Wesley Oliver Smith (April 16, 1878October 20, 1951), commonly known as W. O. Smith, was an American newspaper publisher and businessman from southern Oregon. He owned the Klamath Republican and later the Evening Herald, both Klamath Falls newspapers. Smith was a Republican who served two two-year terms in the Oregon House of Representatives, representing what are today Crook, Deschutes, Grant, Jefferson, Klamath, and Lake counties.
Early life
Smith was born on April 16, 1878, in French Lake, an unincorporated area of New Brunswick, Canada. He was the son of George F. Smith and Anna Smith. His family left Canada and moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, when he was eight years old."Death Claims W. O. Smith",Herald and News, Klamath Falls, Oregon, October 22, 1951, p. 1."Oregon Legislators, Nos. 74, 75, 76, 11",Morning Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, December 5, 1914, p. 5."Wesley Oliver Smith", United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942; National Archives and Records Administration, citing NARA microfilm publications M1936, M1937, M1939, M1951, M1962, M1964, M1986, M2090, and M2097, 100807852 image 270 of 2052; Washington, District of Columbia; accessed via familysearch.org, September 18, 2020.United States Census, 1900; Ward 3, Eau Clair City, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, District 247, Enumeration District, 25, Sheet 14; National Archives and Records Administration, citing NARA microfilm publications T623 image 28 of 38; Washington, District of Columbia; accessed via familysearch.org, September 18, 2020.
In 1895, Governor William H. Upham commissioned Smith as a second lieutenant in the Wisconsin National Guard. He served in Company E of the Third Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry from the time of his commissioning to August 1897. Company E was based in Eau Claire."Wisconsin in War",Portage Daily Democrat, Portage, Wisconsin, December 24, 1895, p. 1."News of Wisconsin",Lake Geneva Weekly News, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, January 2, 1896, p. 6."Wesley O. Smith Second Lieutenant",Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, August 10, 1897, p. 5. With the onset of the Spanish–American War, Smith rejoined the Wisconsin National Guard as a non-commissioned officer. He served as first sergeant for Company E."Our Soldiers Now in Camp",Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, August 24, 1899, p. 5. After the war, Smith moved to Harrison, Idaho, where he briefly worked cruising timber before moving on to Klamath Falls, Oregon.
Life in Klamath Falls
In Klamath Falls, Smith worked for a short time in the lumber business. Then in 1903, he bought the Klamath Republican from W. Huse and Sons. The Klamath Republican was a weekly newspaper that had been published in Klamath Falls since 1896. When he took charge of the paper, Klamath Falls had five newspapers competing for reads in a community of only 3,000 people.Addison, Deb, "Caught in the Rounds",Herald and News, Klamath Falls, Oregon, October 28, 1951, p. 6."Klamath County News",Medford Mail, Medford, Oregon, May 8, 1903, p. 1."Our Story", Smith-Bates Marcomm Solutions, www.smithbates.com, Klamath Falls, Oregon, accessed September 20, 2020.
Smith married Jessie Applegate on December 11, 1904. She was the youngest daughter of Captain Ivan D. Applegate, an early Klamath County pioneer. Nine months later, she died in Klamath Falls, three days after giving birth to a son."Klamath County News",Medford Mail, Medford, Oregon, December 16, 1904, p. 6."Mrs. Jessie Smith Dies",Oregon Daily Journal, Portland, Oregon, August 18, 1905, p. 8. Smith married his second wife, Lena L. Hargus, on October 24, 1906. She was the widow of Doctor H. B. Hargus, and was also the sister of Smith’s first wife. They remained together for the rest of his life."Death of Klamath Physician",Medford Mail, Medford, Oregon, May 25, 1906, p. 1."Klamath County News",Medford Mail, Medford, Oregon, January 22, 1904, p. 3.
In 1908, Smith acquired another Klamath Falls newspaper, the Evening Herald (now the Herald and News), from its founder Fred Cronemiller. After buying the Evening Herald, he purchased and installed a new Linotype machine, the first automated typesetting machine in the Klamath Falls area.Turnbull, George S., "Klamath County",History of Oregon Newspapers, Binfords and Mort Publishers, Portland, Oregon, 1939, pp. 406-407."Mr. W. O. Smith …",Lake County Examiner, Lakeview, Oregon, January 30, 1908, p. 1. Under his management, the Evening Herald became the area’s leading newspaper. Smith continued to publish the Klamath Republican along with the Herald. He eventually changed the Klamath Republican from a weekly to a semi-weekly publication. In 1914, he merged it in to the Evening Herald as a semi-weekly supplement. "Klamath Republican (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1896-1914",History of Oregon Newspapers, Online Computer Library Center number 41290697, Library of Congress,, Washington, District of Columbia, accessed September 21, 2020.
Smith also started a printing business in Klamath Falls. His printing firm was called W. O. Smith Printing Company. While it was separate from his newspaper, it was located in the same building as the Evening Herald."Printing on Time",Evening Herald, Klamath Falls, Oregon, 263 January 1912, p. 3.
Smith was also a prominent member of the Klamath Falls community. He was active in civic affairs and local politics. He helped finance construction of the local Odd Fellows building, the first large office building in Klamath Falls. He also joined the local Elks lodge and helped raise funds to build the Klamath Falls Elks building. Smith later served as president of the local Elks lodge. In politics, he was a strong supporter of the Republican Party, serving as a recording clerk for the Klamath Falls voting precinct and then as chairman of the Klamath County Republican Central Committee."Klamath’s Yesterdays",Evening Herald (reprinted from Klamath Republican, March 15, 1906), Klamath Falls, Oregon, March 22, 1946, p. 4.
