Smith Mead Weed (July 26, 1833 – June 7, 1920) was a Democratic lawyer and businessman from Plattsburgh, New York, who served as a member of the New York State Assembly from 1865 to 1867, in 1871, and again in 1873 and 1874. A native of Bellmont, New York, Weed was an 1857 graduate of Harvard Law School. After attaining admission to the bar, he settled in the village of Plattsburgh, where he practiced law and became involved in businesses including lumber, mines, and railroads. He served in the New York State Assembly in 1865, 1866, 1867, 1871, 1873 and 1874. In 1871, Weed's opposition to the

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 City political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society. It became the main loc ...

Democratic organization caused a pro-Tammany Assembly member to assault him; the member resigned rather than face expulsion. Weed attended several Democratic National Conventions as a delegate and was a supporter of Samuel J. Tilden for president in 1876 and 1880. During the controversy that followed the disputed 1876 election, Weed was accused of attempting to bribe election officials in contested states in order to procure their support for Tilden. Weed was a candidate for U.S. Senate three times; when Republicans held state legislative majorities in 1887 and 1905, Weed was nominated by Democrats as an honor, and lost to the Republican nominees. When Democrats held a legislative majority in 1891, Weed expected to be the nominee and win election to the Senate, but deferred to incumbent Governor

David B. Hill David Bennett Hill (August 29, 1843October 20, 1910) was an American politician from New York who was the 29th Governor of New York from 1885 to 1891 and represented New York in the United States Senate from 1892 to 1897. In 1892, he made an u ...

, who went on to win the seat. Weed died on Valcour Island on June 7, 1920, and was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Plattsburgh.

Early life

Smith M. Weed was born in Bellmont, New York, on July 26, 1833, the son of Roswell Alcott Weed and Sarah A. Mead. He was educated in

Franklin County, New York Franklin County is a county on the northern border of the U.S. state of New York. To the north across the Canada–United States border are the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, from east to west. As of the 2020 census, the county popula ...

, studied law with Judge George Mather Beckwith, and attended Harvard Law School, from which he graduated in 1857. He was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

and practiced in the village of Plattsburgh. In addition, he became active in local politics and government, including several terms as village president. Weed was also active in numerous business ventures, including lumber, mining, and railroads.

Political career

Weed was a member of the New York State Assembly from

Clinton County Clinton County may refer to: *Counties named for George Clinton, first and third Governor of New York, and later the fourth Vice President of the United States: **Clinton County, New York ** Clinton County, Ohio *Counties named for DeWitt Clinton, ...

in 1865, 1866, 1867, 1871, 1873 and 1874 (the 88th, 89th, and 90th legislatures, and 94th, 96th and 97th legislatures). In 1867, he was a delegate to the state constitutional convention. In 1871, Weed's opposition to the

Democratic organization led to an assault on Weed by James Irving, a pro-Tammany member of the Assembly; Irving chose to resign in order to prevent being expelled. A supporter of Samuel J. Tilden, Weed was a delegate to the

1876 Democratic National Convention The 1876 Democratic National Convention assembled in St. Louis just nine days after the conclusion of the Republican National Convention in Cincinnati. This was the first political convention held west of the Mississippi River. St. Louis was not ...

. In the dispute that followed the 1876 election, Weed was accused of attempting to bribe election officials in the disputed states to award their electoral votes to Tilden. Weed was also a delegate to the 1880 convention and the one in 1884. He was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in the January 1887 election. Republicans controlled the state legislature, and he lost to Republican

Frank Hiscock Frank Hiscock (September 6, 1834June 18, 1914) was a U.S. Representative and Senator from New York. He served in the United States Congress from 1877 to 1893. Hiscock was a native of Pompey, New York, and graduated from Pompey Academy. Af ...

. In 1890, Weed was a prominent organizer and financial supporter of his party's effort to take control of the state legislature. With a narrow minority in the State Senate but a small majority in the Assembly, the Democrats were positioned to elect on a joint ballot one of their own to the US Senate in 1891 as the successor to

William M. Evarts William Maxwell Evarts (February 6, 1818February 28, 1901) was an American lawyer and statesman from New York who served as U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Senator from New York. He was renowned for his skills as a li ...

. Weed expected to be his party's candidate, but agreed to withdraw if Governor

desired the nomination. Hill decided to run; Weed withdrew as a candidate, and Hill won the Senate seat. Weed was the Democratic US Senate nominee again in 1905; Republicans controlled the legislature, and reelected

Chauncey Depew Chauncey Mitchell Depew (April 23, 1834April 5, 1928) was an American attorney, businessman, and Republican politician. He is best remembered for his two terms as United States Senator from New York and for his work for Cornelius Vanderbilt, as ...

Death and burial

He died on Valcour Island on June 7, 1920 and was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Plattsburgh.

Family

In 1859, Weed married Catherine L. Standish (1836-1885), a descendant of Myles Standish. They were the parents of five children - Roswell Alcott, George Standish, Margaret Celeste, Caroline, Katherine Miller, and Standish Kellogg.

Legacy

Plattsburgh's Smith Weed Bridge is named for Weed, as are the city's Weed Street and Weed Street Extension. Weed's former home at the corner of Sailly Avenue and City Hall Place still stands. It is privately owned, and is the location of a local law firm's offices.

References

Sources

Books

* * *

Newspapers

* * * * * * * *

Internet

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Weed, Smith Mead 1833 births 1920 deaths Harvard Law School alumni New York (state) lawyers Businesspeople from New York (state) Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly Politicians from Plattsburgh, New York Burials in New York (state) 19th-century American lawyers