Larkin I. Smith
Encyclopedia
Larkin I. Smith was an American
politician from Mississippi
.
Smith was born in Poplarville, Mississippi
. He served at various positions in the Pearl River County
and then Harrison County
police forces, eventually becoming Chief of Police of Gulfport Police Dept. Gulfport, Mississippi and subsequently Sheriff of Harrison County.
In 1988, Smith ran for the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican from Mississippi's 5th District in the southern portion of the state after eight-term incumbent Trent Lott
gave up the seat to make a successful run for the Senate
.
He defeated Democratic state senator Gene Taylor and took office on January 3, 1989. However, he died on the night of August 13 in a plane crash in rural Perry County
near Gulfport, Mississippi
after returning from opening the Little League baseball "Dixie Youth World Series" in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
. The bodies of Smith and pilot Chuck Vierling were not recovered until morning of the next day after a search in which rescuers had to bulldoze their way through the forest in which Smith's single-engine plane crashed. Smith's death was the second death in one week of a U.S. Representative in a plane crash. Representative Mickey Leland
of Texas died in another plane crash in Ethiopia on August 7, 1989.
At the Dixie Youth World Series, two events occurred that would later take on ironic, tragic notes. Then-Mississippi Congressman Sonny Montgomery
helped open the series along with Smith. As part of the opening festivities, a group of skydivers would parachute out of an airplane onto the playing field. Shortly afterward, Smith delivered a few remarks among which he joked "We're really glad to be here, but Sonny and I really wanted to sky dive in . . . Of course, if we had, you'd have been looking for us all night!"
on the twentieth anniversary of the storm that day and wanted to get to Hattiesburg for the baseball event, he felt pressed for time.
Taylor would succeed Smith in a special election held about two months after the crash. He would then be reelected every two years until 2010, when he was defeated by State Representative Steven Palazzo
. His widow, Sheila Smith, ran unsuccessfully against Taylor in 1990 for the seat.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician from Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
.
Smith was born in Poplarville, Mississippi
Poplarville, Mississippi
Poplarville is a city in Pearl River County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,601. It is the county seat of Pearl River County. It hosts an annual Blueberry Jubilee, which includes rides, craft vendors, and rodeos....
. He served at various positions in the Pearl River County
Pearl River County, Mississippi
-National protected areas:*Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge *De Soto National Forest -Demographics:The census estimates of 2006 place the county population over 57,000 and place it among the 10 fastest growing counties in the U.S. As of the census of 2000, there were 48,621 people, 18,078...
and then Harrison County
Harrison County, Mississippi
-National protected areas:* De Soto National Forest * Gulf Islands National Seashore - Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 189,601 people, 71,538 households, and 48,574 families residing in the county. The population density was 326 people per square mile . There were 79,636 housing...
police forces, eventually becoming Chief of Police of Gulfport Police Dept. Gulfport, Mississippi and subsequently Sheriff of Harrison County.
In 1988, Smith ran for the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican from Mississippi's 5th District in the southern portion of the state after eight-term incumbent Trent Lott
Trent Lott
Chester Trent Lott, Sr. , is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and has served in numerous leadership positions in the House of Representatives and the Senate....
gave up the seat to make a successful run for the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
.
He defeated Democratic state senator Gene Taylor and took office on January 3, 1989. However, he died on the night of August 13 in a plane crash in rural Perry County
Perry County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,138 people, 4,420 households, and 3,332 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile . There were 5,107 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
near Gulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
after returning from opening the Little League baseball "Dixie Youth World Series" in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
. The bodies of Smith and pilot Chuck Vierling were not recovered until morning of the next day after a search in which rescuers had to bulldoze their way through the forest in which Smith's single-engine plane crashed. Smith's death was the second death in one week of a U.S. Representative in a plane crash. Representative Mickey Leland
Mickey Leland
George Thomas "Mickey" Leland was an anti-poverty activist who later became a congressman from the Texas 18th District and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus...
of Texas died in another plane crash in Ethiopia on August 7, 1989.
At the Dixie Youth World Series, two events occurred that would later take on ironic, tragic notes. Then-Mississippi Congressman Sonny Montgomery
Gillespie V. Montgomery
Gillespie V. "Sonny" Montgomery was an American politician from Mississippi who served in the U.S. House of Representatives 1967–1997...
helped open the series along with Smith. As part of the opening festivities, a group of skydivers would parachute out of an airplane onto the playing field. Shortly afterward, Smith delivered a few remarks among which he joked "We're really glad to be here, but Sonny and I really wanted to sky dive in . . . Of course, if we had, you'd have been looking for us all night!"
Hurricane Camille
Hurricane Camille was the third and strongest tropical cyclone and second hurricane during the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season. The second of three catastrophic Category 5 hurricanes to make landfall in the United States during the 20th century , which it did near the mouth of the Mississippi River...
on the twentieth anniversary of the storm that day and wanted to get to Hattiesburg for the baseball event, he felt pressed for time.
Taylor would succeed Smith in a special election held about two months after the crash. He would then be reelected every two years until 2010, when he was defeated by State Representative Steven Palazzo
Steven Palazzo
Steven McCarty Palazzo is the U.S. Representative for . The district takes in most of Mississippi's share of the Gulf Coast and includes Biloxi, Gulfport, Pascagoula, Laurel and Hattiesburg. He is a member of the Republican Party. He defeated 10-term Democratic incumbent Gene Taylor with 52% to...
. His widow, Sheila Smith, ran unsuccessfully against Taylor in 1990 for the seat.