William W. Smith, the son of William S. and Jane (Colwell) Smith, was born April 17, 1820 in Nova Scotia, Canada. W. S. Smith was a contractor and builder by trade and moved with his family to Pembroke, Washington County, Maine in 1828. The family lived there until 1835, when they moved to Calais, Maine, where the father continued his trade of contractor and builder. He had 8 children, with only two sons surviving, William W. and Edward J.

William W. Smith became an employee of the wholesale and retail store at Pembroke, Maine at the age of 13. He worked there for two years. Abandoning mercantile pursuits, he returned home and, until the age of maturity, worked at masonry. On becoming his own man, he left the parental home to seek new opportunities. He engaged in building and contracting at Calais until1849, during which time he spent one summer at Fall River, Mass. During the fall of 1849, he was at Detroit, Mich. And in the spring of 1850, came to Cedar Rapids, Iowa arriving here on the 5^th of May. After a few days spent in viewing the beautiful rive, together with all the natural advantages the place afforded, for the upbuilding of a thriving city, he concluded to make it his permanent home, and purchased a home. He engaged in contracting and building for 10 years and then embarked in the mercantile business.

In 1857, Mr. Smith purchased a dry-goods store at Cedar Rapids, and engaged in that business, in partnership with his brother Edward J., until 1860. They disposed of their stock of the company and William spent the summer of 1860 in Denver, Colorado. There he purchased some mines, sunk a shaft, and also furnished supplies to miners. In October of the same year, he returned to Cedar Rapids, with the expectation of going back to Colorado the next spring. But the Sheriff of Linn County resigned and he was urged by friends to take the position. He was elected in 1861 for a two-year term. He held that position until he resigned for the purpose of raising a company to aid in putting down the Rebellion. He assisted in the raising of Co. G, 24^th Iowa Vol. Inf., and was commissioned First Lieutenant of the company, Sept. 18, 1862. In October of the same year he was promoted Captain and went into rendezvous at Camp Strong, Muscatine, Iowa on August 30, 1862. He was mustered into the United States service on October 18, 1862. The company and regiment were in active service during the war, an at close returned home with only twenty-seven of their 100 brave men and twenty-two recruits, left.

They participated in the battles of Port Gibson, Champion Hills, Black River, Vicksburg, Winchester and Cedar Creek. At Cedar Creek, Captain Smith was taken prisoner and for a time was confined in that foulest of all foul prisons, Libby, and the remainder of the time at Danville. While a prisoner, one of the Southern officers took him out into the woods to bring in wood for the camp, and there demanded his money. Capt. Smith, took an old wallet from his pocket, containing a few dollars that belonged to one of his soldiers who was sick and had been given to Smith for safe keeping, but this did not satisfy the "Reb", who placing his gun to Smith's head said: "Fork over." Knowing resistance would avail nothing, Capt. Smith gave the scoundrel $100, retaining $10 which he asked that he might keep to use while in prison. But he was compelled to give that up, together with a gold and silver watch, the latter of which belonged to one of his brave soldier boys.

At the close of the war, Capt. Smith returned to Cedar Rapids, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits on First Street, and in which he continued until 1878. He was appointed Postmaster by President Hayes, April 14, 1878; his second commission, from President Arthur is dated July 17, 1883, the third, Dec 20, 1884.

Mr. Smith married January 1, 1845 to Miss Anna T. Wadsworth, a native of Calais, Me. She is the daughter of Abner and Jeanette (Towers) Wadsworth. Her father was a lumber merchant, and had a family of eight daughters: Deborah (Mrs. McDonald residing in Calais), Annie T. (Mrs. Smith), Arzelia (Mrs. McDoughald residing in Cedar Rapids), Susan (Mrs. Capron of De Kalb County, Ill), Mary (Mrs. Sines, deceased 1855 in Cedar Rapids) and three other daughters whose names are not known. The Smiths had one daughter Mrs. Jennie M. Mohler, of St Paul, Minn.; her husband is an agent of the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railroad.

Capt. Smith resides on Third Avenue and has held the office of Mayor, has been a member of the City Council and also the School Board. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of which he had been a trustee of that denomination at Cedar Rapids for thirty-five years.