The Somerset reporter., 1903-05-28
Death of Col. u. A. Smith

Colonel Zsmro A. Smith, editor and
one of the publishers of the SOMERSET
REPORTER for nearly four years, 1867
Il, and who gave the paper its
present name, died at his home in In
dianapois, Ind. the 25th instant, after a
sickness of nearly year, aged sixty-fve
years nine months.
T. A. Smith was born in the town of
Weston, Aroostook county. He attended
the common schools of the town of
Hodgdon, where his youth was spent,
Houlton Academy, now Kicker Institute,
for several terms; fitted for college in
Waterville, now Coburn, Institute, enter
ed Waterville College now Colby, class
of 80, but left before graduating to
enter the army. He entered the 18th
Maine Vol, afterwards the First Maine
Heavy Artillery, in 1862 as Captain of
Company G. having raised company
for that organization at Ellsworth. He
served with his regiment until its muster
out in the summer of 1865 being with
his command constantly, with the ex-
ception OF brief leave of absence grant
ed because of severe wound received at
Spottsylvania in May 1864. He WAS
promoted to the rank of Ma or, later to
lieutenant colonel, succeeding Gen. L.
B. Shepherd in thai place, and much of
the time during the 1865 campaign, was
in command of the regiment. AT the
close Of the war he was commissioned
colonel of u. S. volunteers by brevet.
He was exceedingly popular with the
members of the FIRST Maine Heavy, with
officers and men alike. They all had a
warm place in the heart for Col. Smith,
and the survivors of the regiment that
sustained greater loss by casualties in
battle than any other regiment In the
United States service in the great war of
the Rebellion, wherever you find them
to-day, have the game warm feeling of
comradeship for him.
Upon leaving the service he Immediately
entered upon his life work, journalism.
First in Ellsworth, Hancock county he
was editor of the Hancock journal. In
1867 he succeeded Moses Littlefeld as
editor of what was the Skowhegan Clar-
ion but the name of which he forthwith
changed to SOMERSET REPORTER, and
with C. A. F. Emery now of Boston,
under the firm name Smith & Emery,
published the paper until the year 1871.
He was early recognized as forceful,
trenchant writer and was offered an
editorial position on the Portland Press.
which he held until 1876. For eleven
years he was an editorial writer on the
Boston Journal to the acceptance of the
owners and pleasure OF a large army Of
readers.
In 1887, with E. N. Dingley, son of
late Congressman Nelson Dingley, he
embarked in newspaper enterprise in
Kansas by purchasing the Leavenworth
Times. Eastern men, with the training
In the offices OF Eastern newspapers, and
accustomed to Eastern readers and
patrons, they did not make a success In
running . daily in Kansas in the then
hard times that prevailed in that state
and section.
In 1891 he began work on the Indian
apolis journal, the leading Republican
Daily in Indiana, bringing to that paper
the ripe experience acquired in former
fields of labor. He continued as editorial
writer on this paper to the last weeks OF
his life, practically dying in the harness.
He had unusual capacity for work and a
disposition to keep to his task to the
last.
He leaves a wife, formerly Miss Jane
Steele of indianapolis, but no children.
He has two brothers and one sister in
Maine, Joseph o. Smith of Skowhegan,
Neal D. Smith of Portland, and Mrs. f.
w. Roberts of Portland; also one sister
in Minnesota, Mrs. f. c. Nickerson.
He had in large measure the faculty of
making and keeping friends and had
such, in Maine aud other places of his
residence, in large numbers. Impulsive,
outspoken, at times somewhat critical
and exactng, those with whom he asso
ciated recognized the wealth of his af-
lection, the kindness of his heart and his
sympathy for his fellow men, and gave
him the loyal friendship he was so
worthy of.