US Congressman. Born in Ostfriesland, Hanover, Germany, he immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1850, settling in Pekin, Illinois. He was attending Quincy College in Quincy, Illinois when the Civil War began. He enlisted in the Union Army, and was mustered in as a Sergeant in Company F, 8th Illinois Volunteer Infantry on April 25, 1861. He served a three month enlistment, and was honorably mustered out on July 25, 1861. However, the 8th Illinois was re-organized as a three-year enlistment regiment, Dietrich C. Smith was re-mustered in as a Sergeant in Company I on that date. A little over a month later he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on September 1, 1861. In the April 1862 Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee, he was shot in the shoulder, and after many months of convalescing he proved to be unfit for duty because of the wound, and he resigned on September 3, 1862. By 1864 he had recovered enough to re-join the Union War effort, and was commissioned Captain of Company C, 139th Illinois Volunteer Infantry on June 1, 1864. The regiment, a 100-Day enlistment unit, performed garrison duty in Illinois and Kentucky, and was mustered on October 28, 1864. After the war Dietrich Smith became a successful banker and financier, and invested in construction and administration of railroads. He served a term in the Illinois State Legislature, then was elected as a Republican to represent Illinois’ 13th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1881 to 1883. Defeated for the seat by William McKendree Springer in 1882, he returned to his banking career in his hometown of Pekin, Illinois, where he passed away in 1914.
US Congressman. Born in Ostfriesland, Hanover, Germany, he immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1850, settling in Pekin, Illinois. He was attending Quincy College in Quincy, Illinois when the Civil War began. He enlisted in the Union Army, and was mustered in as a Sergeant in Company F, 8th Illinois Volunteer Infantry on April 25, 1861. He served a three month enlistment, and was honorably mustered out on July 25, 1861. However, the 8th Illinois was re-organized as a three-year enlistment regiment, Dietrich C. Smith was re-mustered in as a Sergeant in Company I on that date. A little over a month later he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on September 1, 1861. In the April 1862 Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee, he was shot in the shoulder, and after many months of convalescing he proved to be unfit for duty because of the wound, and he resigned on September 3, 1862. By 1864 he had recovered enough to re-join the Union War effort, and was commissioned Captain of Company C, 139th Illinois Volunteer Infantry on June 1, 1864. The regiment, a 100-Day enlistment unit, performed garrison duty in Illinois and Kentucky, and was mustered on October 28, 1864. After the war Dietrich Smith became a successful banker and financier, and invested in construction and administration of railroads. He served a term in the Illinois State Legislature, then was elected as a Republican to represent Illinois’ 13th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1881 to 1883. Defeated for the seat by William McKendree Springer in 1882, he returned to his banking career in his hometown of Pekin, Illinois, where he passed away in 1914.
Bio by: RPD2
Family Members
Siblings
Advertisement
See more Smith memorials in:
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
