Biography - SAMUEL OWEN SMITH

Samuel Owen Smith, president of the People’s Bank of Girard, was born in Macoupin county on the 17th of January, 1860, and is a son of Samuel A. and Elizabeth (Harlan) Smith. His father, who passed away in 1874, was a native of Tennessee as was also his grandfather, Moses Smith. The mother of our subject was born in Kentucky and was a daughter of Matthew Harlan and granddaughter of James Harlan, being a representative of one of the pioneer families of that state.

Samuel Owen Smith was only a lad of fourteen years when his father passed away, and after the completion of his education in the public and high schools of Girard, in 1879, returned to the home farm. He assumed the management of the same at the age of nineteen, and for eleven years thereafter engaged in general farming, in connection with which he also dealt in live stock.

In 1900 he left the farm and removed to Girard, where he has since continuously resided. In 1893 he became a stockholder in the People’s Bank, of which institution he was made cashier in 1895, and after holding that position for five years he was elected vice president. In 1902 he became president and is still serving in that capacity.

Alton, Illinois, was the scene of the marriage of Mr. Smith and Miss Virginia B. Christoe in the month of October, 1901. Mrs. Smith is a daughter of James and Melissa (Anderson) Christoe, the father a native of England and the mother a member of one of Macoupin county’s pioneer families. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have three sons and one daughter: Samuel Owen, Jr., Nelson Christoe, Virginia Elizabeth and Nelson A. Smith.

The family attend the Presbyterian church, in the work of which organization the parents take an earnest and helpful interest. Mr. Smith has been an elder of the church for the past six years, while for four years he was a deacon and a trustee for fifteen. His political support is given the men and measures of the republican party, and he has been chairman of the county central committee and also township chairman. He was a school director for eighteen years, while for the past six years he has been a school trustee. In matters of citizenship Mr. Smith is public spirited and progressive, always ready to take the initiative in any movement the adoption of which promises to advance the interests of the community. He is one of the leading business men of the town and is widely and favorably known throughout the county.

Extracted 14 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 296-299.