Historic Hood River
“who knew Lincoln”
1-24-2020
Notes
This portrait of E.L. Smith appears to be from the archives of The Hood River News. You can see the pencil crop marks preparing it for embedding in a layout. Notes on the reverse show the editor working on the caption. Initially is was to say, “E.L. Smith, of Hood River, who recalls Republican Nomination of 1860, when Abraham Lincoln was named standard bearer of the Republican party.” Blue pencil marks indicate he changed it to, “E.L. Smith, of Hood River, who knew Lincoln.” I wonder how well he knew him?
This portrait was taken on Oak Street in from of the Smith Building (SE corner of Oak and 3rd).
Charlott
Was not his home what I knew growing up as Anderson Funeral Home next to the library.
My 4th great grandfather Levi Cantrall (who founded Cantrall, Illinois) was a friend of Lincoln and Lincoln was also his lawyer. I have copies of some of the legal business that Lincoln did for Levi, with his signature on them. Sure wish I had the originals.
ArthurB
That’s correct Charlott. E.L. and Georgiana Smith lived at the NE corner of State and 6th Street. The library was built on a combination of their former property and the 5th Street right-of-way. The house was built in 1886, and occupied by the funeral home from 1928-1967.
Gladys
There was probably no man more well known in Hood River at the time of his death. In fact the day of his funeral ALL businesses were closed.
Though he was known as E. L., his name was actually Ezra Leonard Smith, butn 17 September 1837 in Craftbury, Vermont. Throughout his life, he was a Republican and very involved in political and civic matters where ever he resided at the time. He was at the Chicago Republican Convention where Lincoln was elected the Republican candidate. In fact when he married Georgiana Slocum, it was slated to take place on the morning of the day that Lincoln was to be sworn in as president. E. L. had the time changed to afternoon, so he could be married under the Lincoln administration.
The Smith’s lived in both California and Washington and finally ended up in Hood River where he became very involved in the development of the apple industry. He was also very involved in what was going on in the town and a member of the Mason’s, Shriner’s and Knights Templar.
He was in the party that found Lost Lake.
The Smith’s had four daughters, Jesse who married J. F. Watt, Avis Myra the wife of William Stewart, Catherine who married J. lE. Rand and Annie Conger, the 3wife of O. J. Nelson.
After his death on 22 January 1921, as per his request he was cremated and his ashes scattered over the Columbia River.