Smith, John E.

SMITH, ROSS

Posted By: Roseanna Zehner
Date: 7/25/2006 at 17:22:48

SMITH, JOHN E.

John E. Smith is a well known business man of Rock Rapids who has achieved a very commendable measure of success against any among of trouble and misfortune, remarkable indeed for one who has seen so much misfortune, and showing what grit and determination will accomplish.

Mr. Smith was born in Colfax, Japer County, Iowa, and when he was five years old was taken by his parents into Black Hawk County, where he began learning the harness making trade when he was sixteen years old. He remained with one man for nearly seven years. When he was twenty-five years old he started business for himself in Grundy County, Iowa, with no capital worth speaking of except his determination to succeed. For nearly eight years he conducted business there with marked success, when he sold out. In 1901 he purchased the stock of L.H. Larson, of Rock Rapids, and today carries a stock of over $3,500 in value, and is doing a fine business. In illustration of his determined spirit and indomitable pluck let this story be told. When a boy of about eight years old, he was riding a horse, which became frightened, and threw him to the ground, inflicting injuries which caused the amputation of his limb, and sent him through life on a wooden leg. He has had typhoid fever three times since entering business, rheumatism, ague for three years, and his wife was taken sick and died. With all this misfortune he has never lost heart, and has met with more than flattering success.

Mr. Smith was married in 1900 to Mrs. Emma Ross, and her boy, McKinley Ross, now ten years of age, is all he has left of his family, with which to take comfort. He has a fine residence where he and the boy live. They are much to each other. Both belong to the Catholic Church.

Barney Smith, the father of John E., was born in Ireland, and when eighteen years old came to this country, where he became a prosperous farmer, rearing a family of which Jennie is the oldest. She is a milliner at Grundy. Hugh owns a large livery business at Cedar Falls; Phinnie is the "right hand man" of his brother Hugh, in Cedar Falls livery and owns a farm in Dakota; Anna is a schoolteacher; Legoria is a plumber in Cedar Falls; James lives in Waterloo, Iowa.

Source: Compendium of History Reminiscence and Biography of Lyon County, Iowa. Published under the Auspices of the Pioneer Association of Lyon County. Geo. Monlun, Pres.; Hon. E. C. Roach Sec’y; and Col. F. M. Thompson, Historian. Geo. A. Ogle & CO., Published, Engravers and Book Manufacturers. Chicago, 1904-1905

Transcribed by Roseanna Zehner, Darlene Jacoby and Diane Johnson