William Pruden Smith

William Pruden Smith (March 4, 1876 - January 20, 1923) was a prominent attorney, soldier and the City of Miami's ninth mayor.

William P Smith
9th Mayor of Miami
In office
1919–1921
Preceded byJ.W. Watson
Succeeded byC.D. Leffler
Personal details
BornMarch 4, 1876
Dalton, Georgia, US
DiedJanuary 20, 1923
Atlanta, Georgia, US
SpouseMay Garner Smith
ChildrenWilliam Pruden Smith Jr, Katherine Smith
ProfessionAttorney
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1918-1919
RankCaptain

Career

Smith spent his early career in Jacksonville, Florida where he practiced law. He and his wife had a house in Miami as early as 1908. Mr. Smith moved to Miami in 1911 where he become the third member of the successful partnership, Shutts, Smith, and Bowen. He had to leave the practice in 1919 when he was elected Mayor of Miami.[1] Later, Smith joined another law firm with former State Representative, Simon Pierre Robineau.[2]

Notably, he was admitted to the U.S.Supreme Court Bar in 1916.[3]

Smith was commander of the Dade County Guard, the local volunteer militia. The County Guards were authorized by the Florida legislature in 1917 to replace the Florida National Guard, which had been called up for service in the regular United States military during World War I.[4]

He was later a captain in the US Army, assigned to General Staff during World War I.[5]

Philanthropic and civic activities

Smith was active in the Elks Club. He is cited as having made the call to organize a veteran's group in Miami after World War I. The group became the first American Legion post of Florida, Miami's Harvey W Seeds American Legion Post #29.[6]

See also

References

Notes
  1. "Shutts & Bowen LLP, A Centennial History" (PDF). Shutts & Bowen LLP. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  2. Martindale's American Law Directory. New York. 1921. Retrieved September 26, 2023.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. Journal of the Supreme Court, US. October 21, 2023. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  4. "Florida Memory". Florida Memory. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  5. Staff (January 21, 1923). "William Pruden Smith Dead". Miami Herald (1): 4.
  6. Morales, Ralph (2018). Harvey W Seeds American Legion Post #29 History (1st ed.). ISBN 978-0692128497. Retrieved September 4, 2023.

Bibliography
  • Morales, Ralph (2018). Harvey W Seeds American Legion Post #29 History. Miami: Harvey Seeds Press. ISBN 978-0692128497.
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