My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE SMITH, farmer and manufacturer; P. O. Tippecanoe; is one of the prominent citizens and well-established business men of Tippecanoe; born in England, in Lincolnshire, in 1816; he is the son of William and Mildred Smith, who subsequently emigrated to America; they had seven children. George received no education but what he acquired by his own exertions and close observation throughout life. In 1838, he emigrated to this country, landing in New York City then went to Dayton, Ohio, by steamer, canal-boat and wagon; he worked as a laborer at Greenville Falls a short time, and then entered a distillery east of Dayton; he engaged at this in the vicinity of Dayton, as a laborer, for about five years and then at merchandising at Fairfield, Ohio, for sixteen months, when he, with his brother-in-law, leased and operated for three years the distillery, flouring and saw-mill at Greenville Falls; subsequently for two years they operated a distillery at Casstown, where, in 1852, they erected the first one in this place; then built a flour and oil mill, which he operated for some eight or nine years; he then turned his attention to farming, which he has since engaged in; he is now President of and a stockholder in the “Grape Sugar Company,” of this place, which was recently organized, with a capital stock of $50,000; he has frequently held offices of trust in township and town, as Corporation and Township Treasurer for many years, member of School Board, City School Treasurer, etc. He is a self-made man. When he arrived at Dayton, in 1838, he had only a sixpence in his pocket, but his energy, industry and business sagacity have won for him a place among the foremost business men of the county. He has done much for the improvement of the city, and is identified with all measures of public interest. He is a Republican in politics, and, with his wife, a member of the Presbyterian Church. He is also a member of the A., F. & A. M. fraternity. He has been married twice, first to Miss Jane Smith, in 1839, who died Oct. 14, 1877. His second wife was Sarah E. Galloway nee Bennett. One child, now dead, was the issue of this latter union.