Hunt, Herbert and Floyd C. Kaylor. Washington: West of the Cascades. Vol. III. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1917. p.607-608. SMITH, CHARLES H. Charles H. Smith, undertaker and embalmer at Granite Falls, was born in Greenville, Darke county, Ohio, March 10, 1857. His father, Justice Smith, a native of Germany, came to America in 1832 on a sailing vessel that was four months in making the trip. The grandfather, John Smith, built the first house in Dayton, Ohio. Justice Smith, who was born August 12, 1829, is still living at the age of eighty-eight years, his home being at Mokane, Callaway county, Missouri, although in 1916 he paid a visit to his son in Granite Falls. During the Civil war he served for a short time as a member of the state militia. He was quite successful in his buisness affairs but for a long period has lived retired. He married Sarah Weaver, who was born at Greenville, Ohio, a daughter of Peter Weaver, a representative of an old family of Pennsylvania Dutch descent. She passed away in 1914, at the age of eighty-two years. In their family were nine children, of whom Charles H. was the fifth, and there are five yet living. These are: William J., now residing in Callaway county, Missouri; Charles H.; Mrs. C. J. Hawkins, living in Mokane, Missouri; O. W., a resident of Los Angeles, California; and Frank, whose home is in Everett, Washington. Charles H. Smith was educated in the country schools of Missouri and his youthful days were spent upon the home farm. On attaining his majority he started out to earn his own livelihood, being first employed as clerk in a grocery store and afterward in a furniture store. He arrived in Washington in 1895, at which time he took up his abode in Tacoma and for nine years he was engineer with the St. Paul Company of Tacoma. In 1904 he removed to Granite Falls, where he was engaged in the timber business until 1911. He then entered the undertaking and embalming business, in which he has since been successfully engaged, being the second in that line in Granite Falls, his predecessor being C. E. Hubbard. His life has been one of uniting activity and industry and his success is the merited reward of earnest, persistent effort. On the 5th of July, 1893, Mr. Smith was married in Tacoma, Washington, to Miss Bertha E. Martin, a native of Iowa and a daughter of Alfred Martin. She was born October 4, 1874, and passed away at Orting, Washington, December 4, 1899. They had a family of three children: Alfred J., who was born in Orting, December 16, 1894; Waldo, who was born in Orting, January 6, 1896, and passed away May 20, 1900; and Frank Charles, who was born October 6, 1898, and died in Orting, May 1, 1901. The religious faith of the family is that of the Congregational church and Mr. Smith also has membership in the Odd Fellows lodge at Granite Falls. His political allegiance is given to the republican party where national questions are involved, but he casts an independent local ballot. He stands for all those things which have to do with the progress and upbuilding of the community and his has been a well spent life, gaining for him the respect and goodwill of all with whom he has been brought in contact. Submitted by: Jenny Tenlen * * * * Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the individual featured in the biographies.