CAPT. JARED E. SMITH. This prosperous merchant of Roy, Missouri, was born in Tennessee, October 8, 1826, a son of William P. and C. (Patterson) Smith, who were born in North and South Carolina, respectively, were pioneers of Tennessee and moved from that State to Texas in 1851, settling in Ellis County, where both were called from life. They reared eight children; Jared E.; Benjamin Franklin (deceased); Henry W. (deceased); William H., who is a resident of Texas; Melissa, and the following daughters, who are dead: Mary J.; Eliza A. and Ona.
The subject of this sketch is the only living member of the family except William H. and Melissa, both of whom were alive in 1873. Jared E. grew up and was married in Maury County, Tennessee, to Miss Sarah R. Mack, a daughter of John and Sarah Mack, the former of whom was a resident of Greene County, Missouri, and died in Springfield in 1854. In the spring of 1851 Capt. Smith came to Missouri and located in Springfield, where he made his home until 1882, at which time he became a resident of Roy. His attention was first given to the building business, and to him is due the credit of having put in operation the first steam power in southwest Missouri in March, 1858, consisting of a planing mill, grist mill, foundry and machine shop, the machinery of which, bought in St. Louis, was with much labor conveyed to Greene County. He operated this mill until the opening of the war and in 1864 sold it to John Smooke. At the first call for troops he entered the three months’ service and was in the battle of Wilson Creek. He served in the State Militia in southwest Missouri and was captain of Company D, Seventy-second Regiment, E. M. Militia. After the war was over he was elected registrar of lands of the State of Missouri, in which capacity he served four years. In 1862 he was elected to represent his county in the Legislature and again in 1866, and was county treasurer in 1872. After a time he embarked in the wholesale and retail drug business with his son-in-law, J. R. Ferguson, in Springfield, which business he successfully carried on until 1872, when he sold his drug interests and engaged in general merchandise. In 1883 he came to Roy and bought the farm of 280 acres on which he now lives. He also owns a dry goods store at this point, which he conducts very successfully and which nets him a neat sum annually. He has always been a stanch Whig and Republican in politics and by the Republican party he was elected to the State Legislature in 1888 from Douglas County and served with distinction in that body.
He and his first wife became the parents of six children: Christiana, wife of J. R. Ferguson, of Springfield; Florence J., wife of R. J. Patterson, a merchant of Branson, Taney County, Missouri; Eliza Narcissa, wife of John Kintrea, a merchant of Bradleyville, Taney County, Missouri; Laura J., wife of Louis Huffman, of Douglas County; William F., who is a merchant of Indian Territory, and John M., who is clerking in a bank in Springfield. Capt. Smith is engaged in farming, stockraising and merchandising and is one of the wide-awake, prosperous business men of the county. In whatever section he has resided his influence has been felt and he was one of the men who were instrumental in the establishment of the Frisco and Fort Scott & Memphis rail-roads. He chose for his second wife Miss M. A. Hartin and their nuptials were celebrated on October 8, 1890. The Captain is a member of the Christian Church and socially belongs to the Springfield Lodge of the I. O. O. F. and the G. A. R., being quartermaster of Roy Post No. 307, Department of Missouri.