Glenn Smith, postmaster of Horton, and for many years engaged in the drug business in that city, had lived most of his life, a period of forty-seven years, in Kansas and had well earned a position of esteem as well as material prosperity.
His ancestors were Scotch-Irish people who early settled in New York State. It was in New York State that his father, Nathan C. Smith, was born in 1819. Nathan C. Smith spent his early life in New York and afterwards removed to Western Pennsylvania, in that historic region associated with Washington’s exploits during the French and Indian war, Venango County. There he became interested in rafting down the Allegheny River to Pittsburgh. While living in Pennsylvania the Civil war came on and almost at the beginning he enlisted in the Second Pennsylvania Cavalry and was through all the struggle, doing his part as a loyal and brave soldier. He fought at the battles of Gettysburg and in the Wilderness, and was in many of the campaigns led by General Grant until the triumphant conclusion of the war. In 1870 he brought his family West to Kansas and became a pioneer in Marshall County. He traded property for a homestead right and was actively engaged in farming until he retired in 1894. After his retirement he lived in Horton, but his death occurred in 1900 at Frankfort, Kansas, while on a viait to his daughter Mrs. Dexter, who was then living in that city. Nathan Smith began voting as a whig, was a republican during the critical period of the Civil war and later times, eventually affiliated with the populists in Kansas and closed his politieal career as a democrat. He was a very active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church all his life, and served as deacon a number of years. Nathan Smith married Amanda J. Adams, who was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1832, and died at Horton, Kansas, in 1904. She was the mother of five children: Emma, wife of T. B. Dexter, now a farmer living at Winifred, Kansas; Welling M., a farmer at Laquey, Missouri; Glenn A.; May, wife of Robert Waterbury, of Bedford, Indiana, where Mr. Waterbury is a tailor; and Guy H., connected with the Rock Island Railroad Company at Horton.
Glenn A. Smith was born while his parents lived in Venango County, Pennsylvania, December 16, 1866. Some of his first recollections are of the pioneer homestead of his father in Marshall County, Kansas. He grew up on that farm and lived there until 1877, when the family removed to Frankfort. Here he attended the public schools three years and following that began his apprenticeship as a drug clerk in Frankfort, where he remained until 1889. For the next two and a half years he was employed in a drug store at Salt Lake City, Utah, for six months following at Rock Springs, Wyoming, and in 1893 returned to Kansas and located at Horton. For six years he was steadily engaged as an employe of Mr. C. A. Sautter, druggist, and in 1899 entered the drug business on his own account, under the firm name of Smith & Mead. In 1904 the partuers sold their business to Holt & McNerney, and Mr. Smith continued with this firm four years. In 1908 he bought the interest of Mr. McNerney and soon afterwards Mr. Lindsay bought the Holt interest, thus making the firm of Smith & Lindsay, which does a flourishing business today in their ample and well equipped store at the corner of Main and Front streets.
Besides his business Mr. Smith owned his home on North Main Street. He had made himself a live factor in the town in every possible way, is president of the Commercial Club, and in 1914 was appointed postmaster by President Wilson. Much of his time is now devoted to the administration of the postal affairs of this city. He is a democrat, had served on the school board, and fraternally is affiliated with Horton Lodge No. 326, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Horton Chapter No. 76, Royal Arch Masons, Horton Commandery No. 36, Knights Templar, Abdallah Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Leavenworth, Horton Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Horton Lodge No. 165, of the Knights of Pythias, Magic City Camp No. 535, of the Modern Woodmen of America and Horton Camp No. 37, of the Knights and Ladies of Security.
Mr. Smith married in Horton, in 1896. Miss Lillie Elliott, daughter of B. C. and Mary Elliott. Her mother is still living and makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Her father was a farmer who came to Kansas from Missouri in 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Smith had three children: Dean, who died at the age of five years; Warren, still at home and a student in the Horton High School; and Neva in high school.