James M. Smith
Encyclopedia
John M. Smith was an American lawyer and politician from New York
.
In November 1854, he was elected on the Democratic
ticket (a fusion of Hards and Softs
) as Recorder of New York City
, defeating the incumbent Francis R. Tillou
. Upon the creation of the Metropolitan Police in 1857, Recorder Smith became one of the commissioners of the Police Board, along with Mayor Fernando Wood
and City Judge Sydney H. Stuart. When Mayor Wood resisted the new police force, maintaining the abolished Municipal Police instead, Smith issued a warrant for the arrest of the mayor, which led to the New York City Police Riot
. In October 1857, Smith was defeated for re-nomination on the Tammany
ticket by George G. Barnard
.
Later Smith left Tammany Hall, and joined the Anti-Tammany Democratic organizations in New York City, like Mozart Hall and Irving Hall. In 1872, Smith was nominated for New York County District Attorney
on the "National Democratic" ticket.
In the summer of 1896, his wife died in a horse-carriage
accident. Smith then retired from the bar, sold his home at 71 East Fifty-Sixth Str., and went to live in a boarding house in Fourteenth Str. Smith died after several months of suffering from "rheumatic gout" at the home of Mrs. Mary Koehler, 44 Seventh Ave.
, in Manhattan. He was buried in the Sherman family plot in New Baltimore, NY.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Life
He married Emily F. Sherman, and they had eleven children, among them Police Justice Frank Sherman Smith (ca. 1847-1885). None of them survived their parents.In November 1854, he was elected on the Democratic
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...
ticket (a fusion of Hards and Softs
Barnburners and Hunkers
The Barnburners were the more radical faction of the New York state Democratic Party in the mid 19th century. The term barnburner was derived from the idea of someone who would burn down his own barn to get rid of a rat infestation, in this case those who would destroy all banks and corporations,...
) as Recorder of New York City
Recorder of New York City
The Recorder of New York City was a municipal officer of New York City from 1683 until the early 20th century. He was at times a judge of the Court of General Sessions, of the Court of Special Sessions, and the New York Court of Common Pleas; Vice-President of the Board of Supervisors of New York...
, defeating the incumbent Francis R. Tillou
Francis R. Tillou
Francis Redding Tillou was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:On February 15, 1822, he married Caroline M. Drake , a sister of the poet Joseph Rodman Drake , and their son was Charles Graham TillouFrancis Redding Tillou (ca. 1795 – July 10, 1865) was an American lawyer and...
. Upon the creation of the Metropolitan Police in 1857, Recorder Smith became one of the commissioners of the Police Board, along with Mayor Fernando Wood
Fernando Wood
Fernando Wood was an American politician of the Democratic Party and mayor of New York City; he also served as a United States Representative and as Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means in both the 45th and 46th Congress .A successful shipping merchant who became Grand Sachem of the...
and City Judge Sydney H. Stuart. When Mayor Wood resisted the new police force, maintaining the abolished Municipal Police instead, Smith issued a warrant for the arrest of the mayor, which led to the New York City Police Riot
New York City Police Riot
The New York City Police Riot of 1857, known at the time as the Great Police Riot, was a conflict which occurred between the recently dissolved New York Municipal Police and the newly formed Metropolitan Police on June 16, 1857...
. In October 1857, Smith was defeated for re-nomination on the Tammany
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
ticket by George G. Barnard
George G. Barnard
George Gardner Barnard was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was one of only four people tried by the New York Court for the Trial of Impeachments.-Life:...
.
Later Smith left Tammany Hall, and joined the Anti-Tammany Democratic organizations in New York City, like Mozart Hall and Irving Hall. In 1872, Smith was nominated for New York County District Attorney
New York County District Attorney
The New York County District Attorney is the elected district attorney for New York County , New York. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws....
on the "National Democratic" ticket.
In the summer of 1896, his wife died in a horse-carriage
Victoria (carriage)
The victoria was an elegant French carriage, possibly based on a phaeton made for King George IV of the United Kingdom. A victoria may be visualised as essentially a phaeton with the addition of a coachman's box-seat....
accident. Smith then retired from the bar, sold his home at 71 East Fifty-Sixth Str., and went to live in a boarding house in Fourteenth Str. Smith died after several months of suffering from "rheumatic gout" at the home of Mrs. Mary Koehler, 44 Seventh Ave.
Seventh Avenue (Manhattan)
Seventh Avenue, known as Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard north of Central Park, is a thoroughfare on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is southbound below Central Park and a two-way street north of the park....
, in Manhattan. He was buried in the Sherman family plot in New Baltimore, NY.
Sources
- The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (page 428; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
- CITY POLITICS; ...Soft-Shell Judiciary Convention in NYT on October 12, 1854
- City Nominations for Congress, Assembly, and City and County Offices in NYT on November 1, 1854
- Democratic primary Nominations in NYT on October 17, 1857
- THE PEACE DEMOCRACY in NYT on May 8, 1863
- POLITICAL BREVITIES in NYT on October 16, 1872
- IRVING HALL DEMOCRATS in NYT on February 24, 1882
- DEATH OF FRANK SHERMAN SMITH in NYT on April 6, 1885
- JAMES M. SMITH DEAD in NYT on June 6, 1898