From Memorial and Genealogical Record of Dodge and Jefferson Counties, Wisconsin, publ. 
1894 - Page 45-48
 
JOHN T. SMITH.  The smoke that rises daily from the tall chimneys of the Beaver Dam Woolen 
Mills tells a story of thrift, of prosperity, and of enterprise, and tells too, that this city lays places 
remote as well as near under contribution for the benefit of this hive of industry.  This business is 
an already large and constantly growing one, and a large monetary outlay has been used to 
make it a paying enterprise.  John T. SMITH is the efficient secretary and treasurer of the mills, 
and is one of the enterprising business men of the town.  He was born October 7, 1838, on Long 
Island, N.Y., a son of William Sidney and Eleanor (JONES) SMITH, who were also natives of 
Long Island.  The progenitor of this family in the United States, Col. William SMITH, was born 
February 2, 1655, at Newton, Northamptonshire, England, and at the age of twenty was made 
governor of Tangiers, Africa, by King Charles II, who at the same time gave him the commission 
of colonel and the command of troops to protect that station.  There, November 26, 1675, he 
married Martha, daughter of Henry TUNSTALL, of Putney, England, and there remained until 
1683, when the place was abandoned and his regiment returned to England.  In 1686, with his 
wife and three children, he came to America, where he arrived in August of the same year.  Here 
he made extensive purchases of land on Long Island, and in March 1691, was appointed by Gov. 
Slaughter as a member of his privy council and also commissioner of oyer and terminer.  The 
same year he was appointed one of the judges of the supreme court, and soon after chief justice.  
He died in 1705.  His tenth child, Maj. William Henry SMITH, was born in 1689, and by his second 
wife, Hannah COOPER, whom he married March 3, 1718, he became the father of two sons and 
five daughters.  He died January 27, 1743.  His second child, Judge William SMITH, who was 
born in 1720, was county judge of the court of common pleas, and was ever after called Judge 
SMITH.  He was a member of the first Provincial Congress.  In 1777 he was elected senator 
under the State Constitution, and held the position until peace was declared in 1783.  He was 
twice married.  His first wife, Mary SMITH, became the mother of Gen. John SMITH, for whom 
the subject of this sketch was named.  By his second wife, Ruth WOODHULL, a sister of Gen. 
Nathaniel WOODHULL, of Revolutionary fame, he had seven children.  He died in March 1799.  
His seventh son, William, was born April 30, 1769, was married to Hannah P. SMITH, and settled 
on that part of Long Island now called Longwood.  He died July 20, 1803.  His eldest son, the 
father of the subject of this sketch, was born at Longwood, July 8, 1796, and at the age of seven 
years, was left an orphan, and was reared by two guardians, his uncles.  After finishing his 
education he entered the commercial office of his brother-in-law, Robert M. RUSSELL, of New 
York City, and remained with him several years.
 
May 7, 1823, he was married to Eleanor JONES at Cold Spring, L.I., who was born there May 7, 
1805, and in 1824 they settled in the old family mansion at Longwood, surrounded by a large 
estate.  Mr. SMITH became prominent in local affairs and served as supervisor of the town of 
Brookhaven.  He was county treasurer fifteen years from 1834 to 1849 and from 1827 until 1837 
he served almost continuously either as inspector, supervisor or commissioner of schools, and in 
1844 he was town superintendent of schools.  From 1826 and to 1835 he was town supervisor, 
and in 1836 he was elected a member of the Legislature, also in 1848 and 1856, thus filled public 
positions for many years.  He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church, and 
politically he was a Democrat.  He died January 19, 1879, and his wife April 29, 1884.  The 
founder of the JONES family, Major Thomas JONES, acquired his title while in the army of King 
James I.  He came to America in 1692 and settled in Rhode Island.  He was soon afterward 
married to Freelove, daughter of Thomas TOWNSEND.  He received the gift of a valuable tract of 
land, on the south side of Long Island, called Fort Neck, where he built the first brick house, 
which stood for more than 140 years.  He was quite extensively engaged in whaling.  He died in 
December 1713, leaving three sons and four daughters.  His son William was born April 26, 1708, 
and throughout life devoted his attention to farming.  He married Phoebe, daughter of Col. John 
JACKSON, and became the father of sixteen children, of whom fourteen became heads of 
families.  He died at South Oyster Bay, L.I., August 29, 1779.  His son, Hon. William JONES, was 
born July 26, 1734, became a prominent lawyer, and instructed many young men who afterward 
became eminent, among them Dewitt Clinton, governor.  He was frequently elected to the 
General Assembly and was a member of that convention of New York which adopted the 
Constitution of the Untied States.  In 1789 he was prominent in revising the statues of that State, 
and the same year was appointed recorder of the City of New York, which position he filled with 
ability and integrity for eight years.  In 1796, at the request of Gov. John Jay, he organized the 
office of comptroller, and was the first to fill that position in the State.  Common consent assigned 
him the highest attainments in jurisprudence, and the appellation of the "Father of the New York 
bar," was given him.  He was one of the most distinguished jurists of his age, and after a useful 
life died November 21, 1819.  His son, Major William JONES, was born in the City of New York, 
October 4, 1771, was married October 14, 1790, at Oyster Bay, L.I., to Keziah YOUNG, and soon 
after settled at Cold Spring.  Soon after the military organization was effected he became captain 
of a company of cavalry, was promoted to major, and about 1811 or 1812 was commissioned 
colonel.
 
