GEORGE SMITH

Sacramento County

Biographies

GEORGE SMITH

GEORGE SMITH, baggage-master at Sacramento for the Central Pacific Company, is one of the well-known old-time residents of the city. He is a native of Chautauqua County, New York, born at Barcelona (the harbor town on Lake Erie for Westfield), on the 22d of February, 1838, his parents being Joel and Thankful (Holmes) Smith. The father came to that county when a mere child with his parents, and was reared there. He was a merchant at Barcelona. The mother of our subject came of one of the old families of northwestern New York, and was born in Chautauqua County. George Smith was a mere boy in years when his mother died, and when the California gold fever broke out the father decided to try his fortunes on the Pacific coast. He sailed around Cape Horn in 1849, arriving in California in 1850. He went into business in Sacramento on the corner of Third and J streets, in partnership with William T. Hines, who had come across the plains in 1849. The partnership between them continued only a year or so, but Mr. Smith carried on the business until about 1867. He died in Sacramento January 18, 1876. George Smith, subject of this sketch, received his schooling at his native place, and then engaged as clerk in a general store. In the early part of 1854 he came to California; going to New York, he took passage on the old steamer “Georgia” on the 5th of February. There were 1,500 people aboard, and on the second day out a terrible storm arose, which continued with such violence as to make it seem highly probable that the vessel and all on board would be lost, and they were right in the wake of the “Central America,” which had gone down the preceding year. The “Georgia’s” bulwarks were smashed in and she was otherwise disabled, but safely weathered the storm, after which she put into port at Norfolk, Virginia. They sent to New York for the “Empire City,” which came and carried the passengers to Aspinwall. The railroad was then completed about two-thirds of the way to Panama, and he rode to the end of it, then went on mule-back the rest of the distance, which required a tedious day and night. Talking a steamer for San Francisco, he landed there on the 15th of March. He come to Sacramento, and went into his father’s store. He was there engaged for two years, then went up near Grizzly Flat, El Dorado County, and mined there eight or ten months, with only moderate success. He then returned to Sacramento, and again went into the store. About 1858 he was appointed on the police force. He resigned his position on the force afterward, and served four years as a clerk of the police court under Judge Foote. In 1869 he was elected Chief of Police, and served two years in that capacity. At the expiration of his term, he entered the baggage department of the Central Pacific Railroad as baggage-master at Sacramento, and has held that position ever since. Mr. Smith was married in this city in April, 1865, to Miss Mary E. Grinnell, who came to Sacramento at the age of two years, in 1852. They have three sons, viz: William E., Fred Joel, and George Herbert. Mr. Smith is a member of the Chosen Friends, and of the Foresters. He is a courteous, genial gentleman, is well known far and near, and has a host of friends in Sacramento and elsewhere throughout California.

Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.

Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. Page 731-732. Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.