John W. Smith (Detroit mayor)
Encyclopedia
John W. Smith was a long-time member of the Detroit City Council
and was twice mayor of Detroit, Michigan
.
, staying on to fight in the Philippines
for some time.
On his return to Detroit in 1901, Smith attended the University of Detroit for a year, simultaneously becoming a journeyman pipefitter. He next joined the Detroit Shipbuilding Company as a pipefitter
.
Smith married Marie General; the couple had two children: Dorothy and John W., Jr.
politics in 1908, and in 1911 was appointed Deputy State Labor Commissioner by Governor Chase S. Osborn. Two years later he became a deputy at the Wayne County Sheriff's Department. He also served as a deputy US Marshall and deputy county clerk. He was elected to the Michigan State Senate in 1920, and was appointed postmaster of Detroit by Warren G. Harding
in 1922.
In 1924, Smith won election as Detroit mayor after Frank Ellsworth Doremus
's resignation, continuing in the office until 1928. Smith later served on the Detroit City Council
for most of the time from 1932 until his death in 1942. He served one more time as mayor in 1933, acting to fill out the end of Frank Murphy
's term, after the latter had resigned and his successor, Frank Couzens
, also resigned to concentrate on running for election as mayor. Smith ran for mayor off-and-on, including in 1930 and 1936, and for governor in 1934, but was not elected.
John W. Smith died on June 17, 1942.
Detroit City Council
The Detroit City Council is the legislative body of Detroit, Michigan, United States. The City Council consists of nine members elected for a four-year term in a single election conducted on an at-large and non-partisan basis...
and was twice mayor of Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
.
Early life
John W. Smith was born in Detroit on April 12, 1882, the son of John W. and Gertrude Wax Smith. His father died when Smith was five years old, leaving the family poor. He began working as a newsboy when he was six years old. He quit school in the fifth grade, and worked as a pin-setter in a bowling alley and a newsboy, furthering his education on his own at the libreary. He started boxing at a young age, then joined the army at the age of fifteen to fight the Spanish-American WarSpanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, staying on to fight in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
for some time.
On his return to Detroit in 1901, Smith attended the University of Detroit for a year, simultaneously becoming a journeyman pipefitter. He next joined the Detroit Shipbuilding Company as a pipefitter
Pipefitter
A pipefitter is a tradesman who lays out, assembles, fabricates, maintains and repairs mechanical piping systems. Pipefitters usually go through a mix of apprentice and trade school training. Journeyman pipefitters/steamfitters deal with industrial process piping and heating/cooling systems...
.
Smith married Marie General; the couple had two children: Dorothy and John W., Jr.
Politics
Smith became active in RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politics in 1908, and in 1911 was appointed Deputy State Labor Commissioner by Governor Chase S. Osborn. Two years later he became a deputy at the Wayne County Sheriff's Department. He also served as a deputy US Marshall and deputy county clerk. He was elected to the Michigan State Senate in 1920, and was appointed postmaster of Detroit by Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
in 1922.
In 1924, Smith won election as Detroit mayor after Frank Ellsworth Doremus
Frank Ellsworth Doremus
Frank Ellsworth Doremus was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.-Early life:Doremus was born in Venango County, Pennsylvania on August 31, 1865, the son of Sylvester and Sarah Peake Doremus. The Doremus family moved to Ovid, Michigan in 1866, and then to Portland, Michigan in 1872...
's resignation, continuing in the office until 1928. Smith later served on the Detroit City Council
Detroit City Council
The Detroit City Council is the legislative body of Detroit, Michigan, United States. The City Council consists of nine members elected for a four-year term in a single election conducted on an at-large and non-partisan basis...
for most of the time from 1932 until his death in 1942. He served one more time as mayor in 1933, acting to fill out the end of Frank Murphy
Frank Murphy
William Francis Murphy was a politician and jurist from Michigan. He served as First Assistant U.S. District Attorney, Eastern Michigan District , Recorder's Court Judge, Detroit . Mayor of Detroit , the last Governor-General of the Philippines , U.S...
's term, after the latter had resigned and his successor, Frank Couzens
Frank Couzens
Frank Couzens was the son of United States Senator James J. Couzens, and mayor of Detroit, Michigan during the 1930s.-Early life:...
, also resigned to concentrate on running for election as mayor. Smith ran for mayor off-and-on, including in 1930 and 1936, and for governor in 1934, but was not elected.
John W. Smith died on June 17, 1942.