From A
Biographical History of Central Kansas, Vol. I, p. 235
published by The Lewis Publishing Co, Chicago & New York, 1902
C. B. SMITH
C B Smith is extensively engaged in farming and stock-raising. Success in any calling is an indication of close application, industry and faithfulness, qualities which are numbered among the leading characteristics of our subject, and the greatest reward of the successful man is his consciousness of having acted well his part. This Mr Smith has ever done, and today he stands among the highly respected citizens of his community.
A native of Canada, Mr Smith was born at Port Stanley, July 24, 1847, and is a son of Alvin and Eleanor (Clark) Smith, the former a native of Massachusetts and the latter of Nova Scotia. Their marriage was celebrated in Canada. The paternal grandfather of our subject, Grove Smith, was a member of an old and prominent Massachusetts family and was a soldier in the war for American independence. He was a mechanic by profession, and his death occurred in Canada. His children were: Susan, who married James Tobine, he being a member of an old pioneer family of Illinois; Moses, Aaron, Zenos, George W, Montgomery, Alvin and Safronia, who became Mrs Benedict. Alvin Smith, the father of our subject, was reared to manhood in the state of his nativity. He afterward emigrated to Canada, going the entire distance on foot, walking on an average of sixty miles a day, and there he settled with his father and family. They bought land and improved a farm from the native timber. In 1853 Mr Smith removed to Illinois, locating in Boone county, where he rented a farm, but death claimed him four years later and he passed away in 1857. His wife survived him for many years and nobly succeeded in keeping her family together and providing them with the necessaries of life. After many years she came to Kansas, and her death occurred at the home of her son, our subject, in McPherson county. Both she and her husband were Free Will Baptists. They were the parents of ten children, namely: Hiram, who died in Minnesota; Lucy A, who was twice married, first to J Moss and afterward to D Thurston; Mary E, who became Mrs Higbee, and after his death she wedded W Phelps; Harvey J, who died in Arkansas; Henry T, a resident of Rockford, Illinois; Alvin M, who makes his home in Arkansas; Ella G, the wife of G H Irish; Sarah J, who married C A Wing; Charles B, the subject of this review; and Carrie V, who married A C Church and died at Belvidere, Boone county, Illinois, about 1864. The mother of this family was twice married, her first husband having been a Mr Johnson, by whom she had one son, William Johnson. He was reared by Mr Smith, and on reaching his majority the latter gave him a good farm, he being at that time in good circumstances, but afterward misfortune overtook him and his own children were obliged to begin life for themselves without assistance.
C B Smith, whose name introduces this review, was only six years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Illinois, where he grew to manhood, receiving his education in the common schools. After the death of his father he remained with his widowed mother and, with his brothers, Alvin M and H J, assisted her in the support of the family. In 1870 he left that state and made his way to Kansas, first locating in McPherson county, where he secured a homestead claim. His mother afterward joined him in this state and he nobly cared for her during the remainder of her life. He remained in McPherson county until 1885, when he sold his property there and came to Rice county, settling on the farm on which he now resides. Only eighty acres of this place had then been broken, there were no fences and a small frame dwelling stood upon the land. Mr Smith has since enlarged and remodeled his residence, which is two stories in height, and has a large barn and all necessary outbuildings. The place is located five miles southeast of Little River and is one of the well improved and valuable farms of the county. In addition to his general farming and stock-raising Mr Smith also operates a threshing machine.
In McPherson county, Kansas, in 1878, he was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Pinkerton, who was born at Kirksville, Missouri, June 7, 1855, a daughter of Thomas and Harriet (Norman) Pinkerton, both natives of Ohio. They were married in the Buckeye state, and in 1855 removed to Missouri, where the father followed farming. During the Civil war he fought for the preservation of the Union in a Missouri regiment, having enlisted at Kirksville, that state, and during his military career he saw much hard service. He was never wounded or captured, and on the expiration of his three years’ service he received an honorable discharge and returned to his family in Missouri. He subsequently removed to Nokomis, Illinois, where he followed farming until 1873. That year witnessed his arrival in Kansas, where he purchased a tract of raw prairie land and began the improvement of a farm. He was only permitted to enjoy his new home for a short time, however, as death claimed him the following year. He was a loyal and patriotic soldier, a successful business man and a true friend, and he won the love and esteem of all with whom he came in contact. His family carried on the work which he had begun and remained there until 1885, when they sold that property and removed to Kingman county, Kansas, where they pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of land, and there began the work of improving another farm, where the mother lived until her death, which occurred in 1891. Both she and her husband held membership in the Free Methodist church, in which he served as a minister for many years, using his influence in behalf of Christianity and in the uplifting of his fellow men. He was a well educated man and was a competent school teacher in early life. The children of Mr and Mrs Pinkerton were: Amanda, the wife of J E Stanley; Lewis W, deceased; Margaret, the wife of our subject; A P, a resident of Kingman county, Kansas; Joanna, the wife of J C Fairchilds; Rhoda, who married D Hess; and Sarah J, the wife of B Durr. The union of Mr and Mrs Smith has been blessed with three children, - Arthur D, who was born August 25, 1880; Hattie E, born November 27, 1881; and James L, born September 12, 1884. Of the Methodist church Mrs Smith is a valued and active member. In his social relations Mr Smith is a member of the Woodmen of the World. He formerly voted with the Democracy, but is now a stanch advocate of the Reform party. He has served as trustee and assessor of his township and has filled many other minor offices, and in all his public duties he has been true to the trusts reposed in him.