An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, page 315
	
	
	W. PARRY SMITH, of Seattle, Washington, was born in London, England, in
July, 1836, the only child of Captain W. Parry and Elizabeth (Raymond) Smith,
natives also of that country. The father followed the sea for a number of years,
and his life was early sacrificed in the line of duty, as he died of yellow
fever while in port on the coast of Africa.
	When but fourteen years of age the subject of this sketch adopted the
occupation of his father, and sailed as cabin boy on an English vessel engaged
in trade with China and the East Indies. Being of studious habits young Smith
ascended the line of promotion with great rapidity, and before reaching his
twentieth year became mate. His early service was on English vessels, but a
little later he sailed under the American flag, which was the flag of his
subsequently adopted country. He first visited the Pacific Coast at San
Francisco, in 1851, but did not make the coast his home until ten years later.
Mr. Smith has sailed twice around the world, and has visited nearly every
important port. His first naturalization papers were taken out in 1855, while
living in Baltimore, Maryland, where he was engaged in steamboating about the
gulf and river, and also in stevedoring on the water front. In 1868 he returned
to San Francisco, was employed in the lumber trade along the coast and Puget
Sound, and also in pilot boat service near the Golden Gate. In 1864 he came to
Puget Sound, was employed by the Port Madison Mill Company in the saw-mill at
Usaladdy until 1870, engaged in milling in Seattle one year, followed farming on
the Dwamish river for a short time, and in 1873 purchased three and one-fourth
acres of land
	near Seattle, on Lake Union, his present home, and for which he paid $50 per
acre. He succeeded in paying for this place by grubbing stumps at $1.50 per day
and boarding himself. During those days there was but little money in the
country, and constant work was required to purchase the necessaries of life. In
1878 Mr. Smith took the contract to carry the mail from Seattle to Snoqualmie,
on horseback, a distance of forty-three miles, in which commissioner he
continued two years. In 1880 he was elected to the office of Constable by the
Republican party, served two years; was then Deputy Sheriff five years under
Hon. J.H. McGraw; Deputy United States Marshal, under Charles Hopkins; Deputy
Assessor two years under W.H. Hughes, and since that time Mr. Smith has followed
real-estate business.
	He was married in San Francisco, in May, 1867, to Miss Elizabeth F. Porter,
a native of
	Maryland. They have five children, namely: Elizabeth. M., now Mrs. C.M.
Dasher; Sarah E., wife of J. Landgraff; William T.; Elizabeth F. and Hettie May.
	
	
Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in September 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer
	
	
	
	
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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.