Born in
Piqua, Ohio, Smith moved to
Rock Island, Illinois with his parents in 1850 and again to
Des Moines, Iowa in 1854. He attended public schools and enlisted in the
Iowa Militia for service against the
Indians in 1861. He was appointed a clerk in the
Post Office Department in 1862, serving until 1864 when he was transferred to the
Treasury Department, serving there until 1865. Smith graduated from the
Albany Law School in 1866 and was admitted to the bar later the same year, commencing practice in Des Moines. He served as
district attorney of the fifth judicial district of
Iowa from 1875 to 1879, and was a member of the
Iowa Senate from 1882 to 1884. In 1884, Smith became a candidate for the Republican nomination to succeed retiring Republican Congressman (and former Ambassador to Austria-Hungary) John A. Kasson as representative for Iowa's 7th congressional district. Smith's closest competitor for the nomination was Iowa State Treasurer
Edwin H. Conger, Smith's former law-school classmate. Smith (and Conger) were nominated and defeated their opponents in the November election. Smith served in the lame-duck session, from December 2, 1884 to March 3, 1885. Afterwards, Smith resumed practicing law until his death in Des Moines on November 4, 1894. He was interred in
Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines. ==References==