B. R. Smith, M.D.

B. R. SMITH, M. D. Among the pioneer settlers of Sewickley township, Westmoreland county, was numbered Samuel Smith, who was one of the first to locate in the Quaker settlement there who was not a believer in that religious sect. He purchased his farm from one of the original members of the Society of Friends, or Quakers, and for many years carried on agricultural pursuits.

Cyrus Smith, son of Samuel Smith, was reared in Sewickley township on the farm which his father purchased, and in early life adopted carpentering as his chosen occupation. He has since worked as a builder, and for many years has resided in or near Irwin. He served for three years as a defender in the Union cause in the Civil war, and then took up his abode in the locality which has since been his home. He holds membership with the Grand Army of the Republic. He married Esther Biggs, and their children are: Edward, a business man of Irwin; Samuel, living in McKeesport; and B. R., of whom later.

Dr. B. R. Smith was born near Irwin, Pennsylvania, April 2, 2869.  He spent his boyhood days under the parental roof, and acquired his education in the Irwin schools. When sixteen years of age he entered the H. K. Porter Locomotive Works, where he served an apprenticeship of three and a half years and later he was employed as a journeyman machinist in the Westinghouse plant, at Wilmerding, Pennsylvania, for two years. It was while there that he entered upon the study of medicine preparatory to making its practice his life work, and during the summer vacations of his college course he continued to work at his trade. He began the study of medicine in 1891, reading under the direction of S. E. Mowry, of Wilmerding, and in the fall of that same year he was enrolled in the University of the City of New York, from which he was graduated with the class of 1895, being one of the honor men of the class. Following his graduation he located in Irvin, Pennsylvania and for some time was associated in practice with Drs. C. E. and W. H. Taylor. Later he took charge for a short time of the practice of his former preceptor, Dr. Mowry, who was then ill, and in the fall of 1896 came to Jeannette, where in intervening years he has built up a large and enviable practice. He is a member of the county and state medical societies and the national medical association, and is one of the well known practitioners of Jeannette. Fraternally Dr. Smith is connected with Jeannette Lodge, No. 486, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of which he was one of the organizers. In politics he is a Republican, actively working in the ranks of the party for its growth and success.  

Source: Page(s) 209-210, History of Westmoreland County, Volume II, Pennsylvania by John N Boucher. New York, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906.
Transcribed August 2008 by Nathan Zipfel for the Westmoreland County History Project
Contributed for use by the Westmoreland County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/westmoreland/)

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