Born in Jacksonville, Illinois,[1][2] Smith reportedly "read law somewhere in the West",[3] and "traveled to the Washington Territory in the 1850's where he served for a short time as a prosecuting attorney".
[1][2] He married the daughter of Anson G. Henry, who was then surveyor-general of the Washington Territory, and a close friend of President Abraham Lincoln.
[6] Smith "was only twenty-five at the time of his appointment and was assigned to cover the First District by Governor William H.
[2] However, Smith's "inexperience and reputation for hard-drinking raised the ire of many in the territory, so much so that he was removed from office in 1866".
[1] Following his ouster from the court, it was reported that Smith had moved to Vancouver, Washington Territory, to practice law.