BIO: George E. SMITH, Beaver County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Joe Patterson Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver.html http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver/bios/bbios.htm Index for this bio book. _________________________________________________________________ BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 395-397. _________________________________________________________________ GEORGE E. SMITH, ex-county commissioner of Beaver county, has seen many years of public service. He was formerly engaged in mercantile pursuits and his record as a public servant is clean and altogether in harmony with the integrity of his successful business life. Mr. Smith is esteemed and respected by thousands of acquaintances, as one of nature's noblemen, and is a man of whom Beaver county may well be proud. He was born in Westmoreland township, Cheshire county, New Hampshire, 396 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES February 24, 1841. In his youth, he attended the local schools, where he obtained a good practical education. He went west, to Beaver county, Pa., in 1865, and worked for a period of three years on the Pennsylvania Railroad. The following year was spent by the subject of this sketch in a store at Sharon, Pa., after which he was engaged in a similar way, for two years, at Beaver Falls. Mr. Smith then decided to discontinue business pursuits, and try a new venture; accordingly, in 1871, he began to run a general delivery, which he conducted very successfully for twenty years; he then turned it over to his son, Thomas A. Smith, in order to give his attention to the duties of the office of county commissioner. This change occurred in 1891, when Mr. Smith was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John Wilson. After filling this unexpired term of one and one-half years, Mr. Smith was elected to a full term of three years, which expired January 1, 1897. Mr. Smith is known as a stanch, uncompromising, and aggressive Republican, to all who are familiar with his political views. He has been a hard worker in the Republican cause, and occupies an influential position in his party organization. Our subject is a member of the Beaver Valley Lodge, No. 478, F. & A. M.; of Harmony Chapter, No. 206, R. A. M.; and of Lone Rock Lodge, No. 222, Knights of Pythias. In 1868, Mr. Smith led to the altar Margaret White, an accomplished daughter of Thomas White, of White township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania. One son, Thomas A., blessed this union, and is now succeeding his father in the general delivery business. The subject of this sketch, who is one of a family of fourteen children, is a son of Hiram and Olive (Arnold) Smith, and a grandson of Benjamin Smith. Benjamin Smith was a native of the North of Ireland, where he was also reared and educated. In early manhood, he came to America and settled in Westmoreland township, Cheshire county, N. H., where he spent the remainder of his life. Hiram Smith, father of the subject hereof, was born in New Hampshire in 1800. He was reared and trained to agricultural pursuits, and while not in school did such work as usually falls to the lot of a farmer's boy. This discipline was just the kind needed to make him understand all the details of farm work, which he followed all his active days, spending his last three years in retirement at Walpole, N. H., where his death occurred, in 1875. His wife was Olive Arnold, a daughter of Thomas Arnold, of Cheshire county, New Hampshire. Mrs. Smith crossed the dark river into the light beyond, at the age of sixty-three years, after rearing a family of fourteen children, viz.: Ralph; Caroline (Scott); Miranda (Roberts); David; Charles; Sarah (Hale); Phineas; Adeline (Angier) and Augusta, twins; Laura; George E., the subject of this sketch; King; Elizabeth, and a child that died in infancy. Hiram Smith was a firm friend of education, and in his politi- BEAVER COUNTY 397 cal affiliations was a Democrat. Both he and his wife entertained broad, liberal views as to religion, but preferred the Universalist church. Our subject is a man who, wherever, he is known, is respected for his sterling qualities. He has, like all men, had opportunities, but unlike many men, he has made the most of them. He takes a broad, comprehensive view of life, in this respect being very similar to his honored father. He has knowledge of many other interests than those with which he is intimately connected, and in all matters, his judgment is known to be sound. He is heir to a good name and that good name he proposes to hand down to posterity without tarnish.