Denver, History of Colorado, BIOS: SMITH, Milton (published 1918)
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"History of Colorado", edited by Wilbur Fisk Stone, published by The S. J. 
Clarke Publishing Co. (1918)  Vol. II


p. 260, 262
photo p. 261


MILTON SMITH.

	Milton Sinith, a very successful and prominent attorney and 
business man of Denver, his practice at the bar placing him in the 
foremost ranks of the legal profession, while his business insight and 
sagacity have been manifest in his judicious investments in some of the 
most important corporate interests of the state, was born in 
Platbrookville, Sussex county, New Jersey, on the 31st of January, 
1866, a son of Samuel D. and Hannah A. (Bevens) Smith. The father was a 
native of Sussex county, New Jersey, and devoted his life to 
merchandising but has now passed away. The mother, also a native of 
that county, is now living with her daughter, Anna, who is the wife of 
William T. Pierson, of Newark, Wayne county, New York. 

	There were but two children in the family, the son being Milton 
Smith, whose name introduces this review. He was educated in the 
district schools of Sussex county and in an academy of Ulster county, 
New York, after which he won a competitive scholarship for Cornell 
University, from which he was graduated with the class of June, 1887, 
winning the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy. While at Cornell he 
became a member of the Chi Psi fraternity and he is also an honorary 
member of Phi Delta Phi, a law fraternity. Mr. Smith studied law in 
Ithaca, New York, and was admitted to the state bar in Binghamton in 
November, 1889. He went to Texas but was not pleased with that state 
and shortly afterward removed to Denver, where he arrived in 1889. For 
a time he was in law offices of others and in January, 1892, he entered 
into partnership with James H. Brown, a connection that was maintained 
for two years. On the expiration of that period he formed a law 
partnership under the firm style of O'Donnell, Decker & Smith, which 
was maintained from 1894 until 1897, when Mr. Decker withdrew and the 
firm style of O'Donnell & Smith was adopted. From January, 1902, until 
January 1, 1907, Mr. Smith practiced alone and then admitted Charles R. 
Brock to a partnership under the firm style of Smith & Brock. In 1913 
they were joined by a third partner under the firm name of Smith, Brock 
& Ferguson, and this connection has since been maintained. They occupy 
a large suite of rooms in the Wight building at No. 1433 Champa street. 
This firm is one of the most prominent in Colorado, representing many 
large corporations and companies, such as the Aetna Life Insurance 
Company, the Maryland Casualty Company and many others. Mr. Smith is 
likewise general counsel for the Rocky Mountain States Telephone & 
Telegraph Company of Colorado, also the Continental Oil Company and is 
general solicitor tor the receivers of the Salt Lake Railroad Company. 
He was the organizer of the Farmers' Reservoir & Irrigation Company, 
which owns much land, embracing miles of irrigation ditches and several 
lakes, including Stanley Lake and Milton Lake, the latter named in his 
honor.

	In 1893 Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Susan Jones and 
to them were born two children: Isabelle, twenty-one years of age, now 
a college student; and Milton, nineteen years of age, a student at 
Cornell. For his second wife Mr. Smith chose Miss Aimee Neresheimer.

	The only office that Mr. Smith has held is that of county 
attorney for two years and yet there is no man who has exercised a more 
potent influence over the politics of the state than he. From early 
manhood he has been active in democratic circles and he has done much 
to shape the policy of the democratic party in Colorado, serving for 
many years as chairman of the state central committee. In this 
connection a contemporary biographer has written: "With him, politics 
was a diversion-a game to be played hard for the several months each 
two years when he undertook control of his party's interests, but it 
could never be said of him that his devotion to politics interfered 
with progress in his profession. The law was always Mr. Smith's first 
concern and even in the hottest part of a political campaign he was 
ever the hard student, jealously guarding the Interests of his clients 
as well as the political fortunes of his party's candidates. During a 
political campaign, Mr. Smith averaged eighteen hours' work a day. In 
those months he would keep a force of half a dozen stenographers from 
early morning till midnight. Rising before six o'clock, he would be at 
his office before break of dawn and have much of his private business 
cleared away before he appeared among the first at democratic state 
headquarters." At the end of twelve years as chairman of the state 
central committee Mr. Smith retired from his position as chairman but 
his advice and counsel have been continuously sought by his successors. 
He is a prominent figure in club and fraternal circles, holding 
membership in the University, Denver Country, Lakewood Country, Denver 
Athletic, Democratic and Denver Motor Clubs, all of Denver, and the 
Rocky Mountain Club of New York city. He is also a prominent Mason, 
having membership in the lodge, chapter and commandery at Palmyra, New 
York, and in El Jebel Temple of the Mystic Shrine in Denver. He is also 
connected with the Knights of Pythias and for recreation he turns to 
golf. He is a man of commanding appearance but of most gracious and 
affable manner, his personal popularity constituting an even balance to 
his professional and business prominence.