Bryan County History: Caddo's first famous graduate
Claude Smith-
Caddo’s Famous First Graduate
The front page of the Caddo Herald, September 12, 1930, declared: Claude Smith Wins in Arizona Judge’s Race- “In Tuesday’s primary election Claude Smith won the democratic nomination for Judge of Superior Court at Tucson and probably will be elected in November. Claude is a Caddo boy, born and raised, and his many friends are proud of his distinction in another state.”
Claude, born on March 26, 1891, at Jackson, I. T., was the son of William. T. and Louvina (Bohannon) Smith. His father was a successful businessman and his mother was a member of a prominent Choctaw family. The Smiths later moved to Caddo, where in 1908 Claude was a member of the high school’s first graduating class. His classmates were: Aileen Clinkscales, Thomas Craghead, Mark Hall, William Harrison, Clara Petty and Morgan Ray. That fall he attended Washington and Lee University in Virginia to study history and economics. In 1910 he suffered an eye problem that caused him to temporarily give up his studies, but once he resumed them, he quickly earned his law degree. He took and passed the bar examination in Oklahoma City in June of 1913. In a campaign statement in 1916 he gave the history of his early career: “I continued the practice at Caddo until September 1914 when I entered the law department of Yale University at New Haven, Connecticut to take post-graduate work in Constitutional Law and Criminal Law. I remained at Yale until January 1915, and in February 1915 I moved to Durant where I engaged in the practice of law and where I have since resided, being at this time a member of the law firm of Smith & Stinson.”
Claude was very popular with his colleagues and clients and a frequently requested speaker at local events. He was a member of the Phi Delta fraternity, an active young Democrat, and a member of the Presbyterian Church. He was appointed U.S. probate attorney in Pauls Valley, but resigned in 1917 to serve in the army. In 1918 he was in Company A Central Officers’ Training School, Waco, Texas.
After his service he was reassigned as probate attorney, this time to Hugo, Oklahoma. Again, he was forced to quit when his health declined. Both influenza and tuberculosis are mentioned in the papers as his ailments. He moved to Arizona, where he underwent treatment for two years before resuming his law practice.
Over the next decade Claude was state senator for Pima County, county attorney, commander of Cactus Chapter, No. 2., D.A.V., Judge Advocate of the American Legion Department of Arizona, and Exalted Ruler of the B.P. O. E. In 1928 he was the president of the Pima county Al Smith for President Club.
Claude clearly had a bright future ahead of him. The editor of the Arizona Daily Star called him “one of the most popular men of the Southwest”, so it was a shock to everyone when he died unexpectedly of a hemorrhage in September of 1931.
His memorial service was held in the superior court room with Superior Judge Fred W. Fickett and James R. Dunseth, president of the county bar association, presiding. Speaker was K. Berry Peterson, State Attorney General. Numerous judges and attorneys attended. Those caught up in trials elsewhere sent telegrams. Clarence Houston wrote: “I would say he lived well. He served better.”
The court room closed at 3 p.m. and his body lay in state for an hour, guarded by six members of the Elks drum and bugle corps before his funeral was held at Trinity Presbyterian. A huge crowd representing all ages and professions attended. A motorcycle squad escorted his body to the American Legion plot of Evergreen Cemetery where he was buried with full military honors. An airplane dropped flowers.
Claude Smith died without a will. His mother inherited his $5,000 in real estate and personal property; $8,000 insurance. She returned to Caddo where she lived with her daughter, Mrs. Henry Edwards, until she died in March 1933. Claude’s parents, sister, and her husband are buried at Gethsemane in Caddo.
Bryan County History is a weekly feature contributed by members of the Bryan County Genealogy Library and Archives in Calera. The views and opinions expressed here are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Texoma Marketing and Media Group. Is there a historic event or topic you want to read about? Contact the library at P.O. Box 153, Calera, OK 74730.
This article originally appeared on Herald Democrat: Bryan County History: Caddo's first famous graduate
