Mr. Smith is not a member of any religious denomination but his wife and daughters are connected with the Lutheran church. He is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is a supporter of the republican party. He served for a number of years as a member of the city council and in 1906 was elected justice of the peace and is now entering upon his third term in that office. In the discharge of his various duties, both public and private, he has displayed a fairness and ability that have met the approval of the entire community and today no man stands higher in the respect of the people of Nevada than the gentleman whose name introduces this review.
J. A. CAMPBELL.
In the enterprising city of Ames J. A. Campbell occupies a leading position in business circles, being proprietor of a coal and feed yard. Whatever success he has achieved in life is attributable entirely to his own efforts and he deserves much credit for what he has accomplished. He was born in Milford township, July 25, 1858, a son of James and Anna (Eccles) Campbell, both of whom were natives of northern Ireland. The father, who was born February 23, 1808, came alone to America when eighteen years of age, landing at New York, where he resided until his removal to the middle west in August, 1855, at which time he took up his abode in Milford township; Story county, Iowa. This was then largely an unimproved and unsettled district and he entered eighty acres from the government on the southeast quarter of section 27. There he spent his remaining days, having the usual experiences of frontier life and meeting with the usual difficulties in transforming wild prairie into productive fields. The journey westward had been made by railroad to Iowa City, which was then the terminus of the line, and from that point by team. He continued a worthy and valued resident of the county until his death, which occurred February 3, 1881. His wife, who was born in northern Ireland, June 13, 1825, sailed for New York with her brother and was married in that city. She died at the home of her daughter in Marshalltown, Iowa, at the age of seventy-three years. The father had been previously married. After first coming to the United States he returned to his native land, was there married and brought his bride to the new world, but her death occurred in New York city, where he afterward wedded Anna Eccles. There were two children by his first marriage : Robert J., of Hollenberg, Kansas ; and Mrs. Martha Cressler, living at Berkeley, California. The children of the second marriage are : William J., who died near Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Bell, who is the wife of W. W. Gossard and resides at Colorado Springs, Colorado ; Charles E., who is living upon the old home place which his father entered from the government; and Sadie, the wife of M. W. Gossard, of Marshalltown, Iowa.