John G. Smith (born June 9, 1874) was an American politician from

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

. Smith was elected mayor of

Saco, Maine Saco is a city in York County, Maine, York County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,381 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park, Funtown Splashtown USA, Thornton Academy, as well as General ...

in 1924 during the peak of electoral success for the

Ku Klux Klan in Maine Although the Ku Klux Klan is most often associated with white supremacy, the revived Klan of the 1920s was also anti-Catholic. In the U.S. state of Maine, with a small African-American population but a burgeoning number of Acadian, French-Canadian ...

politics. He was appointed Commissioner of Banking by Governor

Owen Brewster Ralph Owen Brewster (February 22, 1888 – December 25, 1961) was an Politics of the United States, American politician from Maine. Brewster, a Republican Party (United States), Republican, served as the List of governors of Maine, 54th Governor ...

in 1927. He, along with Governor

, State Senator

Hodgdon Buzzell Hodgdon Charles Buzzell (1878 – September 13, 1948) was an American lawyer and politician from Maine. Buzzell, a Republican from Belfast, was elected to six terms in the Maine Legislature, including four in the Maine House of Representatives and ...

were among the most prominent of the state's politicians who were supported by the Klan.

Gubernatorial campaign

In November 1927, Smith announced his candidacy for Governor of Maine. He pledged not to raise money nor "blow his own horn.""Saco Mayor a Candidate for Maine Governor; Won't Blow His Own Horn nor Spend Money." New York Times, November 25, 1927 In a pre-election advertisement, Smith argued against exporting hydroelectricity. In June 1928, Smith, then a resident of Waterville, lost the

Maine Republican Party The Maine Republican Party is an affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Maine. It was founded in Strong, Maine, on August 7, 1854. The party currently does not control the governor's office or either chamber of the Maine Legislature, ...

primary for Governor to

William Tudor Gardiner William Tudor Gardiner (June 12, 1892 – August 3, 1953) was an American politician and the 55th Governor of Maine. Early life Gardiner was born in Newton, Massachusetts on June 12, 1892, the youngest of five children born to Robert Hallowel ...

. Smith finished in fourth and last place, earning 8,810 (10.16%).""HALE RENOMINATED IN MAINE PRIMARY: REPUBLICAN SENATOR DEFEATS GOV. BREWSTER BY WIDE MARGIN-- --GARDINER FOR GOVERNOR." New York Times, June 19, 1928 After his defeat in the gubernatorial primary and Brewster's defeat in the concurrent Senate primary, Klan leader

DeForest H. Perkins DeForest Henry Perkins (December 24, 1872August 7, 1936) was an American educator, real estate developer, and political activist who was the Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan in Maine from 1925 to 1928. Perkins served as Superintendent of Portlan ...

resigned his position."Deforest Perkins Grand Klan Dragon of Maine Resigns" Bangor Daily News, June 29, 1928.

Personal

Smith was born in

Kennebunk, Maine Kennebunk is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 11,536 at the 2020 census (The population does not include Kennebunkport, a separate town). Kennebunk is home to several beaches, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife R ...

. He was married and had 10 children.

References

1874 births 20th-century deaths Year of death missing People from Saco, Maine Mayors of places in Maine Maine Republicans State cabinet secretaries of Maine {{Maine-politician-stub