Butte County
Biographies
ARTHUR H. SMITH
ARTHUR H. SMITH.--A financier who from his early entrance into banking has made a thorough study of that wide and complicated field, and to whom is due so much of the splendid success of the First National Bank of Chico, is Arthur H. Smith, that enterprising institution’s president. He was born at Osawatomie, Miami County, Kans., the son of Reuben Smith, a native of Manchester, England, who migrated to Iowa and later removed to Kansas. Reuben Smith was in the Civil War as a member of the Second Missouri Cavalry Regiment, and having reenlisted served in still another regiment. He was a farmer who entered politics as an active Republican, and was sent to both the Assembly and the State Senate. After that, he engaged in banking at Osawatomie, and in that town, so historic for its association with John Brown, he died. Reuben’s wife had been Maria C. Kyle, a native of Indiana, and she became the mother of six children, the oldest and the only one who came to California being the subject of our sketch.
Arthur H. Smith was born June 7, 1876, was educated at the local public schools of his neighborhood, and followed farming until he was fifteen. At that age he entered the Farmers’ and Mechanics’ Bank, at Osawatomie, and there continued for ten years, finally serving as assistant cashier.
In 1902, Mr. Smith came farther west, to Reno, Nev., where he accepted the position of assistant cashier in the Farmers’ and Merchants’ National Bank. In the spring of 1905, however, he left Nevada and moved to Humboldt County, Cal., where he organized the Bank of Fortuna, and filled the position of cashier. At the end of a year he sold out to Mr. Newell; and in March, 1907, he came to Chico. Soon after his arrival here he organized the First National Bank of Chico, the doors of which were opened on August 1 of that year, when the concern started with a capital of $50,000. There again Mr. Smith was cashier, while B. S. Kenis was the first president, being succeeded by W. J. Miller who remained president until his death. Then, on January 9, 1915, Mr. Smith assumed the duties of that very responsible position. The bank now has over $1,500,000 in deposits. In 1914, Mr. Smith was one of the organizers of the People’s Savings Bank, and a director in that institution. He is a director in the Bank of Durham, also a director of the Business Men’s Association, is a Republican in politics, and an influential leader in civic affairs.
Arthur H. Smith was united in marriage with Miss Daisy Baker, a native of Chico, a daughter of the pioneer B. B. Baker, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this work. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are the parents of one child, Bertice. By a former marriage Mr. Smith had two children, Kyle and Elizabeth.
Mr.
Smith was made a Mason in Osage Valley Lodge, No. 24, A. F. & A. M.,
Kansas, and is also a member of the Chico Lodge of B. P. O. Elks. He was
selected as chairman of both the second and third Liberty Loan Committees and
in both campaigns Butte County exceeded her quota.
Transcribed by Vicky
Walker, 1/23/08.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, 656-659, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Vicky
Walker.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies