JAMES W. SMITH, the eldest son of William, a farmer in Lynn township, was born November 30, 1866. He was reared on a farm and in 1885 went to Kansas, locating in Lincoln county, where he worked at farming for several summers, then bought a fourth section (160 acres) for himself and farmed it for three years. In the fall of 1890 he returned to Lehigh County, and in 1896 was married to Alice Rausch, a sister of Jacob Rausch and his wife, Esther Kline but she died shortly afterward.

In May, 1900, he married a second wife, Ellen Rausch, a sister of his first wife, and by her he had five children: Stanley, Irene, Verna, William and Alice. In 1897 he purchased the farm where he now resides, containing 75 acres. It was formerly included in the Martin Weitman homestead, and later the Sechler homestead (Gideon and John S. having had it for a number of years). Daniel H. and Alvia F. Creitz then owned it in partnership for a time and they divided it into two tracts. Alvin taking 60 acres and Daniel 46 acres; and fifteen of the latter were purchased by Mr. Smith after he had acquired the former tract. Alvin F. Creitz erected the present dwelling-house and barn soon after the Civil War; and the new house was built by Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith is a Democrat and served as a school director for six years. He is a Lutheran member of the Jacksonville church and served the congregation as deacon and elder, officiating now as the president of the church council.