Ellison Griffith Smith Biography


	This biography appears on pages 147-148 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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			HON. ELLISON GRIFFITH SMITH.  

	Hon. Ellison Griffith Smith, judge of the supreme court from the 
fourth district, has been a member of the bar of South Dakota for over 
a third of a century and has won distinction as a lawyer, legislator 
and jurist. His birth occurred in Cincinnati, Ohio, December 5, 1851, 
and he is a son of Amos G. and Mary (Ellison) Smith, the former born on 
the 14th of April, 1813, in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and the latter 
a native of Trenton, New Jersey. As a child the father was taken by his 
parents, George and Elizabeth (Thornton) Smith, to Noble county, Ohio. 
George Smith was a native of Germany and accompanied his parents on 
their emigration to the United States, the family settling in 
Pennsylvania. There his marriage occurred and he continued to reside 
there until his removal to Ohio. The American progenitor of the 
Thornton family removed from England to the new world many years ago 
and settled in New England.  

	Amos G. Smith grew to manhood in the Buckeye state and was 
married in 1851. For a number of years he followed merchandising in 
Noble county, Ohio, but in 1858 abandoned that occupation on account of 
impaired health and removed to Delaware county, Iowa, where he engaged 
extensively in farming and stock raising for a number of years. He was 
prominent in his locality and was highly respected by all who knew him. 
He passed away in 1908. To him and his wife were born seven children, 
of whom our subject is the oldest. Another son, Jason T. Smith, is also 
a resident of South Dakota. For a time he practiced law in Yankton but 
is now director of agencies for the First National Life Insurance 
Company of South Dakota.  

	Judge Ellison G. Smith, who was but a child when the family 
removed to Delaware county, Iowa, received his elementary education in 
the public schools there. Subsequently he attended Lenox College of 
Hopkinton, Delaware county, which institution conferred upon him the 
degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1871. He prepared for the legal 
profession in the College of Law of the Iowa State University and in 
1874 received the degree of LL. B. In that year he was elected 
principal of the Mechanicsville high school and held that position for 
one year. He then reviewed his law course preparatory to engaging in 
the practice of his profession and in 1876 he made his way to Yankton, 
South Dakota, where he became a partner of Hon. G. C. Moody, who became 
successively judge of the territorial federal court and United States 
senator. Mr. Smith then took charge of the entire law business of the 
firm, which was extensive and important and which included that of the 
office of register in bankruptcy. He proved equal to the splendid 
opportunity thus afforded him and soon gained recognition as an 
attorney of unusual ability. He practiced for a number of years in 
Yankton and appeared as counsel in most of the important litigation 
held in the courts of that district.  

	From 1878 to 1882 he served as territorial district attorney and 
he was for some time the associate of the Hon. Hugh Campbell as special 
assistant United States district attorney. For several years he held 
the position of reporter for the territorial supreme court of Dakota 
and in 1889, while the incumbent in that office, was elected judge of 
the first judicial circuit by reelection he served in that capacity for 
twenty years, or until the 1st of April, 1909, when he was appointed 
judge of the supreme court of South Dakota from the fourth district. In 
the general election held in November, 1910, he was elected to that 
office for a term of six years. He possesses the faculty of going 
surely and directly to the vital point of a matter and has the poise 
and impartiality which are so essential to the judge. As he also has a 
thorough understanding of the basic principles of jurisprudence and a 
wide knowledge of statute and precedent his decisions are sound 
interpretations of the law. Although the greater part of his public 
service has been in connection with the courts he was at one time 
identified with the legislative branch of government, being from 1886 
to 1889 the representative of Yankton county in the territorial 
legislature. He has always given his political allegiance to the 
republican party. 

	Judge Smith was married, in Delaware county, Iowa, in 1877, to 
Miss Anna Kirkwood, a native of the province of Ontario, Canada, who 
passed away in July, 1909, leaving three children: Ellison G., a 
graduate of the Colombian University of Washington, D. C., who is now 
practicing in Sioux City, Iowa; Agnes G., at home; and Amos Campbell, a 
civil engineer connected with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul 
Railroad at Aberdeen, South Dakota.  

	Judge Smith is a York Rite Mason, belonging to St. John's Lodge, 
No. 1, A. F. & A. M., at Yankton; the Royal Arch chapter at Yankton; 
and De Molay Commandery No. 1, K. T., at Yankton. He likewise holds 
membership in the Modern Woodmen of America, the Ancient Order of 
United Workmen and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is an 
honored member of the South Dakota State Bar Association and the 
American Bar Association and cooperates in the efforts of those 
organizations to increase the efficiency of the courts. He was for many 
years a member of the Yankton school board and has always taken the 
deepest interest in the welfare of the public schools, recognizing 
their paramount importance. He belongs to the Congregational church and 
in all relations of life has measured up to high standards of manhood. 
He is held in high esteem not only because of his ability but also 
because of his broad-mindedness, fairness and integrity.