1905 History of Crawford County Kansas

Dr. Arthur M. Smith has been engaged in the successful practice of medicine and surgery at Cherokee since 1897, and this period of professional service makes him the dean of Cherokee's medical men. He is a man of much ability both in his profession and as a business man and social factor, and he has made a most favorable impression and gained a very gratifying practice since taking up his residence here.

Dr. Smith was born in Windham county, Connecticut, in December, 1864, being a son of J. S. and Frances (Cornell) Smith, both natives of the state of Connecticut. His father died in that state, and his mother is still living on the old homestead in Windham county. She has a very old and honored ancestry in New England. Her father, William Cornell, was a member of the famous family one of whose members founded Cornell University. Her mother was a Monroe and a descendant of a Mayflower emigrant.

Dr. Smith grew up and received his education in his native state. He attended the Plainfield Academy, in Windham county and the Wesleyan Academy at Wilbraham, Massachusetts. At the age of eighteen he set out to make his home and fortune in the west, and, locating in Elk county, Kansas, went into the retail drug business at Howard. He began reading medicine in 1889, and later the regular course in the Kansas City Medical College, where he was graduated in 1897. He came direct from college to Cherokee, where he opened his office in the spring of 1897, and he has been very successful in gaining and retaining a large and permanent patronage from among the best citizens.

Dr. Smith is prominent in society circles, and professionally is a member of the county, district and state medical societies. Dr. Smith was married at Elk Falls, Kansas, to Miss Dora Longfellow.