Carey R. Smith President of the Savings Bank of Santa Ana, was born in Strykersville, New York, in 1843. His father, Rev. Dexter P. Smith, D. D. was a native of New York State, and his mother, nee Hannah J. Borland, was a native of Vermont. They moved to Iowa in 1845. Carey was educated at the State University of Iowa, graduating in the normal department in 1860. He then taught school until 1861, when he entered the army, in Company F, First Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, and served three years, most of the time on detached service, his health failing. After the war he returned to the University, entered the collegiate department, and studied a year, and then his failing health compelled him to find a freer life. He owned and managed a dairy farm for five years, thus recruiting his physical powers to enable him to aim again for his greatest ambition, namely, a university education. Accordingly he returned to the University, but at the end of a year was again compelled to desist, and he returned to the dairy farm, engaging also in the breeding of Holstein cattle until about six years ago, when he became a resident of Santa Ana in the best part of the Golden State. In the cattle business he had some extraordinarily good stock; he refused $5,000 for a single cow. His knowledge of cattle was so thorough that he was elected by the American Holstein Breeding Association as an Inspector of the Advanced Registry for the Coast, and has been re-elected ever since. For two years he edited the Western Stock Journal and Farmer at Iowa City.
After settling in California he entered the business of law, money-lending and real estate, but after a year his health compelled him to abandon the business. In 1889 the Savings Bank of Santa Ana was organized, with Mr. Smith as President, C. F. Mansur, Cashier, and Q. R. Smith, assistant cashier. Mr. Smith is a public-spirited man, having aided materially in the growth and development of his adopted city. Fifty shares of gas stock he virtually gave to the county in order to have the plant located in Santa Ana. He took an active part in favor of county division and in securing railroads. He was sent to Chicago as a representative of the citrus fair in 1886.
