Ellison Griffith Smith


	This biography appears on pages 812-813 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	HON. ELLISON GRIFFITH SMITH.- Distinguished as lawyer, jurist, 
legislator and official, also enjoying marked precedence as a citizen, 
few men of South Dakota have been as prominently before the public as 
Hon. Ellison Griffith Smith, of Yankton, present judge of the first 
judicial circuit. Mr. Smith is a native of Noble county, Ohio, and the 
son of Amos and Mary (Ellison) Smith, the father born April 14, 1813, 
in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, the mother in the state of Ohio. When a 
child Amos Smith was taken by his parents, George and Elizabeth 
(Thornton) Smith, to Noble county, Ohio, where he grew to manhood. His 
father was a native of Germany, but was brought to this country when 
quite young and spent his youth and early married life in Pennsylvania, 
subsequently, as stated above, becoming one of the pioneers of Ohio. 
The Thorntons came originally from England and settled in one of the 
eastern colonies. During the war of the Revolution they remained loyal 
to the mother country, and being pronounced in their Tory sentiments, 
they suffered great hardships at the hands of their Whig neighbors, 
losing nearly all their property besides being subjected to many 
personal indignities.  

	Amos Smith, the subject's father, was married at the age of 
thirty-eight to Miss Mary Ellison and for some years followed 
merchandising in Noble county. By reason of impaired health, he 
disposed of his interests and removed with his family to Delaware 
county where he acquired large landed property and engaged quite 
extensively in agricultural pursuits and stock raising. He still owns 
about five hundred acres in the richest farming districts of that state 
and is one of the wealthy men and prominent citizens of the county in 
which he lives. To Amos and Mary Smith have been born seven children, 
namely: Ellison Griffith, whose name introduces this review; Emma, 
widow of E. C. Brown, of Aberdeen; Amos, an architect, living at 
Hopkinton, Iowa; Abbie, wife of H. C. Jackson, also resides in that 
place; Jason T., attorney at law, Yankton; Carrie B., now Mrs. Dr. F. 
A. Williams, of Chicago, Illinois, and Edith, who is still with her 
parents, all living and well settled in life.  

	Ellison Griffith Smith was born December 5, 1851, and when a 
child was taken to Delaware county, Iowa, where he spent his youth 
under the wholesome and invigorating discipline of the farm. After 
acquiring his preliminary education in the common schools, he took a 
course in Lennox College, and later entered the University of Iowa, 
from which institution he was graduated in 1871 with the degree of 
Bachelor of Arts. His literary education finished, he took up the study 
of law and in 1873 was graduated from the law department of the State 
University, after which he spent some time on the farm for the purpose 
of recuperating his health, which had become considerably impaired on 
account of the strenuous character of his legal studies. In the fall of 
1873 Mr. Smith was elected principal of the Mechamesville high school 
and at the close of the term he entered the office of a prominent 
attorney with the object in view of reviewing his studies preparing to 
engage in the practice of his profession. Later he drifted west and in 
1876, during the gold excitement in the Black Hills, made his way to 
Yankton, South Dakota, where he affected a co-partnership in the law 
with Hon. G. C. Moody, at that time judge of the circuit court, but 
later federal judge and United States senator. Mr. Smith began the 
practice at Yankton under most favorable auspices and at once stepped 
into a large and lucrative business which his distinguished associate 
had previously acquired. After Mr. Moody's election to the federal 
judgeship the entire business fell to the subject, including the office 
of register in bankruptcy, and right well did he look after the 
interests of his clientele, winning in a short time a conspicuous place 
among the representative members of the Yankton bar. After practicing 
for some years with a large measure of success and gaining much more 
than local repute, he was elected reporter of the supreme court, which 
position he held some eight or ten years, the meanwhile looking after 
his private interests. While serving as reporter, Mr. Smith was made 
district court judge and in this capacity presided at the first court 
ever held in the city of Pierre. He was also associated for some time 
with Hon. Hugh J. Campbell as assistant United States district 
attorney, and later succeeded to that office and discharged his duties 
in an able and satisfactory manner for a period of about four years. 
Mr. Smith, in 1885, was elected judge of the first judicial circuit and 
has filled this high and responsible position by continuous reelections 
ever since, his career on the bench having been eminently satisfactory 
and honorable. He seldom commits errors of sufficient import to justify 
reversal at the hands of the supreme court, and to the lawyers and 
litigants he is universally courteous, thus winning the confidence and 
high regard of all having business to transact in his jurisdiction.  

	In the years 1887-8 Judge Smith represented the first senatorial 
district in the state legislature and took an active part in the 
deliberations of the session. He has been a member of the Yankton 
school board for a number of years and as such has labored diligently 
and untiringly to advance the standard of education in the city. The 
Judge is a Mason of high degree, belonging to the blue lodge in 
Yankton, also to DeMolay Commandery No. 1, of the same place. His name 
adorns the records of the local lodges of Odd Fellows, Ancient Order 
United Workmen and Modern Woodmen of America, in all of which he is a 
zealous member.  

	In 1877 Judge Smith was united in marriage with Miss Anna 
Kirkwood, of Hopkinton, Iowa, the union being blessed with three 
children: Agnes, Ellison G. and Amos C., who, with their parents, 
constitute a happy and agreeable home circle. In politics the Judge is 
a staunch Republican and his influence has had much to do in shaping 
the policy of the party in this state and promoting its success.