She was the daughter of J. Gardner Smith (died 1931), who was President of the Harlem Board of Commerce.

[2] At the election in November 1919, she defeated the incumbent Democratic assemblyman Martin J. Healy,[3] and sat in the 143rd New York State Legislature in 1920.

On the last day of the regular session, she occupied for about half an hour the Speaker's chair, being the first woman to preside over the Assembly.

[4] She was re-elected in November 1920 to the 144th New York State Legislature, and was Chairwoman of the Committee on Social Welfare.

In November 1921, she ran again for re-election, but was defeated by Democrat James Male who had been endorsed by the Citizens Union.