HON.  WILLIAM  FREDERICK  SMITH

     Hon. William Frederick Smith proudly wears the little bronze button that proclaims him a veteran of the Civil war. He has long been an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic and it is a well known fact that in days of peace as well as in days of war he has been a most loyal citizen, proving his fidelity to the best interests of the community through faithful service in various local offices and as a member of the state legislature. In business affairs he has been well known as a representative of industrial activity but at the present time he is living retired.
     Mr. Smith was born in Hamden, New Haven county, July 19, 1843, a son of John Gibb and Mary Eliza (Munson) Smith, the former a native of Hamden, while the latter was born in North Haven. The father spent his entire life in Hamden and was a mechanic employed at the Eli Whitney gun shop. He served as selectman at one time and passed away in Hamden, where the death of his wife also occurred. They were the parents of three children of whom two are living, William Frederick and John Gibb. The latter was engaged in the lumber business in New Haven for many years and is now a resident of Boston.
     William F. Smith acquired his education in the schools of Hamden and had not passed beyond the point of boyhood when, in response to the country's call to arms, he joined service. He was at that time a youth of eighteen, enlisting in September, 1861, as a member of Company F, Sixth Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, with which he served for three years, being honorably discharged in September, 1864. He participated in various hotly contested engagements, including the battle of Port Royal (South Carolina), the siege of Fort Pulaski, the engagements at Savannah Harbor, Pocatello (South Carolina), the battle and capture of Morris Island, the assault on Fort Wagner, in Charleston harbor, and others. He was then transferred to Virginia with the Array of the James, under General Butler, in the spring of 1864 and took part in the battle of Drury's Bluff and in the siege of Petersburg. He was holding the rank of first sergeant when honorably discharged.
     Mr. Smith has engaged in mechanical pursuits throughout his active business life. He worked in New Haven and in Norwich, Connecticut, but in 1871 returned to New Haven, where he entered the employ of the Eli Whitney gun factory, with which he remained until the business was sold to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. He was afterward with the Marlin Fire Arms Company in New Haven, with which he was associated for many years, but retired in 1909. He was a tool maker and was in the gun stock department. His has been a busy and useful life, in which there were few idle hours, and his fidelity and efficiency won him promotion from time to time until his position was one of importance.
     At Norwich, Connecticut, on the 28th of April, 1868, Mr. Smith was married to Miss Sarah Lester Gallup, who was born in Griswold, Connecticut, but resided in Norwich up to the time of her marriage, while in 1871 she accompanied her husband to Hamden. She was a daughter of Alexis F. and Elizabeth L. (Lester) Gallup. Her father was born in Ledyard, Connecticut, and the mother's birth occurred in Griswold, and both passed away in Norwich. The death of Mrs. Smith occurred April 20, 1917, and was the occasion of deep and wide-spread regret not only to her immediate family but to many friends. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith were born six children, four of whom are living, namely: Inez Elizabeth, the wife of Charles L. Bates, a resident farmer of North Branford; Frederick Winfield, who married Julia A. Kolb and is engaged in the auto supply business in New Haven; Catherine Ward, the wife of Eollin F. Bcecher, a farmer of Hamden, Connecticut; and Albert Woodruff, who married Mary Jane Adams and is living in Hamden.
     Mr. Smith holds membership in Day Spring Lodge, F. & A. M., of which he has twice served as master. He is also a member of Admiral Foote Post, No. 17, G. A. R., of New Haven, and has twice been post commander. In fact, he is one of the very active and prominent members of that organization and is much interested in its work. In politics he has ever been a republican. He served as grand juror in the town of Hamden and in 1914 was elected to represent his town in the legislature, serving during the session of 1915, in which he was a member of the committee on military affairs. His life has been well spent and at the age of seventy-four years he can look back over the past without regret, for he has been active, diligent and reliable in business, loyal and progressive in citizenship and faithful in public office.

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