Smith - David Charles
Source: History of Montgomery County, Indiana. Indianapolis: AW
Bowen, 1913. p. 861
David Charles SMITH - Few can draw rules for their own
guidance from the pages of Plutarch, but all are benefited by the
delineation of those traits of character which find scope and
exercise in thecommon walks of life, although in the aggregate
more important for the welfare of the community than any meteoric
public career, cannot from its very nature, figure in the public
annals, though each locality's history should contain the names
of those individuals who contribute to the success of the
material affairs of a community and to its public stability, men
who lead wholesome and exemplary lives which might be profitably
studied by the oncoming generation. In such class must
consistently appear the name of David Charles Smith, well known
and progressive business man of Crawfordsville, and one of
Montogmery County's most representative citizens, a man who leads
a plain, industrious life, endeavoring to deal honestly with his
fellow men and contribute somewhat to the general public good in
an unobtrusive manner, for being a man who thinks along
progressive lines, he naturally desires to see his community
advance along material and civic lines, and, although a very busy
man, he has never neglected his duty as a citizen, but has been
one of the men who could be relied upon in the promulgation of
such enterprises as make for the general good. Mr. Smith was
born Oct 22, 1843, in Perrysville, Indiana and is a son of John
Fredrick and Lydia Ann WATT SMith. The father was born in
Frederick Co, Va in Sept 1812 and was a son of David and Susan
Hunsicker smith. David Smith was a native of Virginia and there he
continued to reside until 1832, when he made the journey to
Indiana on horseback and here bought a farm and returned home,
bringing his family here in the fall of 1833, making this trip in
wagons, which required some time owing to the fact that the only
roads in many places were unbroken trails and it was exceedingly
rough going all the way. Upon reaching Brownsburg, Mr. Smith was
compelled to leave his wife and one daughter, in order to have
horses enough to draw the wagons on to where he desired to
settle. John F. Smith, the oldest son, drove the six-horse team.
The place where they lcoated was on a farm 2 1/2 miles south of
Perrysville, and there, by hard work a good farm was developed
from the wilderness and a comfortable home established and there
David Smith and wife spent the rest of their lives. John F.
Smith spent his boyhood days in Va, where he received a good,
common school education, and among other things he learned
surveying, and after coming to Indiana he followed this vocation
in the summer and taught school in the winter, continuing thus
for two years, then established a general store at Perrysville,
which he conducted with great success for a period of about 33
years, enjoying an extensive trade with the people of the section
for miles around. During this time he was also interested in the
milling business and he shipped large quanities of grain to New
Orleans in the flatboats. Mr. Smith often going along ont he
boat and returning on horseback. He also sold agricultural
implements for many years and was a general business man, very
successful in whatever he turned his attention to and one of the
leading citizens of Perrysville in every respect. That town in
those days was a great shipping point. Our subject has seen as
many as 5 boats unloading there simultaneously. Hogs in large
numbers were also butchered there and shipped to New Orleans,
finding a ready market there. These various lines of business Mr.
Smith carried on until 1885 when, having accumulated a
competency, he retired. His death occured in 1892, after a very
active, successful, noble and praiseworthy life. He was one of
the best known and most highly esteemed citizens of his county.
Politically, he was a Whig, later a Republican and a Methodist.
His wife, Lydia Ann WATT, was a native of Circleville, Ohio who
came to Perrysville in 1834 with her parents, and here she and
John F. Smith were married in 1835. She lived to a ripe old
age, dying in 1894. She was the daughter of John and Judith Watt,
both natives of Pa, from which state they came to Ohio and later
to Indiana and here they spent the rest of their lives, living to
very advanced ages.
David C. Smith of this review, received ag
ood common school education and before he could launch out on a
business career the CivilW ar came on and he offered his services
to his country, enlisting July 22, 1862, Co, Ky, 71st Indiana
Volunteer Infantry, which regiment was afterwards known as the
6th Indian Cavalry. He served 3 years with much gallantry and
credit, participating in a number of important campaigns and
battles and on Aug 6, 1864, the Confederates took him prisoner
and sent him to Andersonville. He was captured near Gainesville,
Georgia while trying to get back from the Stoneman raid.
Previous to that, when the regiment had only been in service 12
days, he was engaged at Richmond, Ky where over 1/2 the regiment
was captured and paroled. For somet ime he did scout duty in
Knoxville, Tenn, Ky, at Resacca, Cassville and Adairsville. he
was in the Atlanta campaign, and was capdtured just before the
fall of the city of Atlanta. Mr. Smith says words are inadequate
in describing the horrors of Andersonville prison. There were
33,000 of the union men there at one time. He was released April
29, 1865. He has also been in prison in Savannah, Millen,
Blackshear and Thomasville. He was honorable discharged from the
Federal service June 28, 1865. After his career in thearmy he
returned to Indiana and, desiring to complete his education, he
entered Abury (DePauw) University at Greencastle, where he
remained one term then went to Poughkeepsie, NY and took a
business course. He went to Minnesota in 1867 and there spent one
winter, during which he canvassed the city of Minneapolis for a
directory, then returned to Perrysville, IN and took his father's
place in the store, continuing to engage in general merchandising
until 1883, or for a period of 16 years during which time he
enjoyed an extensive trade and got a good start in life.
Then he
came to Crawfordsville and engaged in the lumber business,
purchased half interest in a lumber yard with JW Stroh, which
they conducted for 2 years, when Mr. Smith bought out his
partner, then engaged in business for himself until 1888, when
the firm of Smith & Duckworth was started which has continued
with uniterrupted success. They enjoy a very extensive trade
with the surrounding country and carry a large and wells elected
stock. Our subject has become one of the financially strong men
of his town and county, and is deserving of much c redit for what
he has accomplished, having started at the bottom of the ladder.
He is now advanced in years, but, having been a man of good
habits he is hale and hearty. He is a man who is popular with
the people owing to his honesty, obliging nature and unfailing
courtesy. He is a member of McPherson Post, GAR, Crawfordsville;
Masonic Order and Presbyterian. Mr. Smith has done more work for
the LL Culver Union Hospital in Crawfordsville than any other
man. On July 2, 1868, Mr. Smith was married to Caroline Sidney
Evans, born in Fountain County, Nov 13, 1841 and grew to womanhood and
received her education in Indiana. Her parents were early
settlers int hat county and were well known there. She is a
niece of General Evans, for whom Evansville was named. Her
father, Jefferson Evans, was a prominent attorney and legislator.
Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith: Anna Mary, wife of
Frank P. McNutt, Crawforsdville; and Agnes Neely, wife of Francis
S. COBB, Boston, MASS.