John Walter Smith

John Walter Smith
United States Senator from Maryland
In office March 25, 1908 – March 3, 1921
Preceded by	William Pinkney Whyte
Succeeded by	Ovington Weller
44th Governor of Maryland
In office January 10, 1900 – January 13, 1904
Preceded by	Lloyd Lowndes, Jr.
Succeeded by	Edwin Warfield
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 1st district
In office March 4, 1899 – January 12, 1900
Preceded by	Isaac A. Barber
Succeeded by	Josiah L. Kerr
Personal details
Born	February 5, 1845 Snow Hill, Maryland
Died	April 19, 1925(1925-04-19) (aged 80) Baltimore, Maryland
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Mary Frances Richardson
Children	Charlotte Whittington, Georgia
Religion	Presbyterian

John Walter Smith (February 5, 1845 – April 19, 1925), a member of the United States Democratic Party, served the State of Maryland in the United States in several different positions. From 1899–1900, he was a Congressman representing the 1st district of Maryland; from 1900–1904, he was the 44th Governor of Maryland; and from 1908–1921, he was the junior United States Senator of Maryland till November 25, 1912, and thereafter was the senior Senator till March 3, 1921.

Early life and career

Smith was born at Snow Hill, Maryland, and attended private schools and Union Academy. His mother died during childbirth, and his father died when he was five. Ephraim King Wilson assumed guardianship of Smith, and raised him. He engaged in the lumber business in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina before becoming president of the First National Bank of Snow Hill and director in many business and financial institutions.

Beginning his political career, Smith was elected to the Maryland State Senate in 1889, 1893, and 1897, and served as president of the Senate in 1894. Following the death of U.S. Senator to Maryland Ephraim K. Wilson in 1891, Smith sought to be elected to replace him, but lost nomination to fellow Democrat Charles H. Gibson. He was elected to the 56th Congress in 1898 from the 1st Congressional district of Maryland, but served for less than a year before being unexpectedly nominated for Governor of Maryland by the Democratic State Convention in 1899. Smith was victorious against incumbent governor Lloyd Lowndes, Jr.

Governor of Maryland

As Governor, Smith promoted education, labor, and healthcare reform. In education, Smith reorganized the public school system, guaranteed free textbooks for all students, appointed a school superintendent, and removed the Agricultural College of Maryland (now known as the University of Maryland, College Park) from private control and placed it under the guidance of the State. He also improved the State's workmen's compensation program, encouraged a merit system for promotions, reorganized health laws and constructed a State psychiatric hospital. Governor Smith is also credited with signing into law the Certified Public Accountant Act, making Maryland the third state to create a Profession of Public Accounting with an exam, and state licensing and oversight. Smith also freed the State from much of its debt by the time he departed from the position in 1904.

U.S. Senate

After another unsuccessful attempt at a Senate election in 1904, Smith was chosen to fill the vacancy resulting from the death of Senator William Pinkney Whyte in 1908. He was re-elected in 1909 and 1914 and served from March 25, 1908, to March 3, 1921. He lost election in 1920 for a third term as Senator to Ovington E. Weller.

As senator, Smith was chairman of the Committee to Investigate Trespassers Upon Land (62nd Congress), the Committee on the District of Columbia (63rd through 65th Congresses), and the Committee to Examine Branches of the Civil Service (66th Congress).

Smith retired to private life and died in Baltimore, Maryland. He is buried in the Makemie Memorial Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Snow Hill, MD.

References

• John Walter Smith at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Frank F. White, Jr., The Governors of Maryland 1777–1970 (Annapolis: The Hall of Records Commission, 1970), 179–183.
• John Walter Smith – Delmarva Heritage Series

Governors of Maryland Provincial (1632–1776) L. Calvert Greene Stone Fendall P. Calvert C. Calvert, 3rd Baron Wharton Notley C. Calvert, 3rd Baron B. Calvert Joseph Coode Neh. Blakiston Copley Lawrence Andros Greenberry Andros Lawrence Nicholson Nat. Blakiston Tench Seymour Lloyd Hart Brooke C. Calvert, 5th Baron B.L. Calvert Ogle C. Calvert, 5th Baron Ogle Bladen Ogle Tasker Sharpe Eden State (since 1776) Johnson T. Lee Paca Smallwood J. Howard Plater Brice T. Lee Stone Henry Ogle Mercer R. Bowie Wright E. Lloyd R. Bowie Winder Ridgely C. Goldsborough Sprigg Stevens Kent Martin T. Carroll Martin G. Howard J. Thomas Veazey Grason F. Thomas Pratt P. Thomas Lowe Ligon Hicks Bradford Swann O. Bowie Whyte Groome J. Carroll Hamilton McLane H. Lloyd Jackson Brown Lowndes Smith Warfield Crothers P. Goldsborough Harrington Ritchie Nice O'Conor Lane McKeldin Tawes Agnew Mandel B. Lee Hughes Schaefer Glendening Ehrlich O'Malley Hogan Italics indicate acting officeholders

United States Senators from Maryland Class 1 Carroll Potts Howard S. Smith Harper Hanson Pinkney S. Smith Kent Merrick Johnson Stewart Pratt Kennedy Johnson Whyte Hamilton Whyte Gorman McComas Rayner Jackson Lee France Bruce P. Goldsborough Radcliffe O'Conor Beall, Sr. J. Tydings Beall, Jr. Sarbanes Cardin Class 3 Henry J. Lloyd Hindman Wright Reed R. Goldsborough E. Lloyd Chambers R. Goldsborough Spence Kerr Pearce Hicks Creswell Vickers Dennis Groome Wilson Gibson Wellington Gorman Whyte J. Smith Weller M. Tydings Butler Brewster Mathias Mikulski