Gaston, Joseph.  "Portland, Oregon, Its History and Builders."  Vol. 3.  Chicago
- Portland: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911. p. 586.
 
JOSEPH SHOWALTER SMITH

     The impulse of the youth is to do. He finds the best expression of himself
in activity, and many a boy, feeling hampered by the narrow environment of his
home locality, where opportunity is limited, and, stirred by the stories of what
is being accomplished elsewhere in the world, leaves home to become a factor in
that broader life which he seeks elsewhere. Such was the history of Joseph
Showalter Smith, and the northwest gained thereby a factor in its upbuilding and
progress. Arriving in Oregon in pioneer times, he became an influence in many
ways where the development of the state has been conserved.  He met success, yet
above the material gain he regarded character-building, and his life became the
expression of high and honorable principles.
     He was born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, in September, 1824, and was of
English and Welsh lineage, a descendant of Sir Francis Drake. He pursued his
education in the schools of his native town and when ten years old ran away from
home, for he wished to know something more of the world. Thus the spirit of
adventure and of ambition took him from the limited environment in which his
youth was passed and he went south. There his health failed, however, and he
started for Oregon, arriving in this state in the spring of 1844 when nineteen
years old. He came across the plains and was about a year upon the way, during
which period he contracted mountain fever that retarded his progress. This
proved more fortunate, however, than he deemed at the time, for owing to his
delay he just escaped the Whitman massacre as he left Whitman's the day
previous. The northwest was to be his field of activity for many years. He
located first in Oregon, where he arrived with little capital save an order for
thirteen dollars for anything in the store at Oregon City. This order had been
received from the captain of the company in crossing the plains.
     His first work here was at splitting rails but later he taught school in
Salem, his liberal educational training in the east well qualifying him for this
purpose.  A few years later he began the study of law and was admitted to the
bar, becoming in time one of the most prominent, able and brilliant attorneys of
the state. He was master of English, having a splendid command of the language,
his diction was always choice and his words were, moreover, clear, concise and
to the point. It is said that he was the most forcible speaker of his day in
Portland. In his future life he frequently said that his proudest moment was
when he won his first case before the supreme court. When he entered upon his
practice it was not customary to specialize in certain fields as it is today,
for every lawyer engaged in general practice and must have intimate knowledge of
the various branches of law. This Mr. Smith did and he prepared his cases with
such thoroughness and care that in presenting his cause he lost sight of no
detail that could possibly bear upon the verdict.
     In 1849 Mr. Smith was married to Miss Julia Ann Carter. The marriage was
celebrated in Portland at the home of her father, Thomas Carter, who in 1849 had
come from Athens, Ohio, to Oregon, making the long journey over the plains. He
was at one time owner of most of Portland Heights. His daughter Julia was a
native of Ohio and in her maidenhood came to the northwest, being for many years
one of the honored pioneer women of Portland.
     Soon after his marriage Mr. Smith went to Olympia, where he held a
government position, remaining there for about five years. While there he had
his second narrow escape from being killed by the Indians on the night of their
attack upon the settlement and the murder of Colonel Ebey, whom Mr. Smith had
left but one hour previously. It is a historical fact that while much of the
furniture in Mr. Smith's house was broken and made useless, the only articles
carried away by the Indians were a mirror from the dresser and a wax doll, which
was the only one in the settlement and which had been often admired by the
Indians, it being owned by our subject's little daughter, now Mrs. Anna
Thompson. He next went to Salem, Oregon, where he practiced law for twelve
years, and while residing in that city he was, in 1868, elected to congress on
the democratic ticket, serving for one term. He defeated David Logan, a warm
personal friend. They did not allow politics, however, to interefere with their
warm regard for each other, their friendship continuing as a potent force in
their lives after the campaign as well as before it. Mr. Smith was the first
democrat elected from his district and it created great excitement for it was
just after the close of the Civil war. It was after his return from Salem to
Portland that he retired to private life, for in the meantime he had accumulated
a goodly fortune. His name is written large on the pages of the early judicial
history of Oregon. He was at one time a partner of Judge W. W. Page, and of La
Fayette T. Grover, the latter being his brother-in-law. In 1870 he again took up
his abode in Portland and thereafter lived retired until his demise, which
occurred in 1884, his remains being interred in Riverview cemetery.
     His widow survived him only a few months, passing away in the following
February at the age of fifty-seven years. They were the parents of three
children: Mrs. Anna B. Thompson; Walter V., of Portland; and Preston C., now
deceased. Mrs. Thompson has three children, Ethel L.; Fay, the wife of Robert
Catlin, by whom she has one daughter, Marian; and Clara, the wife of David
Taylor, of Salt Lake City, by whom she has two daughters, Virginia and Caroline
Rose.
     Mr. Smith was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at one time
but severed his connection with the society. Not only did he gain distinction in
the field of his chosen profession but also as an active factor in public life.
He was sent as commissioner from Oregon to the Paris Exposition a short time
before he was elected to congress, and his liberal education innate courtesy,
refinement and marked ability we qualified him to act as representative of this
commonwealth. In religious faith he was a Methodist, yet never narrowly
sectarian. His catholicity of spirit led him to recognize the good in all, yet
he held firmly to the principles and doctrines in which he believed. He took a
very active part in the church work, doing all in his power to promote the
growth and extend the influence of his denomination, recognizing how
effective it has been as a power in the uplifting of mankind. He was greatly
interested in the Willamette University at Salem, was made one of its trustees
and his donations to the institution were most generous. He gave to the
university a fine library and his daughter, Mrs. Thompson, made to it a gift of
an excellent piano. Mr. Smith was ever a broad reader and deep thinker, and his
views on life were based upon wide study, keen observation and ready sympathy.
He typified in his life the progressive spirit of the northwest and his fellow
townsmen looked upon him as one worthy of all honor and respect.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in February 2007 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.