Elam G. Smith

            ELAM G. SMITH, druggist, Kentland, was born September 14, 1838, in Portage County, Ohio, and is the eldest in a family of five, two of whom are living. David and Catharine (Richards) Smith, his parents, are natives of Stark County, Ohio, the former still living at the age of seventy-one, in Cleveland, Ohio; the latter died in 1860, both active members of the M.E. Church. Mr. S. was steward and leader in his church for many years. Elam G. had a common school education, attended a seminary at Franklin Mills two terms, and Oberlin College three terms. He taught in winter, and worked and handled stock in summer.

     In 1860, Mr. S. married Miss Sarah An Neisz, of Stark County, Ohio, and in November, 1861, Mr. S., with his brother-in-law, started for Newton County, Ind., in a two-horse covered wagon, through swamp, over corduroy bridges and through dense forests of Western Ohio and Eastern Indiana, taking a hard day’s drive to go through the twelve mile woods in Van Wert County, Ohio. After twenty-three days, he landed at the farm given to him and wife by his father-in-law, John W. Neisz, known as the George Spitler farm, the house or cabin being in the timber. His wife and babe came by railroad a month later, arriving at Trivolia, where Mr. S. met them. The house, a log cabin, was the first court house in Jasper and Newton Counties. It had one room, one window, one door. The furniture consisted of a bed, table, three stools and a cupboard, all manufactured by Mr. S., there being no furniture for sale in Kentland. In case of company, the trunks were pulled out. Mr. S. taught that winter in the Marsh of Treadway Schoolhouse. After two unsuccessful attempts to raise a crop, he abandoned farming, built a dwelling Kentland, chopping and hauling timber to the mill for lumber, riving the lath, quarrying stone and burning lime. The fifth and last term of school he taught was in the U.B. Church of Kentland, now the Christian Church, there being no schoolhouse in Kentland; enrollment 120; in the fall and winter of 1863 or 1864. He taught his first term in Crawford County, Ohio, when a boy of eighteen years. He had been studying medicine for three or four years, had procured a subject from Chicago, and a room in the court house was improvised for dissecting. He read during the day, dissected at night, and to this way made himself acquainted with the sciences of anatomy and physiology.

    In 1864, he opened a drug store with his father-in-law, John Niesz; a regular practitioner, styling the name Neisz & Smith. Subsequently, Dr. N. sold out to George A. Robinson, the firm then becoming Smith & Robinson. Soon after they bought out Oscar Phelps drug store, and thus the firm remained several years as Smith’s drug store. He had a partner, H.K. Warren, for several months, but most of the time Mr. S. has managed the store and also attended to a lucrative practice. In the fire of 1870, he lost nearly all his stock, without insurance. In less than twenty-four hours, he had a building 16 x 32, and sold from what had been saved. He made immediate arrangements for building a two-story brick on Third and Graham streets, which was completed and stocked in 1871, since which time he has done a successful drug and fancy goods business. June, 1883, the Doctor sold his tock of drugs, etc., to Dr. R.C. McCain. Dr. S. reserving his proprietory medicines –Smith’s Cough Syrup, Smith’s Asthma Cure, and Smith’s Little Cathartic Pellets. These medicines were copyrighted in 1879 and 1880. They have an extensive sale, and are the Doctor’s own prescriptions. Three children have been born to Mr. S. –Elmer W., Lindley A. and Emma D. The youngest died in her third year. The Doctor is a member of Newton Lodge, No. 861, F. & A.M. Both parents are members of the M.E. Church.

Source: Counties of Warren, Benton, Jasper and Newton, Indiana by F.A. Battey & Co., 1883. Page 743-744.