The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-03-02
MADE MILLIONS AT FARMING
IRVING SMITH TOOK EVERY DOL
LAR OF IT FROM THE SOIL
In Nearly Fourteen Years He Made
$4,000, OO0-HIustriOus Career
at Humble Toll


his eightieth birthday, the richest ex-
elusive farmer in the United States
and the WealthiesL man in South Da-
kOta was laid TO rest in a quiet spot
OF a country cemetery near Sioux
Falls. s. D. During his life ne answer
ed the question whether a man may
become a millionaire honestly. In the
last fourteen years he had made near
" 100000, and every dollar came
from the soil
Harris Franklin Of Deadwood, who
has made a vast fortune out Of the
cattle business, has no more than the
fortune left by Irving Smith, while all
the millions taken from the gold mines
of the Black Hills have not fallen into
the hands Of any one man who has a
greater inheritance to leave his chill
dren and friends than has been left
by this millionaire farmer Of South
Dakota
To this man, and TO his wife, who
survives him, the philosophy OF life
was quite simple. To them fortune
brought no desire for travel in foreign
lands; no lavish expenditures for un-
comfortable tOggery; no automobiles
or New York homes; no trips to the
seaside or ambitions to maintain a
place in frenzied society The only di-
version which Mr.. Smith ever had
was giving $4,000 farms to worthy
tenants and money for halls to the
Odd Fellows lodge,
Many times during the past few
years of Mr., Smiths life he had en-
tertained governors, high railroad Of
ficials, congressman and men high in
his favorite lodge BY them he was
many times asked, How did you
make your money!" and his reply
was, in substance, always the same;
Il made it by making It. not spend
ing it in any way which did not bring
me returns. I made it by working and
buying the rich lands OF South DakO-
And his answer was true, as far as
any one of his neighbOrs and friends
in Madison ever know. When he be
gan life it was with a few hundred
dollars. With this sum he paid part
on an Illinois farm and then earned
the money with which 70 pay of the
debt, Then he purchased another and
earned the money from the two farms
with which TO pay of the second debt,
He declared that his profit consisted
in the difference between the money
he received and the money he paid
out This proved him a true ecOnO-
mist, and he has left a magnificent
fortune to bear out his hOmely theO-
~ Of the creation Of wealth
How did do it2H ne often said to
those who asked abOvt the creating Of
a vast fortune simply from the soil
81 worked for my money, wanted TO
see it grow, and placed it in farms
as fast as I made it, buying one after
another: not particularly when land
was cheap and others had to sell, but
simply whenever 1 had the money
with which TO buy"
Did you make anything lOaning
money!" he was asked a few days be
fore his death.
Never a dollar that can remem-
Der I was not much in favor Of loan
ing money. 1t was not that I feared
to trust my friends and associates, but
I consider it an injury to a man to
loan him money. I frequently bought
machinery and cattle for my tenants,
and sometimes stood good for their
actual living expenses while they were
getting a start, but with many thou
sands Of dollars to my credit, don't
believe 1 ever collected interest or
loaned money for profit"
For years Irving Smith has been a
unique character in Madison His
home was just outside the city, and
he had a modest Office in town, which
ne visited every day up to few weeks
ago, when he was taken TO the hOspi-
tai. His manners were unpretentiouss
and his personal appearance would
never. cause him to be recognized as
the wealthiest man in all South Da-
kota.
He was born in Litchfield, n Y, IN
1926, and after securing some educa-
ton he left for California in 1850, be
ing one of the early gold seekers. On
his trip he was one of a party who
crossed the Isthmus of Panama on
foot. When he returned to New York
he married Jane Champion, and left
for Illinois.
AS soon as Mr.. Smith came to
Lake County, COUth Dakota, in 1891,
he began buying land, as though he
knew the secret Of the crop wealth Of
the prairies in advance. The past
fourteen years has proved that he
guessed right, for the South Dakota
farms have made him S1,SOO,OOO in
that time. This fortune is almost
wholly invested in real estate COM
prising ninety-four magnificent farms
in central South Dakota; 5000 acres
in Iowa, and some city property in
Madison and Sioux Falls.
"a third Of my money earned with
my hands" Mr.. Smith told his attOr-
ney. recently, when his viii was read
to him, "and the other twO-thirdS
were probably made with my head, :"
he added with smile
Two years ago, when the millionaire
farmer was enjoying the best OF
health he conceived the idea Of max
ing his tenants happy by giving them
farms. When Anton Woods present
ed himself at Mr.. Smiths office one
day to pay his rent, he was told 70
take it TO the bank and deposit it to
his own credit, and that he might con-
tinue to do the same thing, year after
year.
The astOnished renter asked what
he meant, and Mr.. Smith replied that
no questions should be asked Two
other renters were told to do the same
thing. and the three farms given away
in a week amounted to $4,000 But
this was not to be the end. When
Mr. Smith found a tenant who was
the right sort Of a fellow" as he eX-
pressed it, the rent money went into
the bank to the credit OF the tenant
and it is supposed, when his viii is
probated, there viii be a number Of
happy tenants. To Sioux Falls MI
Smith was particularly kind He gave
Catarrh Cannot Be Cured
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