The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-27
AN OLD TIMER.
Captain John Smith Was . Confederate
Veteran with q History

Captain John Smith Was . Confederate
Veteran with a History.
Helena Independent: Capt. Jack L.
Smith died yesterday morning at st.
Johns hospital after an illness of sew
eral weeks. Captain Smith was one of
the best-known pioneers of Montana.
He came to the territory in 1867. and
lived most of the time after that in
Helena. He was a man of singular up
rightness, and numbered friends by
the hundred. He knew how to make
friends and keep them.
captain Smith was born ~ years ago
In pennsylvania. When a mere boy he
ran away from home. At Allegheny
City he found work on a boat and
fioated down the Ohio with IL to the
Mississippi. finally landing at New Or
leans. Steamboating was in its palmy
days then. and life on the river had a
peculiar fascination to the country
boy reared in the north. From the
time he reached New Orleans until the
war he lived on the river. Starting as
a cabin boy he reached the height of a
river mans ambition-the pilothouse.
He spent most of his younger days in
the south. When the war broke out 1t
was only natural that he should en-
list in the cause of the confederacy. He
had become a southern man instinct
lively, and possessed to the day of his
death. the traits of character that so
often mark southern gentleman. He
was captain then and ii became his
duty to transfer troops up the Red
river. Later he was assigned to duty
on the Mississippi. 1t is related of him
that while transferring Gen. Kirby
Smiths troops across the river that
hery confederate officer interfered. as
Captain Smith thought, with his du-
ties. notwithstanding that General
smith was his superior. Captain Smith
cursed him roundly and did not stop
until put under arrest. The ranking
Smith had the captain court martialed
and put in jail. That was only an in
cident, however. Captain Smith was
not kept in prison long. He was too
valuable a man.
Captain Smiths next work was I'm
blockade running. New Orleans was
shut off from the world by the Union
gunboats. Captain Smith successfully
ran the blockade a number of times In
making trips from New Orleans to
cuba. When the Union ironclads had
cleared the river Captain Smith entered
the land service, but took a minor sta
ton there.
After the war Captain Smith follow
ed the river two years and then in 1867.
went with a boat as mate up the Mis-
souri, river to Fort Benton. He re-
turned to the states, but later the
same year came back to Montana.
crossing the plains with a train. He
engaged in the freighting business and
was successful for years. He freighted
between Ogden, Virginia City, Helena
and Fort Benton. When he first came
to Helena he secured a contract 10
haul wood for the Witlatch Union
company at Unionville With the ad-
vent of the railroad, Captain Smith
gave up long distance freighting. but
established transfer business in
Helena.
Under Mayor Steele's first admins
tration Captain Smith was street com
missioner. He was a faithful, consci-
entious officer, who never shirked a
duty. Mayor Steele when last elected
again appointed him street commission
er, but the council refused to confirm
the appointment, as IL was feared the
old man could not do the work.
Perhaps no one in the city knew
Capt. Jack Smith better than the
mayor.
He was as brave as a lion ana no
warm hearted as any man 1 ever saw ;,
the mayor said last night. mo man
ever had better friend than Jack
Smith was. He was generous to
fault. Although rough in manner and
speech. he was as gentle as a child. He
loved children. He was an honest. nm
right man. Poor. old Jack; he will he
missed far more. perhaps. than he
thought for"
So far as known here, Captain Smith
leaves no relatives.