JAMES SMITH, who comes of an old and respected family of Lost Creek Township, Miami County, Ohio, is the owner of 180 acres of good land. He lives about six and one-half miles northeast of Troy. He is a native of Montgomery County, Ohio, the date of his birth being January 27, 1856, and he is a son of Alexander and Isabella (Waymeyer) Smith.

Alexander Smith was the youngest of a large family of children, but owing to his great size was known as the "big brother." He. was born in Rock Bridge County, Virginia, where he learned the trade of a blacksmith, but when about twenty years of age he moved from that state on account of his anti-slavery views, and first located at Dayton, Ohio. Through his influence the other members of the family later moved to Ohio. Shortly after his arrival he built a shop at Frederick, about twelve miles from Dayton, and later he became the owner of a farm in Butler Township, Montgomery County, on which he built a blacksmith shop. He worked at his trade and farmed until 1862, when he sold out and moved to Lost Creek Township, Miami County. Here he purchased the farm now owned by his son, Benjamin Franklin Smith, and passed the remainder of his days. He was married in Montgomery County to Isabella Waymeyer, who was a native of that county and whose death occurred two years prior to that of her husband. They were parents of the following children: Sarah, widow of Joseph Ray and a resident of Kansas; Jane, wife of Jonathan Tobias, of Staunton Township; Benjamin Franklin, of Lost Creek Township; James; Wesley, who lives in Lost Creek Township; Harrison, of Nebraska; and William, who died young.

James Smith was a very small boy when his parents moved to Miami County, in 1862, and he received a limited educational training in the public schools. Ile spent his time at hard work and lived on the home farm until the death of his father, as did the other sons. Alexander divided his property shortly before his death, and James received a good farm of 100 acres, where he now lives. He and his brother, Frank, also purchased 160 acres, which they rent out. He has followed general farming and is one of the substantial citizens of the township. He has traveled quite extensively through the west and southwest parts of this country, and the more he travels the better is his opinion of the community in which he lives. Politically, he is a Republican.