Augustus E. Smith, a well-known and progressive farmer of Buck Creek township, this county, is a native of Hancock county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Buck Creek township, not far from the site of his present farm, October 14, 1878, son of William and Olive (Thomas) Smith, the former a native of Marion county, this state, and the latter of Hancock county.

William Smith was born on January 17, 1845, sixth in order of birth of the fourteen children born to his father, John Smith, a well-to-do farmer of Marion county, who was born in Clermont county, Ohio, in 1809, and who, as a young man, came to Indiana and settled in Marion countuy where he became a substantial farmer, the owner of about three hundred acres of excellent land. John Smith was twice married. His first wife, who, before her marriage, was Harriet Thompson, born on July 7, 1813, bore him ten children. His second wife, Rebecca, bore him four, these children, besides William, mentioned above, being in the order of their births, Cyrus, born in 1832; Samuel, 1834; David, 1837; Marion, 1839; Mary E., 1841; Henry, 1847; Cynthia, 1851; Worth, 1853; Edward, 1858; Olive 1862; Lycurgus, 1863; Clara, 1866, and Everett 1869.

William Smith grew to manhood on the paternal farm in Marion county, receiving his education in the common schools of that county, and as a young man engaged in the business of timber buying. He married Olive Thomas, who was born in Buck Creek township, this county, April 26, 1852, daughter of Ephraim and Elizabeth (Ferree) Thomas, the former born in 1816 and the latter in 1820. A few years later William Smith bought an eighty-acre farm in Buck Creek township, this county, and farmed there the rest of his life, becoming a very successful farmer and stock raiser. To his original farm of eighty acres he gradually added by purchase until he became the owner of four hundred acres. He was a Republican and took an active part in the political affairs of his home community. He died on May 30, 1909, and his widow still survives. They were the parents of three children, those besides the subject of this sketch being Daisy D., born on December 8, 1869, who died in infancy, and Alta P., February 15, 1876, who also died in infancy.

Augustus E. Smith, the only son of his parents, was reared on the home farm in Buck Creek township, receiving his elementary education in the district school in the neighborhood of his home. For three years then he attended the McCordsville high school and later entered the Greenfield high school, from which he was graduated. He remained at home, assisting his father in the work of the farm until his marriage in the fall of 1900, after which he moved to his present farm in the neighborhood of his old home, where he now owns two hundred acres of fine land, his farm being one of the best-improved and most profitably cultivated places thereabout. Mr. Smith has a fine farm residence and his substantial barn and other farm buildings are in keeping with the same, the place generally exhibiting evidences of the progressive methods of its proprietor. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Smith also is quite extensively engaged in stock raising and has done well in that line. He is a Republican and gives thoughtful attention to political affairs, but has never been included in the office-seeking class, preferring rather to devote his whole attention to his growing agricultural operations.

On October 24, 1900, Augustus E. Smith was united in marriage to Pearl Wright, who was born in this county on Janaury 13, 1879, third in order of birth of the five children born to her parents, James M. and Rachel C. (Danaha) Wright, the former of whom, born on July 4, 1844, died on March 29, 1893, and the latter, born on November 14, 1846, died on October 29, 1912, their other children being as follow: Oda Fred, born on March 24, 1868; Walter, October 16, 1875, who died on July 9, 1892; Benjamin F., June 3, 1883; and Hazel, September 25, 1888. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at McCordsville and both she and her husband give proper attention to the good works of their home neighborhood.

Transcribed from History of Hancock County, Indiana, Its People, Industries and Institutions by George J. Richman, B. L., Federal Publishing Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1916. Page 976-977.

Submitted by Sylvia (Rose) Duda, Laingsburg, MI October 19, 2001.

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