Biographical History

William Richard Smith (1884-1950) was a cattle rancher farmer, veterinarian, and county agricultural agent; he also served as a president of the Woodruff (Utah) Stake from 1928 to 1934.

William Richard Smith was born on March 21, 1884 in Logan, Utah, to parents Isaac Smith and Harriet Camilla Ensign. He was born into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and educated at the Woodruff School in Logan. Smith had a fairly carefree childhood in the countryside and when he became of age he attended the Utah Agricultural College (now Utah State University) from 1902 to 1906. After his mission to Germany, which he served from October 1906 to July 1909, he finished his last year of schooling, graduating in 1910. After returning from his mission William Richard Smith proposed to Zina Vivian Crouch, whom he had been writing while on his mission. They were married on July 28, 1910, in Logan, Utah. They had two daughters; Vivian Priscilla Smith (1912-1992) and Helen Jean Smith (1924-1996).

After their marriage, William and Zina moved to Columbus, Ohio so that Will could study veterinary medicine at Ohio State University, which he did for two years. During this time he supported his family by borrowing money from his brother and working odd jobs around the community. After graduating in 1912, the family moved to Preston, Idaho, where Will practiced veterinarian medicine. However he had always wanted a cattle ranch, so in 1914 he went into a joint venture raising horses, white faced cattle and sheep in Cleveland, Idaho. In 1922, Will returned to Utah State Agricultural College in Logan to earn a B.S. in Agricultural Economics. After graduating in 1923 he accepted a position as County Agricultural Agent for Uinta County, Wyoming and moved to Evanston, Wyoming. In 1932, he was appointed manager of the farm operated by the Wyoming State Mental Hospital in Evanston, Wyoming. In 1928, Will was called as the second president of the Woodruff (Utah) Stake, a calling he held until 1934. In December of that year the family left Wyoming and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where Will practiced veterinary medicine. He was the first veterinarian in Las Vegas and his area included Moapa and Virgin Valleys. William Richard Smith died in the Rose de Lima hospital on June 10, 1950, in Henderson, Nevada.

Citation:

UPB files, Oct. 21, 2016 (William Richard Smith (1884-1950). William Richard Smith was born on March 21, 1884 in Logan, Utah, to parents Isaac Smith and Harriet Camilla Ensign. He was born into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and educated at the Woodruff School in Logan. Smith had a fairly carefree childhood in the countryside and when he became of age he attended the Utah Agricultural College (now Utah State University) from 1902 to 1906. After his mission to Germany, which he served from October 1906 to July 1909, he finished his last year of schooling, graduating in 1910. After returning from his mission William Richard Smith proposed to Zina Vivian Crouch, whom he had been writing while on his mission. They were married on July 28, 1910, in Logan, Utah. They had two daughters; Vivian Priscilla Smith (1912-1992) and Helen Jean Smith (1924-1996). After their marriage, William and Zina moved to Columbus, Ohio so that Will could study veterinary medicine at Ohio State University, which he did for two years. During this time he supported his family by borrowing money from his brother and working odd jobs around the community. After graduating in 1912, the family moved to Preston, Idaho, where Will practiced veterinarian medicine. However he had always wanted a cattle ranch, so in 1914 he went into a joint venture raising horses, white faced cattle and sheep in Cleveland, Idaho. In 1922, Will returned to Utah State Agricultural College in Logan to earn a B.S. in Agricultural Economics. After graduating in 1923 he accepted a position as County Agricultural Agent for Uinta County, Wyoming and moved to Evanston, Wyoming. In 1932, he was appointed manager of the farm operated by the Wyoming State Mental Hospital in Evanston, Wyoming. In 1928, Will was called as the second president of the Woodruff (Utah) Stake, a calling he held until 1934. In December of that year the family left Wyoming and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where Will practiced veterinary medicine. He was the first veterinarian in Las Vegas and his area included Moapa and Virgin Valleys. William Richard Smith died in the Rose de Lima hospital on June 10, 1950, in Henderson, Nevada.)

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