San Francisco County
Biographies
FRANCIS SMITH
FRANCIS SMITH. Among the important manufactories of the
west is the one owned and conducted by Francis Smith, who is not only a pioneer
of the state, but is as well the pioneer in his line of work, which is the
manufacture of hydraulic and mining pipe, water and oil tanks, well pipe, etc.
His factory, which is located in San Francisco, is the largest of its kind in
the world, and is finely equipped in a modern and up-to-date manner, its
products being shipped to all parts of the United States, as well as all
countries of South America, South Africa and Australia, and he has also shipped
considerably to Alaska. A native of Ohio, Mr. Smith was born in
Middleport, Meigs county,
November 29, 1831, a son of John Smith.
John Smith was a pioneer of Ohio, removing from his
native state of New Hampshire. He was the son of a patriotic New Englander who
served in the Revolutionary war, and was one of the first settlers in the days
when the foundation of the state was laid, taking his turn in the blockhouse at
Marietta during the Indian troubles. He was a farmer by occupation and died in Meigs county in 1883, at the ripe
age of eighty-three years. He was a member of the Christian Church, and politically
adhered to the principles of the Whig party. His wife, formerly
Elizabeth Monroe, was a descendant of President Monroe, and died in
1850, leaving a family of nine children, four daughters and five sons, of whom
four sons and two daughters are now living. In order of birth they were as
follows: Mrs. A. P. D. Watkins, who died in 1850;
Mrs. Phoebe Downey, who also died in 1850;
Mrs. Jane Downing, residing in Middleport at the age of eighty-five
years; Mrs. Mary Watkins, who lives in New York City at the age of
eighty-two years; James Mack, who resides in Proctorville, Ohio, at the
age of seventy-nine years; John Milton, who came to California and died in
Grass valley in 1903; Francis, the subject of this review; Hollis B., who
came to California in 1852 and now resides at Sheridan, Cal., and
Henry W., a resident of Indiana.
Francis Smith was reared on the paternal farm along the
banks of the Ohio river, receiving his education in
the primitive schools of that time. Following the example of the pioneer lads,
he left school and at the age of fifteen years became apprenticed to learn the
tinsmith’s trade at Pomeroy, Ohio. He remained three years, and at the close of
his apprenticeship engaged at his trade until 1852. In that year, on his
birthday, he left for California in company with nineteen other young men, who
in the whirlpool of western life have dropped out of the knowledge of
Mr. Smith. They journeyed first to New York City, crossing the Allegheny mountains in cars pulled up by stationary engines and cable.
They took passage for Aspinwall on the steamer
Georgia, numbered among three thousand passengers, and so crowded was the ship
that two were compelled to occupy each bunk. Off Cape Hatteras a comrade
announced to Mr. Smith that the man with him was dead, and as
Mr. Smith was then suffering the horrors of mal de mer
he remarked that he would that he were also. The
horrors of this voyage lasted for ten days, when they reached Chagres. From
there they were taken to Gorgona in boats drawn by
naked negroes, whence they were compelled to walk to
Panama, as no animals could be obtained. The second day out Mr. Smith
became exhausted, as he was of a delicate constitution, and but for the
friendship of a young giant, L. E. Stevens by name (who died five
years ago), he might have suffered considerable trouble and annoyance. This
friend forced a native to give up his mule and allow Mr. Smith to ride. On
their arrival in Panama they were obliged to wait ten days for their steamer,
the Panama, to convey them to San Francisco, where they arrived after another
voyage of horror occasioned by the Panama fever breaking out on board on the 11th
of February, 1853. Mr. Smith then took passage on the steamer
Wilson G. Hunt to Sacramento, his fare being $5 for passage on the fore
deck. On arriving in that city he went to Hangtown
(now Placerville), a distance of three miles, where he had friends living in a
cabin. The next morning one of their number was ill
and after an examination by a physician the disease was pronounced small-pox.
Mr. Smith, however, felt no alarm and remained in Placerville, where he
worked at his trade six months. In 1854 he went to Marysville and continued his
trade for a short time, later locating in Camptonville,
Yuba county, where he built a tinshop
which he conducted for fifteen months. Like many other pioneers, he slept,
cooked and ate in his cabin and endured many hardships, but at the conclusion
of his work there he found that he had earned over $l00 per month. Locating in
San Juan in 1855, he conducted a tinshop and hardware
store for a time, and, seeing the need of something to take the place of the
miner’s canvas hose, he began the manufacture of sheet iron pipe, out of which
small beginning has grown his present extensive and lucrative business. He
removed to San Francisco in 1869, and two years later began the manufacture of
his iron pipe in that city, commencing on a small scale and doing all the work
himself. The undertaking was an entirely new and original one and met with a
ready success. He was first located at No. 130 Beal street, where he remained until 1899, a period of
twenty-eight years, when he removed to No. 83 Fremont street, where
he has since been located. He built a foundry at the corner of Eighth and
Townsend streets, the dimensions of which were 200 x 275 feet, the
largest and most modern establishment of its kind in the world. Of rare
business ability and practical and modern methods, Mr. Smith has conducted
his affairs on a paying basis and has gradually risen to the position which he
now occupies among the manufacturers of the west. His industry ranks among the
most important on the Pacific slope. September 12, 1859, while in San
Francisco, Mr. Smith went to witness the famous duel between
Judge Terry and David C. Broderick, a United States senator from
California, but arrived a few minutes too late.
July 3, 1860, Mr. Smith was united in marriage with
Rebecca Crites, whose biography is found on another page of this work. Born of
this union were the following children: George Frank, a resident of San
Jose; Edwin Victor, manufacturing agent of San Francisco;
Elizabeth Montague, of Melbourne. Australia; and Dana,
who died in October, 1883, at the age of two and a half years.
Mr. Smith was made a Mason in San Juan, Cal., and is now a member of
California Lodge No. 1, F. & A. M., of San Francisco.
He was made a Royal Arch Mason in San Juan, and is now a member of California
Chapter, No. 5, R. A. M., also of San Francisco. He was
made a Knight Templar in Nevada City about 1858, at the same time as were
Judge Hawley, A. A. Sargent, Judge Niles, Judge Searles, General Barnett. He
now belongs to Golden Gate Lodge No. 16, K. T., and California
Consistory No. 1, N. M. S. In his political affiliations he
is a true-blue Republican, but on account of his many engrossing interests has
never felt disposed to accept office. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce
and Board of Trade of San Francisco. Mr. Smith came to San Jose in 1871,
and now owns a fine orchard and beautiful home known as the Dana farm, on Bascom avenue, between this city
and Santa Clara.
In personal characteristics no man stands higher among
the citizens of this section of the state than Mr. Smith. Not alone
endowed with business ability, he has that better quality – a stanch integrity which faces all temptations, all trials,
and still comes off victor. He has carefully followed the course which has
marked his career from its very beginning, and can truthfully say to-day that
knowingly he has never wronged a fellow man. He is just, generous and liberal,
and seeks constantly to give his best efforts and support to every movement
calculated to increase the general welfare of the community. The esteem in
which he is so universally held has been won by right living, and he is surrounded
by many friends who best appreciate him for his qualities of manhood.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard 20 April 2016.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1087-1089. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Marie Hassard.
San
Francisco County Biographies