Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis
Pub. Co. 1893.  p. 916.
 
WILLIAM SMITH

     An honored pioneer of 1847, was born in Redding, England, in 1826, and in
1830 emigrated with his parents to America, and settled in Rochester, New York,
remaining until 1831, when they removed to Cuyahoga county, Ohio, and later to
La Porte, Indiana, Mr. Smith being engaged in the manufacture of shoes.
     William was educated in the States of Ohio and Indiana, and crossed the
plains in 1847.  Fitting up an ox team in partnership with Aaron Purley, their
journey was safely and successfully accomplished to the Dalles, where they left
their wagons and oxen and subsequently lost them, as the Indian war broke out
just then.  Proceeding down the Columbia river they arrived at the mouth of the
Willamette, October 23, 1847.  William then proceeded to La Fayette, and hired
out as a farm hand.  In the fall of 1848, after the discovery of gold in
California, he at once set out for the mines, which he worked through the winter
with fair success, but he returned to Oregon in June, 1849, and located a
donation claim in Lane county near the present site of Eugene City.  There were
but three houses in the county, and those were occupied by Eugene Skinner,
Elijah Bristow and William Dodson.  Mr. Smith began farming, and he and Hilyard
Shaw developed water by canal from the Willamette river, and built a sawmill
near the present site of the flour-mill, and thus began the manufacturing
interests of Eugene.  They conducted this about one year and sold out, but the
influence of that mill was a leading factor in the development of the town.  Mr.
Smith returned to farming and worked in the dairy business with the growth of
the town.  He continued this about twenty years.  He remained on his farm about
thirty-four years, and then removed to town to rest from his years of labor.  He
has since sold his farm to a real-estate syndicate, who have located the
bustling little settlement of Fairmount on it, with in easy access to the State
University, and the larger city of Eugene.  In 1891 Mr. Smith built his present
comfortable residence on Eleventh street near A. street.
     Mr. Smith was married in 1851 to Miss N. A. Luckey, daughter of William
Luckey, a pioneer of 1850.  They have had four children:  Hulda, now Mrs. E. J.
McClanaham; George, Colonel Fremont, and William H.
     Mr. Smith has followed an agricultural life, enjoying the respect of his
fellow-citizens and the esteem of all who know him.

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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.