[The following obituary is courtesy of Don Vatne, Kitsap County Civil War Historian.]
SILAS SMITH, CIVIL WAR VET AND PIONEER, DIES
Silas Smith, one of the last three members of the General U. S. Grant Post No. 116, Grand Army of the Republic, pioneer Bremerton resident and widely known figure, is dead, the end coming after 93 years of life at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Anna E. Skinner, at Olympia on Monday. Funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock from Steltz Chapel with burial following at Ivy Green Cemetery. Mr. Emmerett of the Christian Science Church will officiate at the services.
Mr. Smith, known in recent years for his activity on behalf of Civil War veteran organizations, was one of Bremerton's most active citizens in the years following 1901, and terminating 12 years ago with his retirement to the Retsil Veterans' Home. For nine years he held the Navy Yard teaming contract, his horses doing all of the work and duties now performed by the fine mechanized Navy Yard transportation service.
Born February 26, 1844, Mr. Smith spent the early days of his life at Machias, Maine. He served with distinction throughout the Civil War and came to Seattle in 1876, residing in that part of the city which is now the locality of Marion Street between First and Second Avenues. Seattle was then but a frontier settlement and the Smith cabin was surrounded by timbered wilds.
In 1901, he came to Bremerton and secured the Navy Yard contract developing at one time 19 teams of fine draught horses for the work. A considerable amount of the yard grading and street work was done under the Smith contract, while all of the hauling and other tasks which entailed wagons and horses was done under the Smith contract. The coming of the automobile and motor truck made the contract unnecessary and the war veteran was retired from that activity.
He is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Skinner of Olympia, Mrs. Lotta M. Hanson of Bremerton, and Mrs. Helen F. Callahan of Winslow. Three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren also survive.
Determined to become a leader in G.A.R. activities because of the brilliance of his war service, Mr. Smith, even with advancing age and senility, nevertheless continued in his efforts that the glorious deeds of his former comrades should be carried on to posterity by descendants of the veterans. The other surviving members of the Bremerton G.A.R. Post are David L. Crossen, now residing in Tacoma but commander of the Bremerton unit, and George W. Bowers.
Mr. Smith enlisted for service in the Civil War from his home at Machias, Maine, entering the Army as a private in Company "C" of the Sixth Maine volunteer regiment. He was shortly promoted to regimental quartermaster sergeant and then came his commissioning as a second lieutenant of Company "H" of the same regiment. He was separated from the military service on June 28, 1865, by reason of termination of the war. He was a second lieutenant of Company "H" of the Sixth Maine at the time of his discharge.
Mr. Smith, in his long years of residence here, watched the growth of this community from a mere village to its present greater development and in the watching he had an active part as a community builder and a help that must be credited largely for the city's growth and forward progress.
SILAS SMITH, CIVIL WAR VET AND PIONEER, DIES
Silas Smith, one of the last three members of the General U. S. Grant Post No. 116, Grand Army of the Republic, pioneer Bremerton resident and widely known figure, is dead, the end coming after 93 years of life at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Anna E. Skinner, at Olympia on Monday. Funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock from Steltz Chapel with burial following at Ivy Green Cemetery. Mr. Emmerett of the Christian Science Church will officiate at the services.
Mr. Smith, known in recent years for his activity on behalf of Civil War veteran organizations, was one of Bremerton's most active citizens in the years following 1901, and terminating 12 years ago with his retirement to the Retsil Veterans' Home. For nine years he held the Navy Yard teaming contract, his horses doing all of the work and duties now performed by the fine mechanized Navy Yard transportation service.
Born February 26, 1844, Mr. Smith spent the early days of his life at Machias, Maine. He served with distinction throughout the Civil War and came to Seattle in 1876, residing in that part of the city which is now the locality of Marion Street between First and Second Avenues. Seattle was then but a frontier settlement and the Smith cabin was surrounded by timbered wilds.
In 1901, he came to Bremerton and secured the Navy Yard contract developing at one time 19 teams of fine draught horses for the work. A considerable amount of the yard grading and street work was done under the Smith contract, while all of the hauling and other tasks which entailed wagons and horses was done under the Smith contract. The coming of the automobile and motor truck made the contract unnecessary and the war veteran was retired from that activity.
He is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Skinner of Olympia, Mrs. Lotta M. Hanson of Bremerton, and Mrs. Helen F. Callahan of Winslow. Three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren also survive.
Determined to become a leader in G.A.R. activities because of the brilliance of his war service, Mr. Smith, even with advancing age and senility, nevertheless continued in his efforts that the glorious deeds of his former comrades should be carried on to posterity by descendants of the veterans. The other surviving members of the Bremerton G.A.R. Post are David L. Crossen, now residing in Tacoma but commander of the Bremerton unit, and George W. Bowers.
Mr. Smith enlisted for service in the Civil War from his home at Machias, Maine, entering the Army as a private in Company "C" of the Sixth Maine volunteer regiment. He was shortly promoted to regimental quartermaster sergeant and then came his commissioning as a second lieutenant of Company "H" of the same regiment. He was separated from the military service on June 28, 1865, by reason of termination of the war. He was a second lieutenant of Company "H" of the Sixth Maine at the time of his discharge.
Mr. Smith, in his long years of residence here, watched the growth of this community from a mere village to its present greater development and in the watching he had an active part as a community builder and a help that must be credited largely for the city's growth and forward progress.
