Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-09-23
larlraster fmtei!;gsmcer.
THURSDAY EVENING. SEPT. %, 1880
Henry Gere Smith.

Cne SuUOcn deatn, on the altefnOoN VI
the preceding day, of his old associate in
the INTELLIGENCEE, Henry G. Smith.
He died in his room at his home, near
Rogersville, from heart disease. He has
had premonitions Of the progress Of this
disease for year or more, and spoke of
them when we met him in June at the
Cincinnati convention. We found him
then much wasted in form and evidently
in i'll health. Yet he did not anticipate so
speedy release. A letter from him, under
date of the sixth of this month, requesting
shipment of Lancaster red seed wheat,
says &C am quite Inwcll at present
with the complaint of which / spoke to
you. suppose it some form of heart
disease. George is coming to Pcnnsyl-
vania this month and think will come
with him. l want to consult some first
rate physician" And NOW is the end.
Henry Gere Smith WAS born at Will
Transport, Pa, in February, 1928. His
father, Rev. Amos Smith, was amcmber
of the Baltimore conference of the
Methodist Episcopal! church, and conse-
quently was not long a resident in one
place. Ills son Henry went to Dic!Sin
son college from Anne Arundel county
Maryland, and graduated in class of
twenty, delivering an Grafton upon " The
Duel Between Man and the Age in Which
he Lives" Moncure u. Conway and
George de i. Kcim were among his since
distinguished classmates. lie taught
school for 4 while and was then admitted
to the bar in Worcester county, Mary
land. Removing to Fulton county, Penn
sylvania, he practiccd his profession
and was elected district attorney of the
county in 1861. He edited the Fulton
Democrat, and the ability displayed in
its columns secured 4 call upon him to
assume the editorial charge of the IN
TELLIGENCER in 1861, when the daily
edition was started by the firm of Cooper,
Sanderson & Co., of which he was Il
member. When the constitutional con-
ventiOn was called, he was selected as
the Democratic delegate from Lancaster
county and was an influential men,
ber of the body, in whose proceedings he
took great interest and an active part
in the discussions. In 1871, desiring
4 more active life, lie dissolved his
connection with The ISTELIIGENCEE
and removed to Tennessee. Will.
whose fertile valleys he had fallen in love,
and where he and his brother George had
bought 4 thousand acres or more of lime
stone land, near RogerSvillc, which they
divided between them. He shortly mar.
ried the daughter of a citizen of Rogers
vile, built himselfa new house and barn
and settled down to the independent life
of q farmer. lie did not, however, sur
render his interest in politics, and was
when he died, the chairman OF the Demo
cratic committee of Hawkins county.
At Cincinnati he early saw the current
which was setting in for Hancock and
he was in hearty sympathy with its result
He was strenuous in his opinion that it
was the strongest nomination that
could he made and warmly urged
his views upon his friends in
the Pennsylvania delegation. In sucl
scenes as these lie was 1T home.
He never had in Pennsylvania his sure.
rior in influence in Il state convention.
He knew all the delegates, or soon came
to know them nr treated them rs though
he knew them and he had IN ardent,
persuasive way, without im?aticncc or
irritahility, which was very potential. 1t
is somewhat strange that his power was
only manifested in the large state gather
ings. In Il county convention he was
not remarkably strong, and rs Il roliti-
clan among the people he was weak. be
ing the faces and names OF those vino did
not particularly intcrcs. him, nor had he
the disposition which permitted him to
daily court their favor. as the politician
needs to do. He WAS apt to pass; &C
QuaintanceS without notice, not with i'll
tention, but through absorption and real
failure OF recognition SO that some
times lic w:ls miSjulgcd to be cold and
proud. But really there never was i,
warmer hearted man or one who would
do more to serve a friend. With his
friends he was exceedingly genial, and it
would lie hard to find Il more agreeable
associate III company. His friends were
many and warm, for they found in him
the noble qualities of heart and sound
ness of head which secure affection and
respect. His death will not he heard
without q sob from more than one heart
i'm this town where Il few of his life
years were spent and where in every class
his ardent admirers will be found for he
was a man to love.
As an editor Mr.. Smith WAS distiil-
guished for the ease and strength and
perspecuity of his writing. His style
was simple and without much afrectation
of ornament. lie wrote with very great
readiness, though not with extraordinary
nicely of touch or closencss to an idea.
He was an artist whose picture is strik
ing in general effect, but not particular
Iy faithful in the detail OF its drawing.
Nor WAS he very systematic wcrkcr.
He loved To work at night and in the
midnight hours, when the day was spent
and the social evening over, his time OF
labor came and his task was quickly done.
He was especially strong as dcscrip
tive writer. Enamored of the wiIdncs;
of nature he loved to penetrate into hel
receSSeS in pursuit of his favOrite recre-