Excerpt of the book "Writer and Engraver's Picture of Graham County's Progress Since Its Organization" (1906)

Ben S. Smith

(Page 48-49)

Ben S. Smith, of Scotch-English descent was born in Ontario, Canada in 1870; came to Graham county with his parents seventeen years ago and settled on a farm south of Lenora. Eight years of his life was spent in teaching, one year of it as principal of the Hill City schools.

In 1895, he was elected to the office of Register of Deeds and proved a most efficient officer.

For the last four years he has been in the employ of the Kerns Lumber Company of this city.

There is probably not a man in business here who enjoys a larger circle of acquaintances or greater confidence of his friends than does Ben Smith.

Every cloud is said to have a silver lining and Ben always wears his cloud inside out so he can see the lining.

His first six years in Graham County are noted in his memory for containing more downs than ups. But since 1895, business had taken a more prosperous turn and today he has a corner lot on East Street.

Four years ago Mr. Smith bought 480 acres of well-improved land one mile west of Hill City, one hundred acres of this farm in under cultivation, one acre of it in orchard. A number of living springs feed the creek which runs through his place, furnishing water to the stock the year around. While a goodly number of acres are used for grain raising, the farm is distinctly a stock farm, and is valued at $6000.

In addition to this Mr. Smith owns five quarters of land which he holds for speculation; five hundred acres of this are devoted to the growing of wheat; the remainder of it is open prairie suitable for pasture land. This tract is about ten miles from the Union Pacific railroad and would have access to the Hill City rural route and telephone.

Mr. Smith is an ardent admirer of Graham county and an enthusiastic worker in her interests.

In retrospection he speaks of the hot winds and drouths which visited Graham county in the early times and for scientific and practical reasons prophecies a future for her free from any such calamities.