretary of the school board of Red Oak township for thirty-seven years and took a very active and commendable interest in public affairs. He was a consistent and prominent member of the Presbyterian church of Mechanicsville, in which he held the office of elder for twenty years.

William L. Smith was born April 25, 1866, on the farm where he now resides. After attending the public schools of the locality he turned his attention to farming and has continued to follow that occupation throughout his active business career. Harry S. Smith was also born on the old homestead March 21, 1871, and on attaining manhood formed a partnership with his brother, which connection has since continued. They are wide-awake, energetic business men and their farming operations have proved profitable. On the 12th of August, 1902, Harry S. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Adda M. Wasser, who was born in Fairfield township, this county, on the 28th of November, 1878, a daughter of J. S. and Sarah Alice Wasser. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1850, and during his youth came with his parents to this county, where he grew to manhood and was married. About nine years ago he removed to California, where he now resides but his wife, who was born in Cedar county, died September 26, 1891, at the age of thirty-six years, two months and eleven days. She was a daughter of Nicholas and Nancy Ann (FIllon) Kaiser, early settlers of this county from Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Smith have two children, Donald W. and Kenneth L.

Besides the old homestead, the Smith brothers now own and operate a quarter section of land near Garden City, Kansas. They are very sociable and hospitable people, and their home is the favorite resort of many friends. Politically they are both identified with the republican party and William L. Smith has taken a very prominent and influential part in public affairs, serving as township clerk for two terms of two years each and assessor for the same length of time. He is now secretary of the township school board, which office he has filled for seven years, and the secretary’s books have been in possession of the family for about forty-five years, as his father held the same position before him. With the development and improvement of Red Oak township the Smith family has now been identified for over half a century and the position they occupy is one of prominence.