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In noting the career of Winchester's representative men, one cannot overlook Daniel Smith. He was born in the village of Rautenhausen, Germany, January 1, 1838, and he is the eleventh, and youngest, child in the family of Conrad and Christina Schmidt. Until he was sixteen years of age he lived in the land of his birth, was educated there, and then came to America. He landed in New York, August 28, 1851, after having been thirty-seven days in making the voyage. His eldest sister, now Mrs. Anna Casselman of Bloomington, and an older brother preceded him to this country.
Back in Germany Mr. Smith learned the shoemaker's trade and after landing in this country he went to LaSalle, Illinois, where he worked as a journeyman. In the next six years he worked at Bloomington, Illinois; Davenport, Iowa; St. Louis, Missouri; Burlington, Iowa, and Jerseyville, Illinois. In 1860 he caught the "gold fever" and joined the rush for Pike's Peak country. he did not meet with the expected success in the Colorado gold fields and returned to Jerseyville and again took up the lapstone.
In the spring of 1862 he quit shoemaking and with an acquaintance opened a cigar factory at Jerseyville. In 1863 he came to Scott county, Winchester, engaged in the manufacture of Cigars and conducted that business until January 1, 1903, when he sold out to Ed. D. Smith, his son. During the years of his residence in this city Mr. Smith has steadily risen step by step until he has no fears of the proverbial "wolf," his farm lands and city properties being amply sufficient to provide against the demands of old age.
Religiously Mr. Smith is a Lutheran. he is an Odd Fellow and for over twenty years was treasurer of Pioneer Lodge No. 70. He was married in Scott county, December 28, 1863, to Mrs. Mina Sibert, nee Diller, a native of Germany, four sons and four daughters have been born to them. They are: George C., Anna, wife of Louis Weise of Springfield; Oscar, who is in the drug business at Seattle, Washington; Edward, Nellie, wife of Edward Markillie; Mabel, Lillie, now Mrs. Carl Neat, and Arthur. Since his retirement from business Mr. smith has been a sufferer from rheumatism but has always a pleasant greeting for the people with whom he has spent so many years and among whom he accumulated his competency.