George Sylvester Smith, M. D., one of the oldest and most honored members of the medical fraternity of Seward county, and a partner in the leading drug house of Liberal, is a representative of the excellent class of Kansas pioneers who have served faithfully and long in building up the commonwealth which today is the leading State in the Southwest, due to the efforts of such men. Of no man are so many cardinal virtues exacted as from the physician, and it has been the sterling qualities of his character which gained success in life for Dr. Smith, and made him one of the substantial and valued citizens of his community. A native of the Old Dominion, he was born in Tyler county, Virginia (now West Virginia), July 18, 1855, a son of William B. and Nancy L. Wells Smith. Dr. Smith's great-grandfather was one of the earliest settlers of this region, having taken government land, as a homestead, which is still in the possession of the family. Isaac Smith, the grandfather, was born on the old place near Centerville, August 8, 1800, and his son, William, was also born there, January 22, 1830. He was reared to the life of a farmer, which vocation he followed all his life, passing away near Centerville, W. Va., November 1, 1880. He had nine brothers and sisters: John S., Peter, David M., Isaac, Thomas, Letty L., born September 9, 1870, died July 14, 1886, Elizabeth, Catharine, and Mary Ann. Dr. Smith's parents were married at Centerville, W. Va., October 26, 1853, Mrs. Smith having been born there April 18, 1835, the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Ankron Wells, both natives of Virginia. Mr. Wells raised and shipped cattle on an extensive scale and before Virginia had railroads he often drove his cattle and hogs to Baltimore to market. There were the following children in the Smith family: George S., Isaac Dudley, born April 18, 1857, a merchant at Salem, W. Va., Drusilla Peterena, born March 13, 1859, the wife of Zachariah Cain, a farmer in Texas county, Oklahoma; Mariah Elizabeth, born March 20, 1861, who married Sylvester Kinney, December 25, 1881, and now lives at West Union, W. Va.; Thomas James, born December 29, 1862, who married Belle Hanner, at Liberal, Kan., in 1901; he is the father of two children, Thomas J., born May 12, 1905, and Roy, born March 20, 1907. Thomas Smith is a partner with his brother, the doctor, in the drug business at Liberal, under the firm name of George S. Smith & Brother. His wife is a native of Illinois, whose parents were pioneer settlers of Seward county, and now live in Liberal. Mary Alice, born September 22, 1864, died January 4, 1870. The sixth child, Sarah Catharine, was born October 3, 1866, and married Ephraim B. Holland, in 1884, who lives on a farm in Beaver county, Oklahoma. They have three children: Lamon L., now assistant postmaster of Liberal; Ethel, the wife of Leslie Donnelley, a farmer of Beaver county, Oklahoma; Byron, the baby boy, still at home; Mary Alice, the seventh child, born in 1864, died in childhood; Nancy I., born April 2, 1867, is the wife of W. H. Wright, a merchant of Liberal, Kan.; Letty L., born September 9, 1870, died July 14, 1886.

George Smith received his elementary education in the public schools of Tyler county, Virginia, and at the West Virginia Normal School, at Fairmont. Having determined upon the medical profession for a career he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Baltimore, Md., where he took two terms of preparatory work and then the regular medical course. He then came west and entered the medical department of the University of Kansas, Kansas City, Kan., graduating with the class of 1891, and is proud to be an alumnus of that institution. In 1885 he came to Liberal, where he soon built up a large practice, as he was one of the first physicians, and the people relied upon his skill and ability. The doctor filed on a government claim, which he proved up and now has considerable land holdings in both Seward county, Kansas, and Beaver county, Oklahoma. He has invested in city property in Liberal, having great faith in the future of the city. Dr. Smith takes great interest in all public affairs, which tend toward the upbuilding of his town; he has served on the city council a number of times and has served as county health officer almost continuously since coming to Liberal, in 1885. He is a member of the Masonic order, being a Knight Templar. Thomas James Smith, the doctor's business partner, graduated from the Kansas City College of Pharmacy in 1893. He is a druggist of great ability, and has been associated with Dr. Smith in all his business dealings. Isaac Dudley Smith, another brother of the doctor, was the original settler upon one of the quarter sections of land upon which Liberal is situated. He made final proof on his claim in 1888 and has lived to see the rolling prairie covered with fine farms and progressive cities.