My Genealogy Hound

L. M. Smith, proprietor of the Russellville steam grist-mill, planing-mill, cotton-gin and wool-carding-mill, was born in Mississippi in 1836, and was the third in a family of seven children, born to John and Prudence (Marshall) Smith, the father a native of the Palmetto State and the mother of the Bay State. The father was a bricklayer and plasterer by trade, and came to Mississippi when about thirty-five years of age. There his death occurred in November, 1858. The mother died in Arkansas in 1882. L. M. Smith was reared in Mississippi until about ten years of age, and then, without permission of his parents, left home suddenly and engaged with a party of railroad surveyors with whom he remained one year. He then entered the railroad shops at Huntsville and there learned his trade as engineer and machinist. After spending seven years in the shop he then went on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad as an engineer for fourteen years, was then on the Mobile & Ohio for one year and was then for a time on the Great Western. Later yet he was on the Memphis & Little Rock Railroad for five years. In 1877 he came to Pope County, settled at Russellville and at once began the erection of his present business in partnership with Harker & Terrence, whom he soon bought out. He began with a grist-mill and became the owner of the first steam-mill in town, the same having three run of stones. He put in a wool carding machine in 1879, and now has a durable machine. He started the gin on a small scale in 1882, and now has, perhaps, the second best gin in the State. He has sailor elevators to move cotton, a Thomas’ direct steam press, with a capacity of thirty bales of cotton per day. During a four months’ season, and during 1889-90 he ginned 1,000 bales. In 1885 he added a planing-mill, and has since put in new and improved planers. In 1887 he put in an engine of sixty-horse power. The building occupies a couple of acres of land and is valued at about $15,000. In 1879 Mr. Smith erected his present residence, and is also the owner of five tenant houses. He owns a farm of 260 acres in two tracts, all good timber, and is a thorough, wide-awake and enterprising citizen. He was married in 1858,to Miss Sarah Harris of Alabama, and to this union were born six children—a son and five daughters—all living: Mary Frances, Georgia A., Willie Lulu, Sarah K., all of whom are married, and Robert and Ida May. Mr. Smith is a member of the Christian and his wife and children are members of the Baptist Church. He showed his appreciation of secret organizations by becoming a member of the A. F. & A. M. and the K. of P. He is a member of all the orders of Masonry.