In 1816 he was elected to the State Legislature, and with the exception of a year or two continued 
to fill that office until 1825.  He died September 6, 1853.  He was a great lover of fine horses, was 
the intimate associate of such men at Martin Van Buren, DeWitt Clinton, and others, who 
frequently visited his home.  The sixth of his eight children became the wife of William Sidney 
SMITH, and to the latter and his wife ten children were born, of whom five are living: Amelia, who 
resides on the old homestead; Sidney T. resides in New York City; James W. lives on the old 
homestead; John T., whose name heads this sketch, and Susan M. W., who is the wife of Rev. H. 
B. HOLMES, and lives in the East.  John T. SMITH was reared on the old homestead, and was 
educated in various academies and Union College of Schenectady.  When in his senior year he 
left this institution to take a position in the office of the Atlantic Mutual Insurance Company of New 
York City, and there he remained until he came to Wisconsin, in 1862.  Up to 1867 he was 
successfully engaged in merchandising at Markesan, then came to Beaver Dam, and in 1870, 
bought an interest in the Beaver Dam woolen mills, and upon the organization of the corporation 
was chosen secretary and treasurer.  He helped to organize the Beaver Dam cotton mills, and 
has been a director and its secretary since its organization, and also helped to organize the 
Electric Light Company, of which he was president for several years.  He was a contributor to the 
public library, later known as the Williams Free Library, and is a member of its board of directors.  
He was married March 26, 1872, in Prairie du Chien, to Emelie Marguerite PERRET-GENTIL, 
who was born in that city September 11, 1850, a daughter of Isaac and Julia (LANGLOIS) 
PERRET-GENTIL, the former of whom was born in Canton Donibresson, Neufchatel, March 3, 
1807, and came to the United States, landing at New Orleans, and on to Galena, Ill., in 1832, 
where he married his wife, who was born in Keokia, Ill.  Mrs. PERRET-GENTIL's father was killed 
by the Indians while on a hunting expedition.  In 1833 Mr. and Mrs. PERRET-GENTIL moved to 
Prairie du Chien and for twenty years Mr. PERRET-GENTIL filled the office of county treasurer of 
Crawford section for quarter of a century, and died April 5, 1874, after a well-spent life.  He was a 
scholarly man, was a fluent linguist and could speak English, German, French and Italian.  His 
wife died January 12, 1888, after having become the mother of eleven children, of whom five are 
living; Mrs. Victoria BRISBOIS of Alvin, Tex.; John F., a railroad man; Mrs. SMITH; William Albert, 
who lives in Madison, and Herbert D. who resides in Salt Lake City.  To Mr. and Mrs. SMITH five 
children have been given: Edith Susan, Amelia Treadwell, Julia Jones, Clara Forrest and Emelie 
Marguerite.  Mrs. SMITH and her children are attendants of the Episcopal Church.  Mr. SMITH is 
a Democrat politically, has held the office of school commissioner, and was mayor of Beaver Dam 
during 1877-78.  He is a member of Beaver Dam Lodge, No. 72, of the A.F. & A.M., Beaver Dam 
Chapter, No. 96, and Fort Winnebago Commandery, No. 4.  He has been a delegate to the State 
Lodge and was alternate to the convention at St. Louis that nominated Grover Cleveland for the 
presidency in 1888.  Mr. SMITH is descended from stock that has been prominent in the affairs of 
the nation, and is himself, a loyal and useful American citizen.
 
Submitted by Carol