In the summer of 1859, Mr. Seth Langton was advised by President Brigham Young of the L. D. S. Church, to settle in Cache Valley. Mr. Langton, in company with Mr. Robert Thornley, arrived in the Valley about August 1859, to look over various locations and locate a land claim. The settlement of Wellsville, Providence, Logan and Mendon were being imbued with the real pioneer spirit and with a keen desire to be one of the pioneers of a settlement with a good sized farm therefore, decided to take a land claim on the Summit Creek (now known as Smithfield). Mr. Langton was quick to see the natural advantages at Summit Creek and none of the settlers at Logan had built any houses there but merely had their gardens and small crops.
Summit Creek, where Smithfield is now situated, was rightly named because of its slight elevation over other sections and Creeks of the Valley. For a number of reasons it was a place which at once attracted the Indians, the trappers and finally colonizers. It commanded a striking view of the Valley and served in a number of ways as a good vantage ground. The creek, with its beautiful groves of cottonwood trees on both sides, was well filled with fine mountain trout, while the groves of cottonwood were thick with wild chickens and other game. With such good fishing and hunting and abundant fuel and good pasturage so near at hand, no wonder it became a summer camping ground for the Indians and later for the trappers.
You can find more details at the following links:
http://www.mendonutah.net/history/cache_county/38.htm
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=181264