[The following obituary is courtesy of Don Vatne, Kitsap County Civil War Historian.]
SILAS SMITH, CIVIL WAR VET AND PIONEER, DIES
Silas Smith, one of the last three members of the General U. S. Grant Post No. 116, Grand Army of the Republic, pioneer Bremerton resident and widely known figure, is dead, the end coming after 93 years of life at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Anna E. Skinner, at Olympia on Monday. Funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock from Steltz Chapel with burial following at Ivy Green Cemetery. Mr. Emmerett of the Christian Science Church will officiate at the services.
Mr. Smith, known in recent years for his activity on behalf of Civil War veteran organizations, was one of Bremerton's most active citizens in the years following 1901, and terminating 12 years ago with his retirement to the Retsil Veterans' Home. For nine years he held the Navy Yard teaming contract, his horses doing all of the work and duties now performed by the fine mechanized Navy Yard transportation service.
Born February 26, 1844, Mr. Smith spent the early days of his life at Machias, Maine. He served with distinction throughout the Civil War and came to Seattle in 1876, residing in that part of the city which is now the locality of Marion Street between First and Second Avenues. Seattle was then but a frontier settlement and the Smith cabin was surrounded by timbered wilds.
In 1901, he came to Bremerton and secured the Navy Yard contract developing at one time 19 teams of fine draught horses for the work. A considerable amount of the yard grading and street work was done under the Smith contract, while all of the hauling and other tasks which entailed wagons and horses was done under the Smith contract. The coming of the automobile and motor truck made the contract unnecessary and the war veteran was retired from that activity.
He is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Skinner of Olympia, Mrs. Lotta M. Hanson of Bremerton, and Mrs. Helen F. Callahan of Winslow. Three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren also survive.
Determined to become a leader in G.A.R. activities because of the brilliance of his war service, Mr. Smith, even with advancing age and senility, nevertheless continued in his efforts that the glorious deeds of his former comrades should be carried on to posterity by descendants of the veterans. The other surviving members of the Bremerton G.A.R. Post are David L. Crossen, now residing in Tacoma but commander of the Bremerton unit, and George W. Bowers.
Mr. Smith enlisted for service in the Civil War from his home at Machias, Maine, entering the Army as a private in Company "C" of the Sixth Maine volunteer regiment. He was shortly promoted to regimental quartermaster sergeant and then came his commissioning as a second lieutenant of Company "H" of the same regiment. He was separated from the military service on June 28, 1865, by reason of termination of the war. He was a second lieutenant of Company "H" of the Sixth Maine at the time of his discharge.
Mr. Smith, in his long years of residence here, watched the growth of this community from a mere village to its present greater development and in the watching he had an active part as a community builder and a help that must be credited largely for the city's growth and forward progress.
SILAS SMITH, CIVIL WAR VET AND PIONEER, DIES
Silas Smith, one of the last three members of the General U. S. Grant Post No. 116, Grand Army of the Republic, pioneer Bremerton resident and widely known figure, is dead, the end coming after 93 years of life at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Anna E. Skinner, at Olympia on Monday. Funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock from Steltz Chapel with burial following at Ivy Green Cemetery. Mr. Emmerett of the Christian Science Church will officiate at the services.
Mr. Smith, known in recent years for his activity on behalf of Civil War veteran organizations, was one of Bremerton's most active citizens in the years following 1901, and terminating 12 years ago with his retirement to the Retsil Veterans' Home. For nine years he held the Navy Yard teaming contract, his horses doing all of the work and duties now performed by the fine mechanized Navy Yard transportation service.
Born February 26, 1844, Mr. Smith spent the early days of his life at Machias, Maine. He served with distinction throughout the Civil War and came to Seattle in 1876, residing in that part of the city which is now the locality of Marion Street between First and Second Avenues. Seattle was then but a frontier settlement and the Smith cabin was surrounded by timbered wilds.
In 1901, he came to Bremerton and secured the Navy Yard contract developing at one time 19 teams of fine draught horses for the work. A considerable amount of the yard grading and street work was done under the Smith contract, while all of the hauling and other tasks which entailed wagons and horses was done under the Smith contract. The coming of the automobile and motor truck made the contract unnecessary and the war veteran was retired from that activity.
He is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Skinner of Olympia, Mrs. Lotta M. Hanson of Bremerton, and Mrs. Helen F. Callahan of Winslow. Three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren also survive.
Determined to become a leader in G.A.R. activities because of the brilliance of his war service, Mr. Smith, even with advancing age and senility, nevertheless continued in his efforts that the glorious deeds of his former comrades should be carried on to posterity by descendants of the veterans. The other surviving members of the Bremerton G.A.R. Post are David L. Crossen, now residing in Tacoma but commander of the Bremerton unit, and George W. Bowers.
Mr. Smith enlisted for service in the Civil War from his home at Machias, Maine, entering the Army as a private in Company "C" of the Sixth Maine volunteer regiment. He was shortly promoted to regimental quartermaster sergeant and then came his commissioning as a second lieutenant of Company "H" of the same regiment. He was separated from the military service on June 28, 1865, by reason of termination of the war. He was a second lieutenant of Company "H" of the Sixth Maine at the time of his discharge.
Mr. Smith, in his long years of residence here, watched the growth of this community from a mere village to its present greater development and in the watching he had an active part as a community builder and a help that must be credited largely for the city's growth and forward progress.
Gravesite Details
Headstone is in GAR military section of cemetery.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
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