William Smyth (January 3, 1824 – September 30, 1870) was a nineteenth-century politician, lawyer and judge from

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...

. Born in Eden, Ireland, Smyth attended rural schools as a child, completed preparatory studies and immigrated to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

with his parents in 1838, settling in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. He moved to

in 1844, attended the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 col ...

, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1847, commencing practice in

Marion, Iowa Marion is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26,294 at the 2000 census and was 41,535 in 2020, an increase of 58%. The city is located next to Cedar Rapids and part of the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids ...

. Smyth served as

prosecuting attorney A prosecutor is a legal representative of the prosecution in states with either the common law adversarial system or the civil law inquisitorial system. The prosecution is the legal party responsible for presenting the case in a criminal trial ...

Linn County, Iowa Linn County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 230,299, making it the second-most populous county in Iowa. The county seat is Cedar Rapids. Linn County is named in honor of Senator Lewis F. ...

from 1848 to 1853 and was appointed judge of the district court for the fourth judicial district of

in 1853, serving until 1857. He resumed practicing law and in 1858 served as chairman of the commission to codify and revise the Iowa State laws. During the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, he served as

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

of the

31st Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 31st Iowa Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 31st Iowa Infantry was organized at Davenport, Iowa and mustered in for three years of Federal service on Octob ...

for two years. Smyth was elected a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

to represent

Iowa's 2nd congressional district Iowa's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers most of its southeastern part. It includes Davenport, Iowa City, Muscatine, Clinton, Burlington, Ottumwa, Fort Madison, Oskaloosa, Bette ...

the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

in 1868, serving from March 1869 until his death in

on September 30, 1870, while running for reelection."Death of Congressman Smyth," Dubuque Daily Herald, 1870-10-01 at p. 1. He was interred in Oak Shade Cemetery in Marion.

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Retrieved on 2008-02-15 * 1824 births 1870 deaths District attorneys in Iowa Iowa state court judges Irish emigrants to the United States (before 1923) People of Iowa in the American Civil War Union Army colonels University of Iowa College of Law alumni People from Marion, Iowa Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Iowa 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American judges {{AmericanCivilWar-bio-stub

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