California Genealogy and History Archives
Biographies
of
Sacramento County
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HUGH
J. SMILEY On
the other side of the world, in Australia, in the city of Melbourne,
Hugh J. Smiley, long of Sacramento, was born November 25, 1858, a son of
Rankin and Catherine Smiley. His parents went from England to Australia
in 1857. His father attained eminence there in politics and long held
the office of Immigration-General, and now lives in London; his mother
has been dead many years. The son was educated in public and private
schools in Australia and in 1882 came to the United States and located
in San Diego, where he was for a year in the real estate business with
his uncle. From San Diego he went to San Francisco and identified
himself with the interests of another uncle who was in the stock
business. In 1884 he came to Sacramento and entered the plumbing shop of
the Southern Pacific Railroad, where he learned the plumber's trade. He
was then placed in charge of the air-brake department of the coast
division with headquarters in San Francisco. After having been in the
employ of that corporation for twelve years, he devoted two years to the
installation of the water system in the Tesler coal mines near
Livermore, Cal. Then he engaged in the plumbing business in Sacramento,
being a fine property on the lower Stockton road at its intersection
with Cypress avenue, where he erected a home and a shop. He now owns
four houses in this neighborhood, some property near Stockton and sixty
acres of land in Mexico. In 1892 Mr. Smiley married Miss Ada L. Fassett of Sacramento county, daughter of the Hon. Louis H. Fassett, of Sacramento county, who filled the office of supervisor two terms and represented his district one term in the California Assembly They have one son. Earl B., born September 19, 1891, a graduate of the Sacramento high school, who is associated with his father in business. Mr. Smiley affiliates with the Eagles, the Odd Fellows, the Grange and the Fraternal Union of America, and Mrs. Smiley and their son are members of the Baptist Church. |
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Source: Transcribed by Peggy Hooper 2011 |