My Genealogy Hound

THOMAS V. SMITH, one of the most active business men of Norristown, is a native of Lower Merion township, where he was born September 12, 1861. His father, William G. Smith, was at that time the proprietor of the Flat Rock Hotel. In 1867 the family removed to a small property, “Willow Lawn Mill,” where Thomas grew to manhood and enjoyed the benefit of the Penn Square and Norristown public schools until he started in life on his own account in 1883. He learned the stone cutters’ trade, to which he was apprenticed when he was seventeen years of age. He soon earned by his skill a man’s wages. His first venture was in the produce business, which he commenced in 1883 on DeKalb street in the old Norris engine house, where he remained two years. About 1891, his father’s failing health compelled him to retire from business as a contractor, and his son Thomas V. continued it under the name of William G. Smith & Son, although the father had little or nothing to do with the management. Since his father’s death, in 1899, the business has been conducted in his own name, his line being general concrete work, confined principally to Norristown, although Mr. Smith does work in the surrounding country in Pottstown, Conshohocken and elsewhere. Mr. Smith employs twenty men on an average.

Thomas V. Smith is a Democrat in politics, as was his father, and has been active in the interests of his party. He was chairman of the Democratic committee of his ward for twelve years. He was in the town council three years, being the first Democrat elected to that body from the eighth ward, and serving from 1887 to 1890. He was on the finance committee and several of the others at some period during his term. He has been delegate to county and state conventions several times. He was appointed night inspector in the United States custom house in Philadelphia in 1893, during President Cleveland’s administration, and held the position for four years. He has been asked several times by his party friends to become a candidate for burgess of Norristown, but declined the honor. In 1896 he was nominated for the lower house of the state legislature and although his party is in a hopeless minority, he came within six votes of being elected. He was treasurer of the Democratic county committee for two years.

Mr. Smith is a member of the Norristown Lodge, No. 620, Free and Accepted Masons. He is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, No. 714, of Norristown.

Mr. Smith married Miss Anna M. Wilson, who was born in Norristown, October 28, 1863, daughter of Richard and Anna S. Wilson. Her father came from the south and located in Norristown where he dealt extensively in real estate. In the south he was engaged in manufacturing. He was of Scotch and French ancestry, his father being a Scotchman and his mother a French woman, and he spoke both French and English fluently. His wife was born in Scotland and came to America when young to join relatives after the death of her father and mother. Their children: Mary married James Hennings, of Penn Square, and their children are Elizabeth (deceased), Virginia, Harry, Anna, Richard, Elizabeth (second), Mattie (deceased), George, Clara and May. Richard married Clara Rocky, and their children are: Louis (deceased), Walter, Katie, Andrew (dead) married Catharine Dalton (children Bessie and Josephine). Anna, our subject’s wife.

William G. Smith (father) one of the most prominent business men of Montgomery county, died February 19, 1899, at his residence No. 1039 Willow street, Norristown. He was born in Lower Merion township, on December 18, 1823, and was the only child of Henry and Catherine Smith. His father died when the son was fourteen years old and he supported his mother. He started out in life as a poor boy and worked himself up to his high standing in later years by hard work and business qualifications. He was a lifelong Democrat and filled various political positions from time to time. He served twenty-one years as a school director, twelve years in Lower Merion and nine years in Norriton. He also served as road supervisor in each township and as auditor. He also served one term as county commissioner, having been elected in 1866. He married Catharine A., daughter of Thomas Vaughan, of Lower Merion, on July 22, 1847, and celebrated with his wife their golden wedding in July, 1897, in the midst of their family, numbering eight children, with a dozen or more grandchildren. Their children are: Henry C. Smith, of Norristown; Mary, wife of Henry L. Fretz, Norristown; Clare, wife of Roy Hagaman; Anna, wife of Jesse Shoemaker, Whitpain; Emma, wife of Daniel Yost, Worcester; Sarah Elizabeth, wife of Charles Carn, Philadelphia; ex-councilman Thos. V. Smith and Miss Josephine Smith, Norristown. He was for many years one of the most prominent contractors in the county, and a number of county bridges were built by him. During the last ten years of his life, in partnership with his son Thomas V., he made a specialty of laying concrete pavements and similar work.

The Smiths were among the earliest settlers of Lower Merion. Frederick Smith, great-grandfather of William, bought a tract of land, many years ago, at the mouth of Mill Creek for a price per acre equivalent to a dollar and a half of our money. Frederick Smith’s son, Leo Smith, occupied the farm during the Revolutionary period and became an object of animosity, according to tradition, to the Doans, a lawless family of Bucks county free booters, one of his sons, it is said, having whipped one of the Doans. The gang determined upon revenge, so the story goes, and set out one night to execute their purpose, proposing to kill the Smiths and plunder and then burn the ancestral homestead. The scheme came to naught, however. There were no Schuylkill bridges at that time, as a matter of course, and the party approached the ferry where is now Manayunk to make arrangements for crossing later. The ferryman was a blind man but he had his wits about him and their inquiries for the exact location of the Smith home aroused his suspicions. He sent a special messenger to warn the family of their danger. They summoned their friends and neighbors and the whole vicinity resounded with the preparations for defense. Word of this reached the attacking party and they precipitately retired, abandoning their design as they did not care to cope with men who were ready for them and fully equal to the occasion.