William Robert Smith

William Robert Smith

William Robert Smith (born August 18, 1863 in Tyler , Texas , †  August 16, 1924 in El Paso , Texas) was an American lawyer and politician . Between 1903 and 1917 he represented the state of Texas in the US House of Representatives ; he later became a federal judge in the federal district court for the western district of Texas.

Career

William Smith attended his home public schools and the Sam Houston Normal Institute in Huntsville . After a subsequent law degree and his admission as a lawyer in 1885, he began to work in Tyler in this profession. In 1888 he moved his residence and law firm to Colorado , Bastrop County . Between 1897 and 1903, Smith served as a judge in the 32nd Judicial District of Texas. At the same time he embarked on a political career as a member of the Democratic Party .

In the congressional elections of 1902 Smith was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC , in the then newly established 16th  constituency of Texas , where he took up his new mandate on March 4, 1903. After six re-elections, he was able to complete seven legislative terms in Congress by March 3, 1917 . From 1911 he was chairman of the committee that dealt with irrigation issues. In 1913 the 16th and 17th amendments were ratified.

In 1916, William Smith was no longer nominated for re-election by his party. After his time in the US House of Representatives, he moved to El Paso, where he practiced as a lawyer again. From April 12, 1917 he was a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas . He held this office until his death on August 16, 1924 in El Paso. He was succeeded by Charles Albert Boynton .

Web links

Commons : William Robert Smith  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• William Robert Smith in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)
• William Robert Smith in the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges

• William Robert Smith in the database of Find a Grave (English)