Brainard F. Smith

 

Brainard F. Smith was born in Madison, Indiana, July 4, 1849. His father, Samuel F. Smith, a native of England, came to the United States when he was eighteen years of age, in 1824, locating in Cincinnati and engaging in the wholesale boot and shoe business there, being one of the pioneer merchants of that city. He moved to Madison, Indiana, on the Ohio river, where he carried on the boot and shoe trade, and also a tannery.  In 1857 he moved to Indianapolis, and there had a large factory for the manufacture of wagon and carriage material, which was finally merged into the manufacture of the Sarven wheel, Mr. Smith having introduced it.  He employed about 1,200 men, and the establishment was at that time the largest manufactory in the West. He also had a partner, making it a depot for the wheels and for the wagon and carriage material which he manufactured. About 1871, after he had accumulated a large fortune, he sold out to his partner and traveled in Europe, enjoying the fruits he had so faithfully earned by a life of toil. He died in 1878, of paralysis.  He was married in Madison, Indiana to Belvidere Roberts, a Yankee school teacher from Vermont. She died in 1866. Of that family there are four children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the eldest. He obtained one year of his preparatory education at Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois, of which his uncle, Rev. Henry Curtis, was president. His second collegiate year was taken at Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Indiana. He entered the freshman class at Yale College in 1866, and upon the death of his mother he returned home and afterward finished his collegiate course at Indianapolis. After graduating he entered the office of his father’s factory and remained there until the ensuing autumn. Hearing a great deal of California, his curiosity was excited to spend a winter here. Carrying out his contemplated programme, he liked the climate so well that he has ever since remained here. In 1871 he came to Sacramento with E. E. Ames, who was agent for the Studebaker wagons and for his father’s patent wheels, and remained with him first as commercial traveler and afterward as business manager until 1879, when he went to San Francisco to assume the management of a large agricultural house there.  Filling that position until 1883, he returned to Sacramento and opened a house of his own, under the firm name of Brainard F. Smith & Co., the partner being George A. Davis, of San Francisco, in 1885, caused Mr. Smith to close his business. Since that time he has devoted his attention principally to the collection and settlement of his old accounts. Since August 1, 1888, he has been secretary of the Folsom State Prison, and May 2, 1889, he was elected the secretary of the Preston School of Industry, to be located in Amador County. Ever since he became a resident of this county he has taken an active interest in politics as a Republican, having identified himself with almost every political movement.