Mason County, West Virginia    Biography of ERWYN ALBERT SMITH

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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 635-636

ERWYN ALBERT SMITH for a quarter of a century has had
increasing responsibilities in the management of the primary
industry at Hartford, the Liverpool Salt & Coal Company,
Incorporated, of which he is now general manager. This
is one of the industries contributing to West Virginia's
large production of salt.

The owner of the industry is Albert Edward Smith of
Cincinnati. He was born at Sunderland, Massachusetts,
September 2, 1843, but from early childhood has lived at
Cincinnati. He graduated from Obarlin College of Ohio,
and for a number of years was a Cincinnati pork packer.
His interests subsequently took a wide range, and for
some years he was a commission broker in handling salt.
In 1880 he began the manufacture of salt at both Hart-
ford and Mason City, West Virginia, but a number of
years later sold the latter plant. The Hartford business is
the Liverpool Salt and Coal Company, Incorporated, and
the plant is in Valley City, a portion of Hartford. About
125 persons find employment in this local industry. The
salt brine is pumped from the ground and refined, the plant
having a capacity of 300 barrels per day. The corporation
also owns and conducts a coal mine, and Albert E. Smith is
president of the Jackson Coal Mining Company of Hart-
ford. He is one of the big business men of Cincinnati,
where he owns a large amount of real estate. In politics
he is a republican, and is a member of the Baptist Church
and the Masonic fraternity. Albert Edward Smith married
at Cincinnati Harriet L. Ferris, who was born in that city
September 20, 1847.  Their family consists of the fol-
lowing children: Fannie, wife of George B. Goodhart, an
attorney at Cincinnati; Horace F., secretary and treasurer
of the Liverpool Salt & Coal Company, living at Hartford,
West Virginia; Clara May, who died at Cincinnati in 1898,
wife of Dr. C. Davis, a physician and surgeon; Erwyn
Albert; H. Raymond, who is in the insurance business at
Cincinnati.

Erwyn Albert Smith was born in Cincinnati February
26, 1876. He graduated from the Cincinnati High School
in 1896, and soon afterward came to Hartford, West Vir-
ginia, and has been continuously identified in some capacity
or other with the Liverpool Salt & Coal Company. For a
number of years he has been general manager of this cor-
poration, and has full direction of its affairs.

Mr. Smith regards himself as a permanent fixture in this
section of West Virginia, and has interested himself in local
affairs. For several terms he was a member of the Hartford
School Board, has a modem home in Hartford, is a republi-
can, a past master of Clifton Lodge No. 23, F. and A. M.,
at Mason City, a member of Point Pleasant Chapter No.
7, R. A. M., a charter member of Point Pleasant Com-
mandery No. 17, K. T., a member of Beni-Kedem Temple
of the Mystic Shrine at Charleston, West Virginia Con-
sistory No. 1 of the Scottish Rite at Wheeling, a past
chancellor of Banner Lodge No. 22, Knights of Pythias, at
Hartford, and a member of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. During the war he was deeply interested in the
success of all local drives for the sale of Liberty Loan
bonds and the Red Cross and other causes.

In 1899, at Cincinnati, Mr. Smith married Miss Bettie
Smith, daughter of L. H. and Alice (Marsh) Smith. Mrs.
Smith is a graduate of the Kentucky College of Music and
Art at Newport, and is a skilled elocutionist. Three child-
ren were born to their marriage: Albert Donald, born Sep-
tember 9, 1900, is a junior in the Ohio State University at
Columbus and is also taking military training there. Dorothy
Marsh, born November 22, 1901, is in the first year at
Dennison University at Greenville, Ohio.  Ferris, born
November 26, 1903, is in the senior class of the Pomeroy
High School.