Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1916-05-19
CHAs. R. SMITH DIES
PRESIDENT OF MENASHA WOOD
EN WARE CO. PASSES AWAY
. IN NEW YORK
DEATH is CAUSED BY AP0PLExY
LEGAL Plant Shut Down Tuesday, the
Day of Funeral, Which Was
Held at Neenah

Charles R. Smith, head of the Men
asha Wooden Ware Co., and resi-
dent of Neenah, died Friday night
in New York of apoplexy, following
a several months illness.
Mr. Smith was taken i'll while en-
route from Spokane, and was taken
to his New York residence, where
death occurred.
He was born in Menasha in 1855,
and was reared there. He was grad
uated from Princeton university IN
1876, going into the manufacture o.
broom handles the following year.
Three years later he went into the
manufacture of barrels. In 1890 his
concern consolidated with the Men
asha Wooden Ware Company, OF
which he was a stockholder and
treasurer.
In 1899, on the death of his father,
Elijah Smith, he became the head of
the concern, and had acted in that
capacity ever since. The concern IS
the largest of it's kind in the world,
and has immense timber holdings in
the western states and Canada.
Surviving are the children of n S
first wife-Mowry, Carlton R. and
Sylvia W., and his second wife, for
merly Isabelle B. Rogers.
Of
conjecture. He was said to be the
Wealthiest person in the state, h S
wealth being estimated at from $780,
100000 to $60,000,00
The funeral was conducted from
the residence on Tuesday. Rev. A.
E. Leonard of Eau Claire, formerly
pastor of First Congregational church
Of Menasha, of which the deceased
was a member, officiated. Burial was
made at Neenah.
Prominent among the many floral
pieces surrounding the casket was a
tribute from LadySmith citizens in
the shape of very beautiful wreath,
bearing the words, City of Lady
smith, This was in fitting recog-
milton of the important role the
deceased had played in the early
history of Ladysmith.
Ladysmith people who were in at
tendance at the funeral were: Mr.
and Mrs. R. S. Johnson, Mr.. and
NIro LN,,o,1 NJ po11nu
Mayor A. c. Thompson, N. J. Smith,
j. o. Sinclair and j. F. Mitchell.
AS a mark of respect due the head
of the concern, the local plant OF
the Menasha Wooden Ware Com
pany was shut down all day Tues
day, tie day of the funeral.
c. r. Smith, more than any other
one man, perhaps, was responsible
for putting Ladysmith on the map
His coming here, in 1900, and locat-
ing the sawmill, stave and heading
factory of his company, manufac
turing institution which has been in
operation here ever since, started
CU5 Ddil IOlIIHS tHdC ICouiIOu II
converting the little hamlet of War
ner to the present city of Lady
smith, named by the way, after
Mr.. Smiths second wife, Lady
Smith," who came here with him as
bride about the time the town was
experiencing it's first era of rapid
development. 1t was through Mr.
Smiths efforts that the power dam
was built here and the hydraulic
energy created was leased tC th1
Menaaha paper Co, this action re
sulting in locating the large mills
of that concern here. Mr.. Smith has
always taken an active interest in
the development of Ladysmith and
made frequent trips here, especially
during the city's early days. His
last visit to Ladysmith was made
last February, when he appeared tt
be in the best of health.