Biography of Philander Smith, pages 717 / 718. History of De Kalb County, Indiana. Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885. Philander Smith, section 5, Newville Township, was born in Morrow County, Ohio, Dec. 4, 1825, a son of Elisha Smith, a native of New York and a pioneer of Delaware County, He was reared and educated in his native county, and in the early part of 1851 came to De Kalb County and spent several months in Newville making fanning-mills. He then returned to Ohio, but in 1852 came again to Newville, and in company with John S. Peck established the first cabinet shop in the place. A year later he sold his interest to Mr. Peck, who ran the shop till 1860, when he sold out to William Seeley, and in 1865 Mr. Smith bought an interest in the business and they ran it together five years. The latter then sold his interest, but in 1879 bought the entire business and ran it alone till 1882, when he sold out and moved to the farm where he now lives. He has forty acres of good land on his farm, and also owns forty acres in Henry County, Ohio. He enlisted in the war of the Rebellion in 1861 in Company E, Eleventh Indiana Infantry, and served a year, when he was discharged on account of disability. In 1863 he helped raise Company H, of the Eighty-eighth Indiana Infantry, and was commissioned it First Lieutenant. The following winter he was wounded at the battle of Murfreesboro and resigned. In 1864 he helped raise and enlisted a s private in Company F, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Indiana, but was soon after appointed Second Lieutenant and subsequently First Lieutenant. He participated in the battles of Pittsburg Landing, Burnt Hickory, Murfreesboro, Perryville, siege of Atlanta, Franklin, Nashville, Kingston, and others of less importance. He was married in the spring of 1846 to Lucy Lord, and to then were born two children---Elizabeth(deceased) and Philura. Mrs. Smith died in the spring of 1850, and in December, 1851, he married Caroline Griffith. To them have been born eight children, six of whom are living---Loretta, Corlistia, Effie, Alfred, Ellsworth, and Birdie. Mr. Smith is a member of the Masonic Fraternity. He and his wife are members of the Disciples church. Submitted by: Arlene Goodwin Auburn, Indiana Agoodwin@ctlnet.com