Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co. 1893. p. 1206 ISAAC W. SMITH Secretary of the City Waterworks, of Portland, was born in Spottsylvania county, Virginia, in 1826. Rev. George A. Smith, his father, was of English descent and was a noted clergyman of the Episcopal Church. He officiated for a number of years at Norfolk and Alexandria, Virginia, and died at the latter place at the advanced age of eighty-five years. He was founder and proprietor of the Southern Churchman, which is still being published at Alexandria. His wife, Ophelia (Williams) Smith, was born in Culpeper county, Virginia, where her ancestors, English people, had settled in 1720. Her grandfather, Captain Philip Slaughter, served the Continental army for eight years, during the Revolutionary war. It was on the Slaughter plantation that the battle of Slaughter was fought between Generals Pope and "Stonewall" Jackson in the late war. Mr. and Mrs. Smith had eight children, seven of whom are still living, Isaac W. being the first-born. The subject of our sketch was educated at the State Military Institute at Lexington, Virginia, where he graduated in 1848, "Stonewall" Jackson being one of the professors. After completing his education he was appointed by President Polk as Second Lieutenant of the Voltigeur Regiment for the Mexican service. At Vera Cruz Lieutenant Smith was connected with the detachment of Major Lally and engaged in a running fight while marching toward the city of Mexico. At Cordova he was taken ill and confined several months in the Castle of Perote. Then returning to the States, he was placed in the recruiting service and stationed at Baltimore. At the close of the war and disbanding of his regiment, Mr. Smith returned to his profession of civil engineer. In 1853 he joined the United States Engineer Corps, under charge of Lieutenant Williamson, and with them came to the Pacific Coast to make the Government survey of the Southern Pacific railroad. Arriving at San Francisco, they were escorted by the command of Captain Stoneman and worked on the line toward Fort Yuma, the country then being wild, unsettled and infested with Indians. Continuing this service until 1855, Mr. Smith was then sent to Olympia, Washington Territory, where he conducted the surveys of public lands, and also, superintended the building of lighthouses at Tatoosh island and Shoalwater bay, the first lighthouses built north of the Columbia river. During the Indian war of the Northwest he was aid-de-camp of Governor Stephens, of Washington Territory, and served in various official capacities for about twelve months. With the opening of the civil war, in 1861, Mr. Smith returned to Virginia and was appointed Captain of the Engineer Corps of the Confederacy, with headquarters at Richmond, and served until the close of the war. In 1866 he went to Mexico and was employed as engineer upon the Imperial Mexican railroad between Vera Cruz and the city of Mexico. In 1870, he returned to Oregon and was engaged upon the Northern Pacific railroad between the Columbia river and Tacoma, and laid off the site of the present city of Tacoma, before a house was erected there. In 1871-72 he built the steamboat locks at Oregon City. He was next employed by the Dominion Government in making a survey of the Fraser river. Then going to California, he was appointed a member of the Board of State Railroad commissioners, and served two years. He afterward served two years as chief engineer for the San Francisco Harbor Commissioners. Returning to Oregon, he was appointed Assistant chief engineer of the Northern Pacific railroad, and located the lines across the Cascades to Tacoma. In 1885-86 he superintended the construction of the waterworks at Tacoma, January 1, 1887, he came to Portland as engineer for the City Water Company, in bringing the water from Bull Run to this city. That work, however, was delayed, and in the meantime he was appointed Superintendent of the City Waterworks, which position he now fills. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2005 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.