BIOGRAPHY: Smyth, William
From the A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875

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Honorable WILLIAM SMYTH. – Probably no more complete sketch of the life and public 
services of this gentleman, who was one of Iowa's most prominent men, can be given than to reproduce 
a portion of the remarks made by Hon. James Harlan in the Senate of the United States, December 22, 
1870, upon introducing the usual resolutions of respect, after the adoption of which the Senate 
adjourned.

The late Hon.William Smyth was born January 3, 1824, of Scotch parents, in Tyrone County, 
Ireland.  When about fifteen years of age he emigrated tot he Untied States; resided a few years in 
Pennsylvania, but ultimately settled in Linn Count. Iowa where he spent some time in agricultural 
pursuits.  In 1845 he commenced the study of law in the office of Judge James P. Carlton, in Iowa City.  
Three years afterwards he was admitted to the bar, and commenced the practice of his profession in 
Marion, Linn County, where he continued to reside until the day of his death. 

He took rank with the ablest members of the profession, and was almost immediately 
designated as Attorney for the State in his judicial circuit, in which office he was continued by the 
suffrages of the people for about five years, when a vacancy having occurred in the office of judge of 
the district court by the death of his old law preceptor, Judge Carlton, he was, by the unanimous 
recommendation of the bar, first appointed by the Governor, and afterwards elected by the people, 
without opposition to fill this high office.  He served with great acceptability to the bar and people about 
three years, when, in 1857, he resigned and resumed the practice of his profession.  In 1858 he was 
chosen by the Legislature chairman of a commission to revise and codify the laws of the state, which 
resulted in what is known in Iowa as the code of 1860.  At the end of this service he was appointed 
chairman of "the commission of legal inquiry", a position requiring the highest order of practical legal 
learning.

	In 1861, immediately after the commencement of the rebellion, he was selected by the 
Legislature as a member of a commission to negotiate the Iowa war loan, to be used in putting the state 
in a condition to repel a threatened rebel attack on the southern border, and to equip the first regiment of 
Iowa troops, raised for the national defense.  August 10, 1862, he was appointed Colonel of the 31st 
Iowa Infantry, with which he marched to the front, encountering, with his comrades in arms, the perils 
and toils of the field until December. 15, 1864, when, on account of what proved to be permanent loss 
of health, he resigned his command, and again returned to the practice of law.  In 1868, he was elected 
to a seat in the forty-first Congress, and in the Autumn of 1879, a short time before his death, was 
nominated by the Republican Convention of his district without opposition for re-election.

These almost continuous employments in judicial, legislative, financial and military positions, 
commencing with the office of prosecuting attorney, and culminating in his elevation to a seat in the 
national councils, will afford an intimation of the estimation in which he was held by the people among 
whom he lived, and by the Legislature and Executive of the state of his adoption.

	It is impossible to present this briefly a critical analysis of his ental and moral character.  But his 
rapid advancement in his profession, and his early elevation to the highest position of honor and trust in 
the various department enumerated, notwithstanding the severe competition and earnest rivalry which 
must always be encountered by a young man without wealth or family influence, in a new and vigorous 
community in a frontier state, sufficiently attests his capacity and sterling qualities of head and heart.  
These qualities did not attract attention so much on account of striking brilliancy, as for the harmonious 
blending of superior mental capacity, moral force and purity of character, resulting in a high order of 
practical ability which crowned his efforts with almost uniform success.  His great qualities and marked 
success seemed to be more the fruits of correct early training, honest industry, severe study, careful 
reflection, and persistent effort than of extraordinary native endowment.  Hence the contemplation of his 
career may be more useful to the youth of the country than that of men of unequaled genius and native 
brilliancy.  The former are self-made; the latter God created; the former invite, the latter forbid 
imitation.

	His parents being of Reformed Presbyterian, he was, of course, brought up in that faith, 
receiving in his childhood the somewhat severe but thorough Scriptural training peculiar to that 
Christian denomination which laid the foundation of a purity of life which challenged the approval of 
the most circumspect.  Nor was the culture of his mind neglected.

	
	He enjoyed the advantages of the primary schools and academical instruction of his native 
country.  This mental discipline was supplemented by a three years course of legal reading under the 
direction of one of Iowa's ablest jurists, before his admission to the bar.  

	It was thus he acquired the studious habits and that capacity for sustained laborous research 
which secured professional eminence, and crowned his public career with marvelous success.

	He was modest and retiring almost to a fault; he did not think of himself more highly than he 
ought; and yet he had that self-respect and confidence in his own capacity which prompted him to 
undertake to do whatever was necessary to be done without much regard for the character of the 
obstacles in his pathway.  But this confidence seemed to be the outgrowth of an abiding faith in the 
capacity of humanity, as a common endowment of the individuals of the race rather than self-esteem.  
He seemed to expect a large degree of personal success, as the legitimate reward of persistent and well 
directed effort, and the confidence and approval of man kind as the just reward of merit.

	He was not inordinately ambitious, nor yet was he insensible to the good opinions of his fellow-
men and the public honors which marked his career.  It is said that he expressed in his boyhood an 
earnest desire one day to obtain a seat in Congress.  He, however, seemed rather to accept, than to seek 
preferment, and more on account of the wider field for usefulness which it afforded him from the 
pathway of virtue, or caused him to swerve a hairbreadth from the line of duty.  He reached the goal of 
his youthful ambition in the meridian of life; his neighbors had freshly crowned him with honors more 
desirable to an American than a royal diadem, when he was cut down in the midst of his years and 
usefulness.