Person:Martin Smith (20)

from STANDARD ATLAS OF SCOTT COUNTY, ILLINOIS, 1903 Geo. A. Ogle & Co., Publishers & Engravers 134 Van Buren St. Chicago Page 120: M. L. SMITH. Nearly everybody who has transacted business in Winchester is acquainted with M. L. Smith. He is native of Ohio and was born on a farm near Lebanon, May 23, 1836. He remained on the farm until he was twenty-one years old, attending its duties and the district school. He then left and learned station work on the Little Miami railroad, and later, on the same road, went into the train service and was engaged as a brakeman. In 1860 his parents came to Illinois; he came with them, and they settled in Sangamon county, near Springfield. In 1861 he engaged in the grain business at Curran, a small station on the Wabash railroad, nine miles from Springfield. The outbreak of the war and sickness killed the business venture at Curran and late in December, 1861, having been tendered a position by the Wabash management, he again took to railroading and was station agent at Bates, near Springfield. He held this position two years and, upon the death of his father, resigned and went back to the farm.

October 16, 1867, he was married to Mary J. Tullis of Danville, Illinois, and to them five children have been born. One is dead and the four living are: M. L., Jr., who is now in the employ of the Northern Pacific railroad at Seattle, Washington; F. E., Max T. and Jennie L. After his marriage Mr. Smith located in Springfield and engaged in the manufacturing of brick. This business he conducted during the summer and managed a packing house in the winter.

In the spring of 1870 he again went to railroading and came to Winchester as station agent for the Rockford, Rock Island and St. Louis railroad (now C.B. & Q.). He remained at Winchester until 1880, and was then transferred to Moline, the best point on the line at that time. In May, 1880, he retired from the railroad business and accepted a position with S. W. Puffer in the grain business at Winchester. In 1893 he bought Mr. Puffer's business, and in 1895 he secured an interest in the Winchester Milling Company and became its superintendent. Mrs. M. L. Smith has been conducting a very successful millinery business at Winchester for over twenty years.

Politically Mr. Smith is a staunch republican and in 1895 was city treasurer of Winchester. He is at present buying grain and mingling with the people in a country where he has found it pleasant to live.