The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-28
and DEATH CAME.
fcontinued From Paee one.)

This was his last public post. For 2
number Of years he has lived. retired,
at his comfortable Topeka home on
Maryland avenue In Highland Park
Without exaggeratton, Smith was one
of the most generally liked men in KAN
sas politics. At home, in MarshaH
| county. his popularity was such that
when, after more than a decade OF ser
vice in county offices. he became a can
dictate for secretary Of state. his county
voted solidly for him. 1t Is recorded
| that there was not q vote for any OPP
posing candidate, from Marshall coun-
ty. He was twice reelected to the Of
flee in a time when political honors
! were keehly sought ana bitterly con-
tested. He was secretary OF state Wnen
Governor John p. st. Johns admins
tration carried Kansas for the prohibit
tory amendment.
The Smith family Of Eldersridge.
Indiana county, Pennsylvania. where
James was born on July ~, 1881.
was a large one. the father having
been married twice. There were nine
brothers and q sister in the older
branch Of the family and by his sec
! ond marriage tho elder Smith had
four other children. Seven OF the
brothers and the father served In the
Union army and two of the sons died
| in service, John falling at the battle
of Gettysburg, while Matthew was a
victim of fever in Virginia Six
| brothers survive. Robert w: Bigeiow
Smith, William H.. a Marysville
banker, and George T. Smith. are res
idents of Marshall county, where they
settled in the early statehood days.
Elder Smith lives at Idaho City, Ida.
while Alfred and Hiram Smith reside
| at Salisbury, Pa
James Smith would have been ~
years old on July 20. next. He had
the advantage of q college education,
being a graduate Of Canonsburg. Pa.
college. was man OF genial spirit
and fine presence. His residence IN
arrived in this state after a short So
journ in Mississippi. where he taught
school for q year or two on planta-
tions Of wealthy southerners. Com
ing to Kansas he settled in Marshall
county, where with his brothers he
claimed his residence for many years
after his political life brought him to
Topeka.
The immediate family includes the
| widow, Mrs. Jennie Edgar Smith. to
county in 1869, and three children,
| Mrs. F. e. Nipps. wife Of the present
county commissioner and local agent
Of the Missouri Pacific railway; Car
ence Smith, for q number of years
past connected with the state tax
whose husband has for many years
been connected with the State Jour-
4
nal.
With the 9TH Kansas Cavalry.
The seven aged men who proudly
escorted the flags Of the Seventh Kan
| tiers of the Grand Army at the state
house, to the Memorial hall which
had been erected for the shelter or
these and other relics of the states
history, were J. w. Springer. 6 troop:
A. A. Griffin, b troop; Dan Castor
and George Bird of c troop; H. H.
Lynn. H troop; Sam Gates Of q troop
land Sam Wilkinson OF A. WILKINSON
was elected to carry the banner yes
terday He was Of the same troop In
which Smith served. =
The Seventh Kansas was ORGANIZED
at Fort Leavenworth October %. 1861,
and was ordered into the field In west
ern Missouri Immediately. Its first
active engagement, In which smith 9
company participated. was at the
Little Blue river. After wtntering in
Kansas the regiment was sent to CO.
1umbus, KY, where it was engaged In
escort duty ON railroad repair work.
Thence it moved into Mississippi in
ment at Corinth. After the federal
successes at Corinth the Seventh Kan
sas was sent into Alabama and 1T took
part in engagements at Buzzard's
Miss, Tallahatchie. Oxford. Water
Valley and Coffeyville. Much Of its
subsequent duty was in the protection
of the Memphis and Charleston rail-
road and it was never exempt from
danger during the three years spent in
the south. In 1863 it participated in
battles at Florence. Iuka, Swallows
Bluff, Byhalia and Wyatt, Miss; Rip
ley and Jacks Creek, Tenn: Tupelo.
Miss, Ellistown. Oxford and Hur-
ricane Creek and in the campaign
against Price in Missouri. At the end
of the war it was sent into Nebraska.
before the regiment was finally order
Smith enlisted as q private but was
soon attached to the Quartermaster's
department SO that at the end of the
war he was promoted to be regimental
Quartermaster. He was constantly
with his regiment during its arduous
four years service.
Into Kansas Politics.
| For twenty years "Jim' Smith was
q leader in Republican state politics,
having previously earned his promo
| ton by "A long and successful partic-
| ipation in the county affairs of Mar
shall county. In 1866, q year after
elected to the state legislature. Aft
er q term there he was elected county
clerk of Marshall county and followed
four years in that Office by two terms
in the county clerkship. He resigned
before the end Of the second term to
become secretary of state in 1873. He
served three terms and was trans
ferred from that office to become pri-
vate secretary to Governor John A.
Martin during his four years OF Office.
Lyman U. Humphrey who succeeded
with two terms as governor, retained
| Smith as his confidential adviser. In