WARREN WALLACE WILLIAM WALTER SMITH

Sacramento County

Biographies

WARREN WALLACE WILLIAM WALTER SMITH

WARREN WALLACE WILLIAM WALTER SMITH.--Born on the old Hart Smith ranch at Isleton, on May 3, 1877, W. W. W. W. Smith is the son of Hart F. and Maggie (McKever) Smith. The father was born in Illinois, and in 1852 came to California, settling in Sacramento County. Warren Smith was the youngest in a family of ten children born to these pioneer parents. He received his education at the Isleton grammar school, Hoitt’s private school at Burlingame, and the University of California, graduating in the class of 1902 with the degree M. E. During his college days he was a prominent football star, and was known all over the country as “Locomotive Smith.” At the University of California he was a member of the Skull and Keys, Winged Hemet, and Sigma Nu Fraternities. He was custodian of the famous “Stanford Axe” in 1901 and was elected football captain of the University eleven for the year 1901. He made his three C’s his Freshman year, playing right half in the football team, catcher on the Varsity baseball team, and second place in the hammer throw on the track. In 1901 he went to the University of Oregon as coach for the University football team. After finishing the season he returned to the University of California; but on account of his having been coach at the University of Oregon, he was barred from the intercollegiate football game, being classed as a professional football player, much to the disgust and to the great indignation of the students, who raised the college yells in protest, the slogan being, “We want Locomotive Smith! Remember Smith!” An all-round athlete, at that time Mr. Smith held the record for hammer-throwing, and was the idolized hero of his college mates.

After his college days, Mr. Smith returned home to the delta of the Sacramento River and engaged in ranching with his brother-in-law, Mr. Bryan, until the death of John W. Harris, another brother-in-law, the husband of his sister Annie. Mr. Harris had been the proprietor of a butcher shop in Isleton; and after his death Mr. Smith and his sister conducted the shop as partners until, 1914, when the business was discontinued. In 1907 Mr. Smith’s brother, John Kennedy Smith, died; and his wife having preceded him, Warren Smith inherited fifty-two acres, a portion of his brother’s holdings, known as the John Kennedy ranch, located on Grand Island about two miles south of Ryde. In July of that year, Warren W. Smith started the erection of his fine home on the ranch and in December the family moved into their new residence, where they have since made their home, the ranch being mostly devoted to fruit. On the death of Mr. Smith’s parents, the old home ranch of 595 acres was conducted as a corporation for a few years; recently it has been divided, 148 acres coming to Mr. Smith as his share, which is devoted to orchards and to the growing of asparagus. A believer in cooperative marketing of farm produce, Mr. Smith is a member of the California Pear Growers’ Association, California Asparagus Growers’ Association, and California Peach Growers’ Association.

The marriage of Mr. Smith, which occurred at the Wickstrom ranch on Grand Island, November 2, 1907, united him with Miss Lillian Catherine Wickstrom, born in San Francisco, a daughter of Charles August and Lisette (Huth) Wickstrom, the father a native of Stockholm, Sweden, and the mother a native of Germany. Her parents came to California in pioneer days and were married in San Francisco, the father later purchasing a ranch on the Sacramento River near Ryde, where he spent most of his days, rearing his family there; and there Lisette Wickstrom still resides on the old home ranch, consisting of 100 acres devoted to fruit-raising. Mrs. Smith has one brother, Godfried, of Hayward. She received her education in the schools of the Good Hope district, Mt. St. Gertrude’s Academy, Rio Vista, and the California Business College at San Francisco. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith: Marion Anna and Warren Wallace.

Mr. Smith and his wife have both been prominent in civic, social, and fraternal life in their community. He is a member of Isleton Lodge, No. 108, I. O. O. F., in which he is a past grand; and with his wife he is a member of Hogate Rebekah Lodge, No. 294, Isleton, in which Mrs. Smith is a past noble grand. He also belongs to Sacramento Lodge, No 6, B. P. O. Elks. Believing that protection is a fundamental principle in national politics, Mr. Smith is a strong Republican. He is very much alive to all projects which mean the further development of its resources and the carrying on of the good work so ably started by his pioneer parents and their contemporaries in the early days.

Transcribed by Barbara Gaffney.

Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches, Pages 480-485. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.