An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, pages 467-468 DR. HENRY A. SMITH, has long been identified with the interests of Seattle and vicinity, and is eminently deserving of the high respect and esteem in which he is held by all who know him. He was one of that small band of State builders who in the early ë50s came to the Sound country and laid the foundation of Seattle, that now prosperous center. It is therefore fitting that honorable mention be made of him in this work. Dr. Smith's father, Rev. Nicholas Smith, of German descent and a native of Pennsylvania, married Miss Abigail Teaff, a Virginia lady and a descendant of English ancestors. About 1810 they moved to Wooster, Ohio, where Mr. Smith conducted a small farm, and preached the divine truth according to the Baptist faith. At Wooster, Ohio, April 11, 1830, Henry A. Smith was born. He attended school near Wooster until he was fifteen years of age, when his mother, then of Wicton, moved to Stenbenville, Ohio. At the age of nineteen he entered the Allegheny College at Meadville, Pennsylvania, not graduating, however, because of an attack of ague. At the age of twenty he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Rugg, of Meadville, attending lectures in Cincinnati at the Physio-Medical Institute. April 26, 1852, Dr. Smith started across the plains to Oregon, hiring passage for his mother, sister and self in the train of Dr. Millard, paying $200 each for food and transportation. The train numbered about forty wagons and 150 people, Dr. Millard being the first to suggest and form the company. The journey was successfully accomplished without loss of life, though suffering somewhat from cholera and shortness of provisions, and after six months of travel they landed in Portland. Dr. Smith at once rented an office to engage in practice; but, learning of the possibilities of the Puget Sound country and the probability of a railroad being constructed to that point, he left his mother and sister in Portland and started on a prospecting tour of the Sound country. Arriving at Olympia, he procured a small boat and cruised about the sound to Seattle, where General Stevens in his survey thought the railroad would terminate. As the land near Seattle was all taken, Dr. Smith located his claim in a natural depression north of town, as he felt that that offered fine terminal facilities. There he took his donation claim and subsequently purchased land to the amount of 800 acres, upon the borders of what is now known as Smith Cove. He then built a log house, and in the spring of 1853 was joined by his mother and sister. Commencing to practice and soon experiencing the difficulties of travel, in the spring of 1854 he erected a frame building as an infirmary for his patients, who were brought to him, and he cared for them until their recovery. In this way he gained a wide reputation. In 1854 he set out fifteen acres of grafted fruit, the first grafted orchard in King county. The trees were purchased from the Lewellyn nursery, near Oregon City, the pioneer nursery of the coast. The fruit was of various kinds and the venture proved a financial success. During the Indian war of 1855-ë56, the Doctor moved his family to Seattle for protection, and he enlisted for three months in Company D, Washington Territory Volunteers, and was commissioned Surgeon by Governor Stevens. He subsequently enlisted for six months in Company A, but the only engagement in which he took part was the battle of Seattle, the time being spent on skirmish and guard duty. After peace was restored he returned to his farm to and his buildings all destroyed by the Indians. He at once began the work of rebuilding, and there continued to practice his profession. In 1864 Dr. Smith conceived the idea that tide lands might be reclaimed, as this had already been accomplished in Holland. He secured 600 acres of land on what is now known as Smith island, at the mouth of the Snohomish river, and by a system of dikes reclaimed about 75 acres. After proving the proposition a success, he published several articles in the Olympia papers to disseminate his knowledge among the people, and thereafter the tide lands were rapidly taken up. He passed about six years on the island, continuing the practice of medicine all this time. He was then induced to act as resident physician upon the Tulalip Indian Reservation, with the privilege of an outside practice, which he continued until 1878, when he moved to Seattle to educate his children. Since then he has lived in town or on his farm at Smith Cove, as circumstances seemed to direct. Dr. Smith was the first Superintendent of Schools of King county, serving for several years. In 1856-í57 he was a member of the Territorial Legislature: also in 1859-í60. While living on Smith island be represented Snohomish county in the Legislature three times, twice in the Council, the last term of which he was president of that body. After waiting all these years for a railroad, the Doctor did sell 700 acres in 1886 to the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railroad Company, for terminal purposes, receiving in payment therefor $75,000. This money he invested in Seattle property, feeling the utmost confidence in the future greatness of the city. He built the London Hotel, foot of Pike Street, and extended a wharf to deep water in 1890, and in 1891 built the Smith Block, corner of James and Second streets. Previous to the Civil war Dr. Smith was a Democrat, but since that time has cast his vote and influence with the Republicans. During his public career he has never sought a nomination, never asked a vote, and never been defeated in office. Personally, he is a man of modest and retiring disposition, and prefers the scholarly routine of life to that of a public career. He was married in 1862, to Miss Mary Phelan, a native of Wisconsin, who died in 1880, leaving eight children, namely: Lulu, Luma, Maud, Lorine, Ralph Waldo, May, Ione and Lilian. Lulu is the wife of J.H. Pennefeather. Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in October 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer * * * * 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.