State representative
In 1912, Smith decided to run as a Republican for a District 21 seat in the Oregon House of Representatives. At that time, District 21 had two seats that represented Grant, Klamath, and Lake counties as well as Crook County (which at that time, still included what are now Deschutes and Jefferson counties)."For State Representative",Evening Herald, Klamath Falls, Oregon, February 26, 1912, p. 2."1919 Regular Session (30th): January 13 – February 27", Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, Oregon State Archives, Salem, Oregon, accessed September 26, 2020. Smith and Vernon A. Forbes of Bend were the only Republicans to file for the District 21 seats. Since the Republican Party was allowed to nominate two candidates for the two District 21 seats, Smith and Forbes were both nominated in the Republican primary."First Bend Man for State Job",B end Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, March 13, 1912, p. 3. Since no Democratic candidates filed for the District 21 seats, Smith and Forbes were unopposed in the general election."Official Returns of State are Now Nearly Complete", Oregon Daily Journal, Portland, Oregon, April 27, 1912, p. 2."Of 90 Legislators 82 are Republicans",Morning Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, November 13, 1912, p. 9.
Smith took his seat in the Oregon House of Representatives on January 13, 1913, representing District 21. He worked through the 1913 legislative session which ended on March 5."1913 Regular Session (27th): January 13 – March 5", Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, Oregon State Archives, Salem, Oregon, accessed September 18, 2020. During the session, he served on the powerful ways and means committee as well as the irrigation committee."Smith Gets on Two Committees",Evening Herald, Klamath Falls, Oregon, January 15, 1913, p. 1. Later in the session, Smith was appointed to a special committee assigned to investigate conditions in Oregon’s state prisons."W. O. Smith is to be One of Real Probers",Evening Herald, Klamath Falls, Oregon, January 28, 1913, p. 1. Smith was an active member of the House throughout the session. A fiscal conservative, Smith successfully pushed a bill through the legislature that standardized government accounting within the state. After the session, he received special recognition from eastern Oregon farmers for his work on the irrigation committee."Development League is Grateful to O. W. Smith",Evening Herald, Klamath Falls, Oregon, March 3, 1913, p. 1.
In 1914, Smith decided to run for re-election, seeking to retain his District 21 House seat."Brownell File For Governor",Oregon Daily Journal, Portland, Oregon, March 18, 1914, p. 2. He was joined by fellow incumbent Republican, Vernon Forbes. There were also two candidates running in the Democratic primary, P. H. Dencer of Bend and Fred W. Hyndman of Klamath Falls. Since there were two District 21 seats available both parties could nominate two candidates for the general election. As a result, all four candidates were advanced to the general election."More Ener race for Nominations",Sunday Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, March 22, 1914, p. 8. "Number of Ties in Legislative Ticket for Fall Election", Oregon Daily Journal, Portland, Oregon, May 30, 1914, p. 12. In the November election, Smith and Forbes retained their House seats. The final general election tally was 1,366 votes for Smith, 1,157 votes for Forbes, 982 votes for Hyndman, and 742 votes for Dencer."2 republicans Re-Elected",Sunday Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, November 8, 1914, p. 17. "Results of Canvass is Given in Full", Evening Herald, Klamath Falls, Oregon, November 7, 1914, pp. 1, 4.
Smith began his second term representing House District 21 on January 11, 1915. The session lasted six weeks, ending on February 20."1915 Regular Session (28th): January 11 – February 20", Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, Oregon State Archives, Salem, Oregon, accessed September 18, 2020. During the session, Smith was appointed to the ways and means, irrigation, military affairs, and printing committees. "Multnomah Gets Committee Plums",Evening Herald, Klamath Falls, Oregon, January 14, 1915, p. 1.
In 1916, Smith ran for a third term in the Oregon House of Representatives. Since the 1914 election, Jefferson County had been separated from Crook County and Deschutes County was in the process of being created. While these changes did not alter the boundaries of District 21, it did add two new counties to the district."Oregon Political Gossip",Morning Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, March 21, 1916, p. 13. While Smith and Forbes had been the only two Republicans to file for the District 21 seats in the past two elections, two additional Republicans decided to join the field in 1916. The two new Republican candidates were Denton G. Burdick of Redmond and Albert E. Elder of Klamath Falls. In addition, Fred Hyndman filed as a Democrat."Filing Closes with Rush of Aspirants",Sunday Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, April 23, 1916, p. 8. In the Republican primary, Forbes and Burdick were advanced to the general election while Hyndman was nominated in the Democratic primary. "Survey of Seeker on the Legislative Ticket is Submitted", Oregon Daily Journal, Portland, Oregon, May 28, 1916, p. 5.
In 1920 and 1922, several Oregon newspapers identified Smith as a possible candidate for one of the District 21 seats."State Secretary Job is Appealing",Oregon Daily Journal, Portland, Oregon, February 15, 1920, p. 3."Mr. Burdick Candidate",Sunday Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, January 8, 1922, p. 5."Republicans Covet Legislative Seats",Sunday Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, February 5, 1922, p. 17. However, he did not run for state office again."Political Honors Sought by 346 Oregon’s Citizens",Oregon Daily Journal, Portland, Oregon, April 18, 1920, p. 8."Where to Vote",Evening Herald, Klamath Falls, Oregon, May 19, 1922, p. 1.
Later life