Sacramento County
Biographies
HUGH J. SMILEY
On the other side of the world, in Australia, in the city of Melbourne, Hugh J. Smiley, long of Sacramento, was born November 25, 1858, a son of Rankin and Catherine Smiley. His parents went from England to Australia in 1857. His father attained eminence there in
politics and long held the office of Immigration-General, and now lives in London; his mother has been dead many years. The son was
educated in public and private schools in Australia and in 1882 came to the United States and located in San Diego, where he was for a year in the real estate business with
his uncle. From San
Diego he went to San Francisco and identified himself with the interests of another uncle
who was in the stock business. In 1884 he came to Sacramento and entered the plumbing shop of the Southern Pacific
Railroad where he learned the plumbing trade. He was then placed in
charge of the air-brake department of the coast division with headquarters in San Francisco. After having been in the employ of that corporation
for twelve years, he devoted two years to the installation of the water system
in the Tesler coal mines near Livermore, Cal. Then he engaged in the plumbing business in Sacramento, buying a fine property on the lower Stockton road at its intersection with Cypress avenue, where he erected a home and a shop. He now owns
four houses in this neighborhood, some property near Stockton and sixty acres of land in Mexico.
In 1892 Mr. Smiley married Miss Ada L. Fassett of Sacramento county, daughter of the Hon. Louis H. Fassett,
of Sacramento county, who filled the office of
supervisor two terms and represented his district one term in the California
Assembly. They have one son, Earl B., born September 19, 1891, a graduate of the Sacramento high school, who is associated with his father in
business. Mr. Smiley affiliates with the Eagles, the Odd Fellows, the
Grange and the Fraternal Union of America, and Mrs. Smiley and their son are
members of the Baptist church.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento
County, California, Pages 557-558.
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1913.
© 2005 Sally Kaleta.