History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon. Compiled by Mrs. D.M. Coon

CHARLES DORRANCE SMITH
Hood River pioneer of 1875 and member of the Parkhurst Colony.

     Charles Dorrance Smith, son of Lyman and Helen Jackson Smith, was born in Chemung, N.Y. August 27, 1871, He came to Hood River with his parents in 1875.
     He attended the public schools of Hood River and The Dalles until sixteen years of age and then went to Astoria to work in a box factory with his father.
     He remained there several years except for short intervals in the winter when the factory was closed. December 1, 1896 he was married to Josephine Hansberry, a Wasco County school teacher who taught the primary room in the Hood River school in l895. After his marriage he made his abode on his father's old home place for three years where he raised strawberries and other fruits. He then became foreman in the Hood River box factory, remaining there until the fall of 1901 when he took an examination and received his first marine engineers license. He followed this business nine years and during that time worked on the Wind River Lumber Company, being at that time part owner in two boats. He operated the "Maja" filling the position of engineer and captain. After selling the Maja he went on the Geo. W. Simons as engineer, filling this place for three years. The Simons was a small passenger steamer running between the Cascades and The Dalles. In November 1909 he bought an interest in the Seaside Light and Telephone Co. and became manager of the business, moving his family to Seaside to live. In 1914 he sold his inter eat in the Light Co. and went to steamboating again, as an assistant engineer on the Government Dredge Clatsop. Three years later he became chief engineer on the Port of Astoria's Dredge "Natoma" where he renamed three years. Again taking a civil service examination he went back into the employment of the Government, this time as machinist in the Light House Department, in their shops located at Astoria where he is employed at the present time.
     Mr. Smith moved his family to Astoria when he was employed on the Clatsop, as the dredge made Astoria its headquarters.
     The family of Mr. and Mrs. Smith consists of four daughters, Mildred Eleanor, born Nov 1, 1897; Doris Muriel, born April 17, 1899, Edna Margaret, born July 9, 1904, and Josephine Margaret, born March 3, 1913, dying the following day.
     Mildred Eleanor was married to Warren C. Lester, June 25, 1919. They have one daughter, June Marise, born June 30, 1920. Doris Muriel married Edward A. Haikura July 15, 1919. They have two children, Josephine Marian born September 20, 1920 and Dorrance Edward, born June 15, 1924.
     Edna Margaret was married to Will J. Fisher, June 22, 1924. They have one daughter, Margaret Lida, born April 4, 1926.

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