"The Centennial History of Oregon"

1811-1912 Volume II, by Joseph Gaston,

Chicago, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company 1912,

pages 991 and 992

SAMUEL H. SMITH, who is engaged in the
grocery business at Sunnyside, was born in
Multnomah county, five miles northwest of
Portland, February 13, 1856. His parents
were Joseph and Margaret (Mather) Smith.
The father was born in Virginia on May 13,
1818, and the mother in North Madison, In-
diana on May 13, 1832. Their marriage oc-
curred in Indiana, where they afterward lived
for two years, when they removed to St.
Joseph, Missouri, there spending one winter.
In the following spring they startd across
the plains with ox teams with Oregon as
their objective point, the journey requiring
six months to accomplish. J. A. Mather,
an uncle of our subject, accompanied them
on their journey across the plains and both
families settled five miles northwest of Port-
land on government land, densely covered
with wood. Mr. Mather and Mr. Smith took
up donation claims of three hundred and
twenty acres each. In their early experi-
ences these pioneers were forced to carry
their provisions two miles through the thick
timber before a wagon road was constructed.
Joseph Smith remained on his farm until
1891, when he sold it and removed to Sunny-
side, Oregon, now a part of Portland, where
he bought property at Thirty-fourth and
Morrison streets and built a fine residence.
Here he lived a retired life until the time
of his death, which occured December 4,
1891. The mother died on October 21 of
the following year. They were parents
of fourteen children, of whom the following
are living, namely: Mrs. Letitia Gubser, of
Winlock, Washington; Seatta, who was born
June 29, 1854, in the Rocky mountains, while
her parents wre crossing the plains, and
who is the wife of A. G. Dix and resides in
Multnomah county, near her father's old
donation claim; Samuel H.; Oscar and Olive,
twins, born April 1, 1861, the former of whom
is a resident of Salem, while the latter is
the wife of J. E. Allen and resides near Rick-
reall; Jason, of Portland; and Pliny H., a
dentist of Chicago, Illinois.

Samuel H. Smith remained with his par-
ents until he attained his majority and then
Top

began working on a farm. He saved his
earnings and was thus enabled to purchase
land. After his marriage he moved to a
farm of his own, which he operated until
1891, when he sold out and came to Sunny-
side, where he lived until 1906 and
then removed to southern Oregon, settling
at Ashland, where he engaged in the con-
fectionery business. He conducted this busi-
ness until 1909, when he sold out and re-
turned to Sunnyside, where he and two of
his sons, Chester Arthur and Otis Samuel,
established a grocery business which he is
still conductng. In addition to his business
he owns a good home and six other residence
properties in Sunnyside.