Lewis Smith
The board of county commissioners in Greene county has been composed of a number of the leading citizens, men who have been unselfishly devoted to the welfare and progress of the community and who enjoyed the esteem and confidence of the best citizens of this portion of the state. Among the number who have capably served on the board was Lewis Smith. He came of an old Virginia family, his paternal grandparents being Jacob and Nancy Smith, both of whom were natives of the Old Dominion, but at an early date they emigrated westward and in Greene county established their home, casting in their lot among the pioneer settlers. It was upon the old home farm here that James Smith, the father of our subject, was born August 4, 1810. He was reared in the usual manner of lads of that period. The country was wild, the forest uncut, the streams unbridged and very little of the land was cleared. He assisted his father in the development and cultivation of the home farm until he decided to make some other pursuit his life work and learned the blacksmith's trade, which he followed for many years. He married Elizabeth Cane, who was born January 8, 1816, a daughter of Robert and Sarah Cane. Mr. Smith died on the 28th of' February, 1876, and his wife, surviving him for many years, passed away on the 20th of April. 1895.
Lewis Smith, whose name introduces this review, was born in New Burlington, Greene county, Ohio, May 5, 1837, and spent the days of his boyhood and youth there, obtaining his education in the public schools. Like his father he learned the blacksmith's trade and continued to work in the smithy until 1897, receiving a good patronage on account of his excellent workmanship and his honorable business methods. In the year mentioned he was elected county commissioner and served continuously in that office up to the time of his death, which occurred May 7, 1902. He was a member of the board that contracted for and built the new courthouse in Xenia at a cost of more than two hundred thousand dollars. He was complimented and commended for the active interest which he took in the welfare of the citizens of Greene county and his worth was widely recognized.
On Christmas day of 1860 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Smith and Miss Rachael Elizabeth Craft, a daughter of Allen Craft, who was a farmer but is now deceased. Unto our subject and his wife were born ten children, of whom nine are yet living, namely: Rena Bell, Minnie E., Hattie M., Wesley Allen, William Francis, Wayne Craft, Walter Le Roy, Harley Hays and Leslie Leonard. Socially Mr. Smith was connected with the Masonic fraternity and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the family is identified with the Methodist
Episcopal church of New Burlington. In his political views Mr. Smith was a stanch Republican, never swerving in his allegiance to the party whose principles he believed contain the best elentents of good government. His life was quietly passed in the faithful performance of each day's duties, and while there were no exciting chapters in his history it yet contains many lessons that are worthy of emulation.
From History of Greene County, Ohio, by George F. Robinson (S. J. Clarke Publishing Co, 1902)