Delazon Smith
Encyclopedia
Delazon Smith was a Democratic Party
politician who briefly represented the state of Oregon
in the U.S. Senate in 1859. He served for less than one month (February 14 to March 4), making his term among the shortest on record in the Senate. Smith was also a newspaper editor in New York and Ohio
, and served in the Oregon Territory
's legislature.
on October 5, 1816. He graduated from Oberlin College
in Ohio in 1837, and then began the study of law. Soon after Smith admitted to the bar. In 1838 he established the New York Watchman newspaper in Rochester, New York
, which he edited for two years. Smith also edited the True Jeffersonian and the Western Herald
in Rochester for a time in 1840. In 1841, he founded the Western Empire in Dayton, Ohio
.
, serving in this capacity from 1842 to 1845. He then moved to the Iowa Territory
in 1846 and became a minister. In 1852 he moved to the Oregon Territory
and began editing the Oregon Democrat
. In 1854 he was elected to the Territorial House of Representatives
. There he served as Speaker of the House during the 1855 to 1856 session. The following session was his last as a representative of Linn County
. In 1857 Smith was a delegate to the state's constitutional convention
of that prepared the first constitution in preparation for statehood. Upon Oregon's admission to the Union as the 33rd state, Smith was elected to the Senate, serving from February 14 to March 4, 1859. He was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election.
Less than two years after leaving the Senate, Delazon Smith died in Portland
on November 19, 1860 at the age of 44 years. His interment was at Albany, Oregon
in the Masonic Cemetery.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician who briefly represented the state of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in the U.S. Senate in 1859. He served for less than one month (February 14 to March 4), making his term among the shortest on record in the Senate. Smith was also a newspaper editor in New York and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, and served in the Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
's legislature.
Early life
Smith was born in New Berlin, New YorkNew Berlin, New York
New Berlin, New York is the name of two locations in Chenango County, New York:*New Berlin , New York*New Berlin , New York...
on October 5, 1816. He graduated from Oberlin College
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
in Ohio in 1837, and then began the study of law. Soon after Smith admitted to the bar. In 1838 he established the New York Watchman newspaper in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, which he edited for two years. Smith also edited the True Jeffersonian and the Western Herald
Western Herald
The Western Herald is the student newspaper of Western Michigan University, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It began printing in 1916.The Western Herald is different from many student newspapers because it does not receive university funding...
in Rochester for a time in 1840. In 1841, he founded the Western Empire in Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
.
Politics
Smith's career in politics began when he was appointed a special United States commissioner to QuitoQuito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
, serving in this capacity from 1842 to 1845. He then moved to the Iowa Territory
Iowa Territory
The Territory of Iowa was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1838, until December 28, 1846, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Iowa.-History:...
in 1846 and became a minister. In 1852 he moved to the Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
and began editing the Oregon Democrat
Albany Democrat-Herald
The Albany Democrat-Herald is the daily newspaper of Albany, Oregon, United States. Lee Enterprises owns both the Democrat-Herald and the Corvallis Gazette-Times. The two papers publish a joint Sunday edition, the Mid-Valley Times...
. In 1854 he was elected to the Territorial House of Representatives
Oregon Territorial Legislature
Oregon’s Territorial Legislature was a bicameral legislative body created by the United States Congress in 1848 as the legislative branch of the government of the Oregon Territory...
. There he served as Speaker of the House during the 1855 to 1856 session. The following session was his last as a representative of Linn County
Linn County, Oregon
Linn County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is named in honor of Lewis F. Linn, a U.S. Senator from Missouri who advocated the American occupation of the Oregon Country. By the 2010 US census the population of Linn county was 116,672 showing a 13.2% growth since the 2000 census...
. In 1857 Smith was a delegate to the state's constitutional convention
Oregon Constitutional Convention
The Oregon Constitutional Convention in 1857 drafted the Oregon Constitution in preparation for the Oregon Territory to become a U.S. state. Held from mid-August through September, 60 men met in Salem, Oregon, and created the foundation for Oregon's law. The proposal passed with a vote of 35 for...
of that prepared the first constitution in preparation for statehood. Upon Oregon's admission to the Union as the 33rd state, Smith was elected to the Senate, serving from February 14 to March 4, 1859. He was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election.
Less than two years after leaving the Senate, Delazon Smith died in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
on November 19, 1860 at the age of 44 years. His interment was at Albany, Oregon
Albany, Oregon
Albany is the eleventh largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon, and is the county seat of Linn County. It is located in the Willamette Valley at the confluence of the Calapooia River and the Willamette River in both Linn and Benton counties, just east of Corvallis and south of Salem. It is...
in the Masonic Cemetery.
Works authored
- A History of Oberlin, or New Lights of the West. Cleveland: S. Underhill & Son, 1837.