Smith, Dr. Hiram Leslie (H. L.)

Dr. H. L. Smith

Born on Oct. 19, 1828 in Constable, Franklin County, New York to John and Esther Parker (Culver) Smith.
Died on Sept. 18, 1921 in Geneva, Nebraska
Married to Phoebe Ann Williams. She moved to Steuben County, Indiana with Hiram and their six children. She died while preparing to move to Nebraska.
Only two children are documented in Geneva--Hattie Newell Butler and Curtis Adams Smith.
Moved with his family to Ohio when he was seven years old.
He was educated at Granville University and became a teacher.
He began studying to become a doctor and worked many jobs to pay for his education.
He graduated from Cincinnati Eclectic Medical Institute in 1856 and began practicing in Flint, Indiana.
After living in Flint for seven years, he moved to Orland, Indiana where he was a trustee of the Indiana Northwestern Institute for 15 years.
In 1875 he moved to Geneva when it had a population of 50 people.
For 12 years or more he was a business partner of J. T. Platt and Company.
He owned 1200 acres in Fillmore County and 1000 acres in Jefferson County, along with large amounts of western lands.
He was the first mayor of Geneva and served three consecutive terms.

In 1885 he was elected state senator.
In 1895, he ran a hardware store at 890 G Street.
In 1897 he donated his personal library of more than 800 volumes for the purpose of extablishing a city library and reading room on the third floor of the Citizen's Bank building.
In 1906, his library was moved from the Masonic lodge to 125 No. 9th.
In 1907, he owned the site and building of Geneva Milling.
In 1920, he partnered with Fred Picard and Knud Knudsen to produce paint.
The last four years of his life he was the president of Citizen's Bank.
From 1909 to 1921, he was an invalid and was cared for by his son Curt,\.