Gilman D. Smith

Altoona Tribune, Thursday, Aug. 26, 1920, Pg. 1

G. D. Smith Dead.

______

Soldier and Pioneer Citizen

Passes Away.

Gilman D. Smith, age seventy-five years died at his home in Altoona, Kansas, on Monday, August 23rd, at about nine o’clock p. m. Last March he underwent a surgical operation for bladder trouble and was apparently recovering from that when he became afflicted with rheumation, and a few weeks ago he became almost helpless and his suffering was intense until the last. Funeral services were held Wednesday, August 25th, at the M. E. church, conducted by Rev. W. H. Withington, of Neodesha. The funeral was under the direction of the Masonic lodge, of which he had been a member since 1889, and was master of Altoona lodge at the time of his death. The Masons attended in a body to pay a last tribute to a beloved member. During the funeral the various business houses were closed.

In the death of G. D. Smith, the community loses one of its best and oldest citizens. He settled in Pleasant Valley township in 1869, with his two brothers, George O. and Emery W. Gilman D. was born in Warren county, Illinois, May 21st, 1845, where his youth and early manhood was spent. He was yet a school boy when the Civil War burst upon the country, but despite his youth, he enlisted in Company F, 17th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was afterward transferred to Company I, 8th Infantry of the same state. His regiment operated with the troops along the Mississippi river, where the chief engagements were those of Vicksburg, Mobile and New Orleans. He was discharged at the expiration of the term of service, September 11th, 1865 at New Orleans, Louisiana, having served from the first day of September 1862, and having seen and experienced much of the fiercest service of the war. From the close of the war until his departure for Kansas in 1866, Mr. Smith was employed as a clerk, in a general store at Monmouth, Illinois. He first settled in Bourbon county, where he was engaged in farming until his advent to Wilson county in 1869. On the 16th of November, 1871, Mr. Smith married Mary A. Powers, of Bourbon county. Seven children were born to this union. The wife and three children survive. The children living are; Charolette, wife of Grant Brown, of Fredonia, Alfred L., of Kansas City, Missouri, and William A., of Altoona. He has three brothers living. They are: George O., of Altoona, and James A. and John Freemont of Girard. Deceased was one of our best men and was actively engaged in farming until 1905, when he and his family removed to Altoona and have since made this their home. They still own their old homestead in Pleasant Valley, also Altoona property. Deceased had much to do with the forming of Wilson county and held many important offices during his life and filled the chief office of his township ten terms. He was a man of sound judgement and acted as arbitrator in many disputes. The was Gil said it should be was generally conceded to be right, and everybody was his friend. Old Timer, we’ll all miss you, but your memory will always live with us, for we honored and respected you to the fullest extent.