Alameda County Biographies

Henry C. Smith

Transcribed by Peggy Allen, April 23 2006

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 

	Henry C. Smith, a son of the late Maj. Timothy S. Smith, was born at Fort Defiance, 
Ohio, October 25th, 1824.  Removed with his father to South Bend, Ind., in 1826, and the 
following year to St. Joseph, Michigan.  In July, 1845, he emigrated to California.  He left 
Fort Independence, Missouri, August 12th 1845, and, after passing through many perils and 
hardships, arrived at Sutter�s Fort, California, on Christmas-day of that year.  In 1846 he 
entered upon military service under the celebrated Bear Flag, and served under General Fremont 
in his battalion, and remained in the service of the United States until peace was declared 
between Mexico and the United States.  He was one of the first Alcaldes appointed by Gen. Riley, 
Military Governor of California.  He was elected to the Legislature in 1852, from Santa Clara 
County, and acquitted himself with much credit, and organized Alameda County out of Contra 
Costa And Santa Clara.  He was elected a Supervisor from Washington Township, in March, 1855, 
under the provisions of an Act of the Legislature of California, entitled: �An Act to create a 
Board of Supervisors for the County of Alameda,� approved March 8th, 1855.  The first meeting 
of the Board of Supervisors of this county, under that Act, was April 2d, 1855.  September 3d, 
1855, he was reelected to the Board, and on its organization, September 12th, 1855, was elected 
chairman, which position he held while he continued a member, to December 1st, 1856, when he was 
succeeded by Joseph r. Mason.  In 1859 he was the candidate of the Democratic party for County 
Clerk. Bit was unsuccessful�his opponent, Joseph R. Mason, being elected by a majority of 13 
votes.  In 1861 he removed to the State of Nevada with his family, and remained there till the 
summer of 1864, when he returned to this county.  While in Nevada, he ran for the Assembly, but 
was defeated.  In 1867 he removed to Livermore Valley, where he settled on a quarter section of 
government land, and continued to reside there till within  a few weeks of his death.  He was 
elected a Justice of the Peace for Murray Township in October, 1871, and assumed the duties of 
his office on the 1st day of January following.  He resigned his office in December, 1872.  He 
died in Livermore, November 24th, 1875, aged 51 years and 1 month, leaving a wife and grown-up 
family.  Mr. Smith was a very genial and warm-hearted man, who never tired of serving his friends 
and making himself useful in the community.  His career was a very eventful one.  He commenced 
to write his memoirs some time before his death, but made little progress with them. 

Centennial Yearbook of Alameda County, California - Oakland, Calif., 1876 Pages 559-561

HENRY T. SMITH

Was born in Granville, Putnam County, Illinois, February 27, 1844, and there 
resided and attended the common schools until 1862, when, at the call of his 
country, he enlisted in Company H, Twentieth Illinois Infantry, for three years, 
being assigned to General Sherman�s division. He took part in all the 
engagements in which his regiment participated, through the memorable campaign 
of Sherman�s march to the sea.  At the expiration of his term of service he was 
discharged, July 24, 1865.  He then returned to his native State, and followed 
the carpenter�s trade for two years.  After a residence of eight years in La 
Salle County, he moved to Oregon, and in November, 1872, came to California, and 
located in Oakland, and followed his trade until August, 1877, when he was 
appointed on the city police force of Oakland, a position he held until January 
10, 1880, when he resigned and moved to Arizona, where he sojourned some eight 
months, and again cast his lot in Oakland, where he still resides, and is 
engaged in the insurance business, taking charge of the Oakland Home Fire 
Insurance Company of Oakland on February 4, 1882.  Mr. Smith was united in 
marriage, November 14, 1867, to Mary J. Dagen, a native of Ohio, by which union 
they have three daughters:  Susie M., Rubie, and Jessie B.
 
History of Alameda County, California�, Oakland, M.W. Wood Publ., 1883, p. 976 
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler