C. Sam Smith was Crook Sheriff from 1902-1906. (Submitted by Bowman Museum)

Charles Samuel Smith commonly known as C. Sam Smith was born on March 2, 1858, in Linn County, Oregon. He grew up in Linn County and came to Central Oregon in 1875 and operated a ranch on upper Ochoco Creek that later became known as the Keystone Ranch. He married Frances Vivian Cleek in Crook County on Sept. 29, 1883. Frances was born on Oct. 21, 1866, in Plainview, Linn County, Oregon. Her parents were early settlers in the Grizzly area of Central Oregon. Charles and Frances had four children.

Mr. Smith was a good friend of Jim Blakely, who was the first elected sheriff of Crook County. He sided with Blakely against the Vigilantes prior to Blakely’s election as sheriff in 1884. He was primarily a cattle rancher and had a very prosperous ranch. 

He was elected Crook County Sheriff and served from 1902-1906. He was also treasurer of the Crook County Cattlemen’s Association. He had lived in the county through turbulent times, including the Vigilante era and the Sheep and Cattle Range War era.

In 1908, the sheep camp of John Williamson was torched and soon after, his shearing plant and other buildings were destroyed by arson. Larken Elliott was caught and confessed to the arson and stated that C. Sam Smith had hired him to cause the damage. Smith denied the charges but was convicted along with Elliott for the arson crime. He was sentenced to four years in the penitentiary. He returned to Prineville after his sentence was completed and was active in local affairs.

He died suddenly from apoplexy on May 30, 1920, while working in a field. He was buried in Juniper Haven Cemetery in Prineville. Frances lived on for several years and passed away in Glendale, California, on Jan. 30, 1952. She is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, in Glendale.

Steve Lent is a Crook County historian. He can be reached at 541-447-3715.