Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Biographical History of Cherokee County, Iowa W. S. Dunbar & Co., Chigago - 1889 [page 594] RICHARD J. SMYTH was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in March, 1848, and is the sixth of a family of eight children of JAMES and MARIA (REYNOLDS) SMYTH, natives of Virginia, of English and Irish extrac- tion, who were among the early settlers of St. Louis. RICHARD J. passed his boyhood in his native city, where he received a liberal education. At the tender age of sixteen years he entered the Union Army, enlisting in Company D, Second Missouri Cavalry. He was sent to the South, and while scouting in the mountains was taken prisoner, but was released in a short time. After a service of two years he was mustered out in 1865 at Leavenworth, Kansas, having spent the most of his time on the frontier in the suppression of Indian Raids. After leaving the army he engaged in teaming and grading on the Union Pacific Railroad. In 1869 he came to Cherokee, where he had a livery stable for two years. He sold this stock and removed to Pilot Town- ship, following agricultural pursuits the next two years. At the end of this period of time he came back to Cherokee and started a transfer and dray line, which he operated successfully for five years. In 1888 he was appointed superintendent of fencing on the Cherokee Division of the Illinois Central Railroad. Mr. SMYTH had no aspirations to an official position, but in 1869 the honor came to him unsought. He was appointed sheriff of Cherokee County, to serve the un-expired term of Mr. MILLER, who had resigned the office. He discharged his duties with a rare fidelity, but when the time for which he was appointed expired, he relinquished the position with no regrets. He had had enough! Mr. SMYTH was united in marriage, July 10, 1870, to Miss ELLEN BACKUS, a native of the State of Iowa. Three children have been born of this union: MARIA A., ELLEN M. and RICHARD J. Mr. SMYTH is a member of Speculative Lodge, No. 307, A.F. & A.M.; of Burning Bush Chapter, No. 90, R.A.M., and of Crusade Commandery, No. 39, K.T. At the present time he is city assessor, having been elected in the spring of 1888, for a term of two years. In politics he is rather conservative, voting, however, with the Republican party. ===========================================================================