My Genealogy Hound

R. H. Smith, machinist and foundryman, and a member of the firm of Smith & Little, was born in North Carolina, in 1838, and was the fifth of eleven children born to William and Catherine (Burkhead) Smith, both natives also of the Old Tar State. The father was a farmer, but also carried on the trades of blacksmith and wagon-maker. He came to Arkansas in 1854, settled in Pope County and started a shop six miles northwest of Russellville. There he had a good trade, and made wagons for most of the county. He also bought 256 acres and to this he added from time to time until he became the owner of large tracts of land, much of it river bottom land. He cleared much of this land and here resided until his death, in 1887, at the age of eighty-two years. He had always enjoyed good health. The mother died about the same time. Our subject has three sisters and one brother residing in this county. He followed farming until the breaking out of the war, and then flung aside his implements of peace to take up the weapons of warfare. He enlisted in Company E, Fifteenth Arkansas Regiment, and was in the battle of Elk Horn, but soon went east of the Mississippi River, where he participated in the battles of Farmington, Corinth and Port Gibson, and was taken prisoner at the latter place. He was retained at Alton prison for six weeks, and was then exchanged at City Point, after which he came home. Later he enlisted again, was captured and confined at Little Rock, where he was at the time of the surrender. Returning home he engaged in farming, followed this for several years, and was very successful. He bought 350 acres and soon had 100 acres under cultivation. About 1875 he began the mill business, at Mill Creek, and had a good outfit and an excellent trade. This he sold in 1884, and at once started his foundry and machine shop, manufacturing stoves. The firm also do a general repairing business, employ two men and sometimes more, and are the owners of the foundry which is a good building. Mr. Smith was married in the fall of 1859, to Miss Martha Shinn, who is the daughter of Littleton Shinn, a pioneer of this locality. Of the following, named nine children born to this union six are now living: Jesse Lee, Mary F., Sarah Ellen, Lenora (deceased), Oeata (deceased), Thomas (deceased), Mattie, Florence and Franklin. Mr. Smith has a farm of 150 acres and a residence in town. Aside from his foundry enterprise, he is also engaged in the grocery business in partnership with R. C. Brown, and they are erecting a two-story brick building. Mr. Smith is a good business man and is successful and prosperous.