History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon. Compiled by Mrs. D.M. Coon
LYMAN SMITH 1875
Contributed
Lyman Smith was born in Bradford County, Pa., September
29, 1834, son of William and Jane (Blauvelt) Smith, natives of Pennsylvania.
The father came from an old colonial family. The mother's grandparents on
her father's side came from Holland, while her mother's family was of English
descent. When Lyman Smith was eight years old his father died, leaving his
mother with a family of nine children, three of whom were younger than Lyman.
The following five years he lived with a neighbor, working for his board
and clothes; after that he was with his brother-in-law until he was sixteen.
He worked hard, saving what money he could, and attended school whenever
there was an opportunity, in this way, by his own efforts gaining an education
that had been denied him in his earlier years. He was married November 2,
1858 to Helen Jackson of Chemung, N.Y., daughter of William and Elizabeth
Jackson. From that time until 1875, with the exception of one year in Michigan,
he was a farmer in Chemung Co., N.Y., owning at different times, farms in
various parts of the country. In 1875 he sold his holdings and joined the
"Mansfield Pacific Colony", moved to Hood River, Oregon, where he located
on railroad land, which later reverted to the government and he then purchased
the same from the government, making it his home continuously until the death
of Mrs. Smith in 1895.
During the twenty years from 1875 to 1895 this home was
well known throughout the valley for its hospitality and good cheer. Four
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, three of whom, Eleanor L., William
J. and C. Dorrance were born in Chemung, N .Y. and the fourth, Ralph Melvin,
was born at Hood River.
May 20, 1897 Mr. Smith married Mrs. Elizabeth J. Haynes,
who died at Hood River July 10 of the following year. For many years Mr.
Smith was engaged in the sawmill business, and he was closely identified
with the growth and development of Hood River until 1904 when he sold the
Hood River farm and moved to Portland, Oregon, making his home with his son
William. In politics he was a strong republican, voted for John C. Fremont,
the first republican candidate for president, and was well informed on all
the issues that have come before the people since that time. Of his mother's
family of nine children one sister, Mrs. Henrietta Doney of Waverly N.Y.
is living.
Lyman Smith died in Portland November 10, 1915, on the
fortieth anniversary of the arrival of the colony in Hood River.
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