Representative Ellison Smith View All Years

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Ellison Smith

Des Moines County

Born at Skipton, in Yorkshire, England, March 8, 1825, the third of a family of ten children, son of Peter and Martha (Ellison) Smith, and accompanied his parents to America in 1835. Mr. Smith obtained his formal education almost wholly in his native country, the only schooling which he received subsequent to his tenth year being that of a six. weeks' term in the public schools of Burlington township, Des Moines county. Despite the meagerness of his early advantages, however, he formed a taste for reading, which he always retained, and through habits of reflection and intelligent observation he became possessed of the extensive knowledge and broad views which made him a man of true and universal culture. With the exception of a short period, during which he learned and worked at the brick-maker's trade, he remained with his parents until his twenty-sixth year. On April 9, 1851, he was united in marriage ·with Miss Mary A. Hunt, daughter of Jesse and Delinda (Kirkpatrick) Hunt. Immediately after his marriage to Miss Hunt, Mr. Smith removed to Danville township, purchasing there a farm on which they resided for eleven years. In 1865 they again removed, establishing their home in the village of Danville, and also purchased a farm of one hundred acres within the present corporate boundaries of the village. He also built the elevator at Danville, and entered the grain business on an extensive scale, continuing to conduct the enterprise with signal success until his death. By the purity and strength of his character he commanded the unqualified confidence of the people, and as a leading member of the Democratic party, with which he was closely identified during the major portion of his active life, he exercised a widespread and intimate influence upon the public affairs of his time. In 1889 Des Moines county chose him as its representative in the State Legislature of Iowa, and in this capacity he served his fellow-citizens for two years, with great credit to himself and lasting benefits to his constituency. He was always active in the conduct of township affairs, and was for many years a township school director, for he was an earnest advocate of the State public school system, believing that therein lay the foundation for the perpetuity of the State and popular government.

House District 21