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Farmer section 11, Dayton Township, was a son of Elias and Mary E. (Yates) Smith, the former a native of Germany and the latter of New Jersey. He was born in Crawford Co., Pa., May 8, 1844. He lived in his native state until 13 years of age, when his parents came to Steuben Co., Ind., where they lived two years, then to Branch Co., Mich. He remained at home with his parents until he was 18 years old.
He then enlisted in the Ninth Mich. Inf., and was in service 49 months. He was in the battle of Murfreesboro, Tenn., where he was taken prisoner, but held only a short time, then paroled. He participated in the battle of Stone River, Chickamauga, siege of Atlanta, and numerous smaller engagements. He was mustered out of the service at Nashville, Tenn., then returned to Branch County a short time, and in the fall of 1865 came to Newaygo County and purchased 90 acres of wild land in what is now the township of Sheridan. He lived here about two years, then sold out and bought 80 acres in Dayton Township. This he afterwards sold and took up 40 acres of Government land, where he resided, and had 25 acres under improvement.
He was married in Quincy, Branch Co., Mich., Sept. 6, 1862, to Minerva Kirby, a native of New York, and they had one child, Marietta L., born Sept. 25, 1868. Mrs. Smith died April 25, 1879. Mr. Smith was a Republican, and a member of Henry Dobson Post, No. 182, G. A. R.
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