Edmund Smith, son of Asa and Hannah (Poor) Smith, was born in the town of Manchester, New York, December 12, 1825, and was educated there in the public schools. He went west when a voting man and was in Michigan three years. He left there in 1849 to cross the plains when gold was discovered in California, and was successful in gold mining. After two years in the gold fields, however, he returned to his native place and bought a large farm in partnership with his brother Franklin, whose interests he bought two years afterward. Here he has followed farming ever since. His experience in California was fraught with hardship and danger. The mines where he located at Butte Creek were in an Indian country. On his return trip he had a narrow escape from drowning. The vessel in which he sailed from San Francisco sprang a leak soon after leaving port and all the passengers were called to help the crew at the pumps. Soon after landing at Panama the passengers saw the vessel sink. In politics he is a Democrat, in religion a Methodist.
He married Alice F., daughter of Harvey and Eunice Harmon. Children: George E., Asa, Irwin.
