492 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
ZACHARIAH T. SMITH.
[The following article is the expression
of respect to the memory of
Z. T. Smith by J. L. Lewis and published
in an Upper Sandusky news-
paper. Mr. Smith was for many years a
life member of the Ohio State
Archaeological and Historical Society
and was potently interested in
securing the proper legislation for the
appropriation for the erection of a
building for the Society's Museum and
Library.]
It has oft been said that, "'Tis
not all of life to live; nor all of
death to die." And while many of us
think little of this statement, yet
in fact, it is the real measure of our
earthly existence. To live either
in the higher or lower type of animal
life, is to eat and breathe and sleep;
to give to the organs of the body
nourishment and strength and rest;
and so long as this can be done, we
live. And in thus living only, we
do no more than the lower animals.
But we learn from that oldest of books,
that in the later days of
creation, after all else was finished,
God made man in his own image,
breathed into him the breath of life and
gave him a duty to perform.
Hence 'tis not all of life to live. And
we as human beings should not
take from the world its food and air,
our sustenance, and give nothing
in return.
We owe to our Creator, our fellowman, to
ourselves and to our
surroundings, more than to simply exist.
All nature says to us, "Come
into my store-house and solve my
mysteries." The soil says, "Study
my ingredients and there shall be a
seed-time and a harvest;" the moun-
tains say, "In our depths are the
products of ages, knock and it shall
be opened unto you;" the mighty
ocean says, "On my bosom I will
carry the commerce of the world, bring
it unto me;" the rushing torrent
says, "I will not always destroy,
but if guided aright, I will turn the
wheels of industry;" the babbling
brook says, "I will water the hill-
side and the valley and the sunshine
shall bring forth fruit and flowers
that will surround and beautify the home
of man and the fragrance
thereof shall be his." So man, who
may be the crowning glory of
creation, will be its greatest failure,
unless he responds to the invitation
that on every side bids him to put forth
effort and "ask, that he may
receive."
The good of the world today is measured
by the efforts of men-
not every one, perhaps-but those who
have striven to perform the duties
assigned by him in whose image we are
created.
All can not do the same. It was not so
intended; but each, in his
way, can, if he will, do some part. And
of those who have lived in this
community, we find in the life of Z. T.
Smith of Pitt Township, Wyandot
County, Ohio, a most representative
example of willingness and work and
a life that is well worthy of imitation.
Born and reared upon a farm, in his
boyhood days, he did not have
Editorialana. 493
the present school advantages, but
habits of industry and determination
helped him to gain knowledge that may be
found in other ways outside
of the school room, and in his mature
years he grew to be one of the
best generally informed men in this part
of the state and was considered
authority on many of the leading
scientific and historical subjects of
the day, and especially was this true as
to the lives and habits of the
early people of this and other nations.
He was a most patient and thorough
student of nature, having few
equals and no superior in that line; was
one of the early members
of the Archaeological and Historical
Society of Ohio, and after years
of research, has secured the most
valuable specimens in the state,
having hundreds of kinds of wood from
the different countries of the
world, metals, rock, grasses, flowers
and birds.
He was not a theorist, but a plain,
unassuming, practical student
and one of the few men whose real
knowledge was far in excess of what
he professed to know, and when asked by
a friend how he had, without
special advantages, secured so much
valuable information, modestly
replied that in early life he formed the
habit of staying at home nights
and the time thus gained, in addition to
rainy days, had given him the
opportunity. Thus while some live only,
he has proven that 'tis not all
of life to live. And it is unfortunate
that he did not become associated
with some leading institution of
learning, and thus give to the world
more of the rare jewels of information
he possessed, for like Lincoln
he knew much that colleges do not teach.
Naturally enough, he loved
the forest, and with its depths, by
intermingling of genius and industry,
he builded for himself and loved ones a
most beautiful home, where, sur-
rounded by waving branches, singing
birds and the rippling waters of the
nearby river, he communed with nature,
and studied the beauties of
flowers and trees and plants. The birds
were his companions and he
watched their coming and going, as he
did the visits and departure
of his friends. He was an expert in the
growing of berries, fruits,
trees and farm crops, and authority as
judge of thoroughbred cattle, hogs,
sheep and chickens, all of which he
raised on his farm. He was a most
valuable member of the Wyandot County
Agricultural Society, a president,
and in other positions, and was
statistician for the state society at Colum-
bus and the department of agriculture at
Washington. He was greatly
interested in the schools in his
vicinity, and, in remembrance of his
friendship to the Harpster village
school, the scholars thereof placed
upon his casket a spray of flowers he
loved so well, and which were
emblematical of the purity of his life.
And not only was Z. T. Smith a
most desirable and interesting
companion, but he was a public spirited
citizen as well, and in addition to his
otherwise busy life, as member
of school-board, trustee, justice, land
appraiser and in other ways for
many years, and in a most satisfactory
manner, he gave his time and
talents to public good. And the higher
offices of our state and nation
494 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
have been filled by men of less ability and less honesty of purpose than had he. As an official, he was wise in judgment, firm in conviction, prudent in policy; as a citizen he was the most desirable kind; a respected neighbor, and dutiful son, a devoted husband, a kind father, and his death will not only be an irreparable loss to mother, wife, son and daughter, but also to friends and community. He builded better than he thought, and his life and life's work stand an honor to his family, a valuable lesson to the public and an example of what others may do by industry and application. Well may it be written on his monument, "Here lies an honest man, one of nature's uncrowned kings, who gave to the world more than he took from it, and who was loved, respected and trusted most by those who knew him best." Zachariah T. Smith, born in Wyandot county, Ohio, September 10, 1851, died April 4, 1912, was married to Miss Sarah E. McClain October 5, 1875. Two children were born to this union, Jeannette, born August 11, 1876, and Paul, born November 8, 1880. The father of Zachariah T. Smith was David Smith (deceased), born in Wyandot county, March 9, 1820, was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca Blackburn, a resident of West Moreland county, Pa. She was born June 5, 1829. |
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