This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: RMunns7272 Surnames: Smith, Kinney, Leeman, Heath Classification: biography Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.wisconsin.counties.lacrosse/2330/mb.ashx Message Board Post: >From "History of La Crosse County, Wisconsin", 1881, p. 795. City of La Crosse ORLANDO H. SMITH, City Clerk, was born in Voluntown, Windham Co., Conn., Jan. 31, 1821; was the second youngest of seven brothers. He attended a district school from the time he was 5 until he was 16 years of age, from three to four months each year, during the winter, and usually had to walk about one and a half miles to school. His father, John C. Smith, was a farmer, and also had a store, and with him he worked during the summers, part of the time on the farm and the remainder of the time in the store, until he was 22 years of age, when he learned the weaver's trade and worked in a cotton factory as head weaver for four or five years. He was married, Oct. 10, 1847, to Harriet T. Kinney. After this, he kept a factory store and worked in the factory occasionally until March, 1857. In 1856, he was elected a member of the Connecticut State Legislature from his native town. Came to La Crosse in May, 1857, but soon returned again to his home in Connecticut. In December of the s! ame year, he again came to La Crosse, this time bringing his family with him. From 1858 to 1861, he kept a boarding-house and hotel in La Crosse. In the spring of 1861, he was elected City Clerk, which office he retained until April, 1862. In November, 1861, he was elected as Clerk of the Circuit Court, and held that office until Jan. 1, 1864. In 1865, he was clerk in an auction store, and from January, 1866, to November, 1869, was head salesman and book-keeper for W. H. Leeman & Co., wholesale grocers. From this time until January, 1877, he was in the grocery business, part of the time with H. C. Heath and the remainder of the time alone. In April, 1874, he was elected Alderman of the Fourth Ward, and held that office until April, 1877, when he was elected as City Clerk, which office he still retains. [I am not related to this family and have no further information. I'm posting this as a service and hope it helps!] Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.