Source: The Biographical Record of Whiteside County, IL
Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1900
Page 456

HARLOW SMITH

Harlow SMITH, a well known and prominent farmer residing on section 34, Hume Township, Whiteside County, Illinois, has for over half a century been identified with the agricultural interests of the county and has been an important factor in the upbuilding and development. He was born near Toronto, Canada, May 18, 1830, and is a son of William and Anna (SUTHERLAND) SMITH who were born, reared and married in Vermont, and from that state removed to Canada, where the father engaged in farming throughout the remainder of his life.

On leaving the Dominion, in the spring of 1849, Mr. SMITH came to Whiteside county, Illinois, and found work with Warner Brothers at Prophetstown. For three years he engaged in teaming mostly to Peru, and in the meantime purchased a horse-power threshing machine, which he operated during the threshing season for some years. Later he purchased one of the first steam threshers in the county, and has successfully engaged in the threshing business in season for forty-nine years. In early days he also broke prairie with ox teams for a number of years. He has also devoted considerable time in breeding and raising a fine grade of Hambletonian horses and at the present time has about sixty head of high grade horses on hand.

In Lyndon, this county, December 3, 1834, Mr. SMITH was united in mariage with Miss Louisa POPE who was born near Spaulding in Linconshire, England, and is a sister of Aaron and Thomas POPE, who are presented elsewhere in this volumn. They began their domestic life in the village of Prophetstown, where they made their home for one year, and then rented a farm adjoining Mr. SMITH's place. Our subject's first purchase consisted of eighty acres of wild land in Tampico township, which he fenced, broke and improved with good buildings, but after residing thereon for about five years, he removed to his present farm on section 34, where he has two hundred acres, on which at that time was only a small house, while much of the land was still in its primitive condition. To its further improvement and cultivation hw has since evoted his enedrgies with most gratifying results. He has a pleasant residence, good barns and other outbuildings, surrounded by forest and fuit trees, and eveything about the place betokens the thrift and enterprise of the ownedr and shows conclusively that he thoroughly understnds the occupatin which he has chosen as his life work. He has bought, improved and sold sesveral farms, and bsixes his home place, he now owns a valuable farm of two hundred and twelve acres in Tampico township.

Mr. and Mrs SMITH have a family of six children, namely: Carrie L., now the wife of Fred BROWN, of Hume township; Ida J., wife of R. B. SMITH of Prophetstown; Sara Ella, wife of James FARRELL, of Prophetstown; William N., a prominent Republican and one of the township officers, and correspondent of the agriultural bureau, residing at home; Minnie E., wife of Dr. T. L. ROUNDS of Tampico; and Herbert H., who is married and engaged in the livery business in Erie. Our subject and his wife have also reared and educated two other children.

The Republican party has always found Mr. SMITH a stanch supporter of its principles, and although he has never sought nor desired public office, he has been called upon to serve as commissioner of highways, and school director for fifteen years. He has acquired a handsome competence through his own well-directed and energetic efforts and has not only advanced his individual propsperity but has also materially promoted the general welfare by transforming the wild land into highly cultivated fields and converting the county into one of the best agricultural districts of the state. As a valued and useful citizen of the community he is well worthy of prominent mention in a work of this character.