Kings County Biographies


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



HENRY C. SMITH
 
The hardy Norwegian, wherever the fortunes of life may cast him, be he safely 
landed or shipwrecked, is quite likely to make the best of the situation in 
which he is placed and more certain than men of some other nationalities which 
might be mentioned to win all the success that is enwrapped in the possibilities 
of the unknown future. Kings county has had some pioneers and numerous citizens 
of this nationality. One of the best known of them is Henry C. Smith of 
Guernsey, son of John H. Smith, who was born in Norway in November, 1813, 
eventually coming to Tulare county, and died there May, 1907.
Henry C. Smith was born at Sonora, Tuolumne county, Cal., February 12, 1866, and 
lived with his father wherever the latter's agricultural enterprises caused him 
to establish a home until the old Norwegian farmer passed away. As a boy he 
attended Lakeside district school until he was seventeen years old. Afterwards, 
in accordance with the custom which has obtained quite generally with farmers' 
sons, he gave his services to his father until he was twenty-one years old. 
After that, as has been stated, the two were associated in business during the 
remainder of the life of the elder Smith. Since his father passed away the son 
has given his attention to general farming and stock-raising, making a specialty 
of the breeding of hogs. He owns eight hundred acres of good land and a one-half 
interest in an additional two hundred and eighty acres. As a farmer he has been 
very successful and takes rank with the best agriculturists in his part of the 
county.
In 1909 Mr. Smith built the Kings County Cheese factory, of which he is the sole 
owner, and its location is on the southeast corner of the northwest quarter of 
section twenty-five, township twenty, range twenty-one. On his land are a 
hundred and seventy-five cows whose milk is utilized in the factory. His 
cheese-maker is an expert in his line and they manufacture three brands of 
cheese, viz.: Young American, Flat and Monterey, all being full-cream and 
commanding the highest market prices because of their delicious taste and 
excellent quality. Constantly looking for improvements, Mr. Smith, in 1911 and 
1912, put down two artesian wells so that his lands are now among the best 
irrigated tracts in the county. The wells have a depth of twenty-three hundred 
and eighty and two thousand feet respectively, and flow copiously, and in 
connection with the Lakeside ditch furnish an abundance of water for irrigation 
purposes.
In 1899 Henry C. Smith married Miss Marie Heinrich, a native of Kansas, who has 
borne him six children : Albert, Ethel, Clara, Vernon, Marie and Queenie. Mr. 
Smith takes a deep and abiding interest in everything that pertains to the 
advancement of his county and state and is ready at all times with liberal 
encouragement of measures directed to the benefit of the people at large.
 
History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches - 
Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913
pp.  862-863
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler