Born in
New York City, Smith studied law and was admitted to the
New York bar in 1835. In 1842, he moved to
Janesville, Wisconsin Territory, where he built a mill and practiced law. Smith served as a delegate to the first
Wisconsin Constitutional Convention of 1846 as a representative of
Rock County. In 1847, Wisconsin Territorial Governor
Henry Dodge appointed Smith as the Attorney General of the Territory serving until
Wisconsin became a state in 1848. In 1848, President
James Polk appointed Smith as the
United States District Attorney serving until 1849. In 1853, Smith was elected first Mayor of Janesville after its incorporation as a city. He later served as Mayor again in 1857. He was also involved with the railroad industry and other forms of communication. For some years, he was Regent for the
University of Wisconsin at Madison. ==References==