Reuben O. Smith (1823)

Born 22 Feb 1823 in Bath, Steuben County, New York, USA

Ancestors

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Biography

Reuben O Smith, son of Henry Smith and Anna Spaulding, was born on 22 Feb. 1823 in Bath, Steuben County, New York.

He married Susan Balcom, daughter of Judge Lyman Balcom,

He was a merchant when he and Susan appeared on the census of 12 June 1860, the family was living with the his brother Erastus Smith's family, at Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York.^[1] He was a merchant when he and Susan appeared on the census of 14 June 1865 at Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York.^[2] He was a dry goods merchant when he and Susan appeared on the census of 24 June 1875 at Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York.^[3] He was a dry goods merchant when he and Susan appeared on the census of 19 June 1880 at Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York.^[4]

Biographical Sketch

Selected material from Reuben O. Smith, in History of Cattaraugus County, New York. L.H. Everts, 1879. Transcribed by Jeanette Sauntry, Linda Albright, Mary Bryant, Laura Greene

Born in Bath, Steuben Co., N. Y., Feb. 22, 1823, Reuben O. Smith was the fourth of seven children. His father, Henry Smith, was a native of Dutchess Co., N. Y., but attained his majority in Bradford Co., Pa.., where he married Anna Spaulding, and immediately settled in Bath.

Through the district school of that day, with a few months at the Athens (Pa..) Academy, Reuben 0., dissatisfied with the unremunerative a farm labor of that period,with the consent of his parents, obtained a situation as clerk in a store; at the village of Avoca, in his native county, and after three years' clerkship at this and one or two other situations, at progressive salaries of thirty, sixty, and ninety dollars per annum, he obtained a more satisfactory situation with Henry Brother at Bath, with whom he remained two years, and then, at the urgent solicitation of this Honored and respected merchant, who he remembers with nothing but pleasure and gratitude, and with him as a partner, he entered upon his mercantile life at Painted Post, N. Y. This copartnership continued a successful business for seven years, when it was dissolved by mutual consent .

Becoming a partner in a large lumbering firm in 1854, he went to Williamsport, Pa., where under his personal supervision was constructed one of the largest water-mills ever built in the country.

Retiring from this firm in 1856, he soon after took up his residence in Olean, where he in 1852 , he and his younger brother Erastus H., had established the firm of Smith Brothers. This firm was dissolved in 1859 by the retirement of Erastus H. on account of failing health since which, as sole proprietor or with former clerks raised to a partnership, he has continued in business at Olean.

The advent of this firm caused a revolution in the then existing methods of business in that village. It was new departure. Hitherto credit, and that long continued, had been universal. No one thought of paying for goods when they were bought. .... A new era, in business opened. Goods were offered over the counters of this young firm at prices so low as to, as to attract universal attention and it is safe to say that during the first two years eighty per cent of all cash paid in this vicinity for merchandise was paid to this firm. ...

His wife, a daughter of Judge Lyman Balcom, of Painted Post, is a lady of culture and refinement and the twenty four years of their married life ...

This sketch would be incomplete and unsatisfactory to its subject without further reference re Erastus H., his brother and former partner, to whose ability and energy he freely ascribes a large part of the success, which attended their copartnership in Olean He was gifted with and exercised a degree of wisdom and fairness not to common among business men, and the geniality and kindness of his social life in Olean is remembered with pleasure by all who knew him. Upon his retirement from the firm of Smith Brothers he moved to Towanda Pa.,. and at its organization these brothers both became large stockholders of the First National Bank of that place. Erastus H. was shortly after its organization elected president, which post he most acceptably and honorably filled until his death in 1872 . He died respected and lamented by all who knew him, and most by those who knew him best.^[5]

Census

12 June 1860

Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York.

• Rueben Smith 37 b. NY. merchant.
• Susan Smith 30 b. NY.
• Clara G Smith 5 b. NY.
• Warren S Park 18 b. PA. clerk.
• Mary Roane 20 b. Ireland. domestic.
• Erastus Smith 35 b. NY merchant.
• Alean Smith 31 b. NY.
• Annie C Smith 6 b. NY.
• Frank Smith 3 b. NY.^[1]

14 June 1865

Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York

• R O Smith 42 b. Steuben Co. Merchant.
• Susan Smith 35 wife. b. Chenango Co.
• Clara G Smith 10 dau. b. Chenango Co.
• Mary Hust 21 servant b. Germany.^[2]

24 June 1875

Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York

• Ruben O Smith 52 b. Steuben Co. dry goods merchant.
• Susan F Smith 46 wife b. Chenango Co.
• Clara G Smith 20 adopted dau. b. Cattaraugus Co.^[3]

19 June 1880

Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York.

• Ruben O. Smith 57 b. NY dry good merchant.
• Susan F. Smith 51 wife. b. NY.
• Clara G. Smith 22 dau. b. NY.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Year: 1860; Census Place: Olean, Cattaraugus, New York; Roll: M653_726; Page: 754; Image: 171; Family History Library Film: 803726. 1860 US Census. Rueben Smith.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Ancestry.com. New York, State Census, 1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. 1865 NY Census. R O Smith.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Ancestry.com. New York, State Census, 1875 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. 1875 NY Census. Ruben O Smith.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Year: 1880; Census Place: Olean, Cattaraugus, New York; Roll: 812; Family History Film: 1254812; Page: 404B; Enumeration District: 025; Image: 0459. 1880 US Census. Ruben O. Smith.
5. ↑ Reuben O. Smith, in History of Cattaraugus County, New York. L.H. Everts, 1879. Transcribed by Jeanette Sauntry, Linda Albright, Mary Bryant, Laura Greene. This material available at Painted Hills Org.