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WILLIAM U. SMITH, wagon maker at Carnegie, was born in Pennsylvania, July 13, 1841, son of W. D. and Martha
(Uffington) Smith, natives, respectively, of England and New Jersey. W. D. Smith was a music dealer in Pittsburg,
and afterwards taught music. He came to Carnegie in 1867 and died there in 1872. Martha (Uffington) Smith is still
living in Carnegie at the advanced age of eighty eight. Mr. Smith was a deacon of the Baptist church, of which
his wife is also a member. William U. Smith, the subject of this sketch, is the only one living of three children
born to Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Smith. The first born son, Thomas, died in infancy, and the youngest, Frank, was killed
in the battle of Auldey's Gap, Va., in July, 1863. He enlisted with a Pittsburg company and fought with the army
of the Potomac in the battle of Gettysburg about a week before his death. William U. Smith also fought in the Civil
war, and was wounded in the left arm when fighting at Antietam. He enlisted in 1862, in Company A, 9th Pennsylvania
reserves, army of the Potomac. His first battle was at South Mountain; then came the battle of Antietam, in which
he received the wound that disabled him for further service. He was honorably discharged from the service, after
several months spent in a hospital, in May, 1363. Mr. Smith was educated in the common schools of his native county
and, in 1858-59, was second clerk on a steamboat. In i860 he began clerking in a flour mill in Nashville, Tenn.,
and was there when the Civil war broke out. In 1862 he returned to the north to join the army and fight for his
country. After completing his service in the war, Mr. Smith went to England, where he remained two years, returning
in 1866 to begin his business as a wagon maker. For two years he worked for another firm, and then started in for
himself. Mr. Smith is a good workman, naturally skilful with tools, and his products are well known and find ready
sale. He takes an active interest in the welfare of that community, and has held several offices of trust. In politics
he is a republican. He was burgess of Carnegie two years, school director thirteen years, and has been assessor,
with the exception of two terms, continuously since 1872. He is a member of the board of trade, and has been for
the past ten years secretary of the Anchor building and iron association. On Jan. 24, 1872, Mr. Smith married Harriet
Maria Lewis, daughter of Alfred and Harriet Lewis, of England. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have five children, as follows:
Frank B., chemist at Tola, Kan., who married Miss Bessie Lawton; Joseph A. L., a printer by vocation, captain of
Company K, 14th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry; Lillian V., a graduate of the Pittsburg school of designs
and teacher of painting; Gertrude V., who married Percy Davis, and lives in the thirty sixth ward, Pittsburg, and
William U., Jr., attending the Carnegie schools. Mr. Smith is a prominent member of several secret societies, is
secretary of the L O. O. F., and keeper of the records and seal of the K. of P. He is a member of the Union Veteran
legion, of Pittsburg.
From:
Memoirs of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
personal and genealogical with portraits.
Publishers: Northwestern Historical Association
Madison, Wis. 1904.
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