Allen N. Smith, the popular sheriff of Issaquena county, was the elder of two children born to John and Esther (Mills) Smith, natives of Louisiana. The parents were married in their native state, and at an early day emigrated to Madison county, Miss., where Mr. Smith died when Allen N. was but a small boy. The other child, Rufus, died at the age of thirty-eight years. Mrs. Smith was a passenger on the first steamboat that plowed the waters of the Mississippi river. After her husband's death she married J.L. Mitchell, of Kentucky, a school teacher by profession. They became the parents of one child, Joseph, who now resides in Holmes county, and is a planter by pursuit. Mrs. Mitchell died at the age of forty-five. Allen N. Smith, who was born in Madison county, Miss., February 22, 1834, was fairly educated in the common schools of his native county, and at the age of seventeen years started out to follow the occupation to which he had been reared, farming, and this he has continued the principal part of the time since. He has been a resident of Yazoo and LeFlore counties, but came to this in 1887, and in 1889 was elected sheriff and tax collector, the duties of which office he is filling in a manner highly creditable to himself and to the satisfaction of the community at large, and was re-elected July 6, 1891 for the term of four years. He has been inspector of the levee, and is a man of intelligence and influence. He has a fair complexion, is about six feet tall, weighs about two hundred and ten pounds, and, although very gray, is still erect and dignified. In 1866 he was married to Miss. Sidney Skidmore, daughter of C.S. Skidmore, of Madison county, and the fruits of  this union have been four children: Clifton B. (deputy sheriff and a merchant of Mayersville, of this county), Sidney, Allie May and Rosa Lee.