Representative John Handy Smith View All Years

HON. JOHN H. SMITH.

MR. SPEAKER—Your committee appointed to draft and present resolutions commemorating the life, character, and services of the Hon. John H. Smith, late a member of the House of Representatives in the Twenty-first General Assembly, beg leave to submit the following report: —

John H. Smith was born in Delaware, February 21st, 1828, moved with his parents to Michigan in 1832. Was married in 1855 to Elizabeth J. Wilson, came to Iowa and settled in Jasper county in 1857. He taught school in the early days and was by trade a carpenter. When the civil war came, he enlisted in Company K, Twenty-eighth Iowa volunteer infantry, was never in the hospital, and was never at home on furlough. He was a well read man, always keeping himself posted on the current events of the party and church until his death. He was most loyal to the interests of the G. A. R. and was of great assistance to many of the comrades in getting their pension papers prepared, owing to the fact that he kept a careful daily memorandum during his entire service in the army. He was elected sergeant when his company was organized and was promoted to orderly sergeant, which rank he held when mustered out with his regiment in 1865. Early in life he united with the Church of Christ and remained a member all of his life. He was elected as representative of Jasper county to the legislature of Iowa in the Twenty-first General Assembly and was instrumental in getting the bill passed establishing a soldiers’ home for Iowa soldiers. The last fifty years of his life were spent on the old homestead where he died. His wife died at the old homestead June 27th, 1895, and he lived with his son Ernest after this until death. Three children survive: F. Aubrey Smith of Marshalltown, Mrs. I. H. Nicodemus of Colfax, and Ernest H. Smith of Ira. One son, Harry, died in infancy, and one daughter, Mrs. Winifred Miller, died in 1899. He retained his mental and physical strength remarkably well. On Wednesday last, he was up and around all day, enjoying his usual good health. About nine o’clock he started to retire but found one side partially paralyzed and he soon lost consciousness. He never rallied from the attack, but gradually grew weaker until the end came on Saturday night, when at ten o’clock he passed away quietly and without apparent suffering.

Therefore, Be It Resolved, That in his death the state has lost a most worthy citizen, a conscientious and honorable man, and we hereby extend our sympathy to the surviving children, who have lost a devoted father, and be it

Resolved, That the chief clerk be instructed to send an engrossed copy of these resolutions to his three surviving children, and that the same be spread upon the Journal of the House.

W. M. ROWLES,

E. D. RAYBURN,

J. E. CRAVEN,

Committee.

Adopted unanimously.