Biography

05/09/1844 - 03/18/1912

Sergeant Charles H. Smiley, Sr. (R31) Perry, Juniata and Mifflin Counties, 1881-1884   

Early Life: 

Sergeant Charles H. Smiley, Sr., born May 9, 1844, Shermans Dale, Perry County, Pennsylvania; son of Samuel and Sarah McMurray Smiley; Carlisle public schools; Bloomfield Academy; teacher; enlisted, United States Army Signal Corps, Civil War, 1861-1865; elected, Prothonotary, Perry County, 1867-1870; read law, admitted, Perry County bar, 1872; married, Emily M. Ferguson, 1876, son, Charles H. Smiley Jr.; elected, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1881-1884; president, Perry County Railroad Company; law practice, Perry County; died, March 18, 1912, heart attack, New Bloomfield, Perry County, Pennsylvania; Interment, Bloomfield Cemetery, New Bloomfield, Perry County, Pennsylvania.

Early Career:

Enlisted, 1861, Elliottsburg, Pennsylvania, United States Army Signal Corps, participated, Shenandoah Valley, Valley of Virginia battles, Manassas, Winchester, New Market, Cedar Mountain, Lynchburg; transferred, Department of West Virginia, May 18, 1864; meritorious performance at Round Top Station, Strasburg, Virginia; mustered out on August 2, 1865, Signal Corps Camp, Arlington, Virginia. 

The Signal Corps primary functions included repairing and building stationary telegraph lines; operating the Beardslee railroad car telegraph; constructing observation towers during major battles; reconnaissance; balloon reconnaissance; utilizing the Wig-Wag flag-signaling system during battles; and in some cases, espionage.

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Member, Bloomfield Presbyterian Church; member, treasurer, Adams Lodge, No. 319, Free and Accepted Masons; member, Mackinaw Lodge, No. 380, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Republican, Prothonotary, Perry County, 1867-1870.

Elected, Pennsylvania State Senate, 31st District, Perry, Juniata and Mifflin Counties, 1881-1884; committee assignments, Compare Bills, Education, Insurance, Judiciary Local (Chairman), Library. 

Cited: 

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members S". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1883). Smull, W.P., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 765, 770-772, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 735.

Charles H. Smiley (1844-1912) - Find a Grave Memorial