Lon A. Smith

Lon A. Smith

Full Name: Alonzo Abner "Lon" Smith
Date of birth: March 13, 1869
Date of death: October 21, 1947

Terms of Service top

Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District
S 8 Jan 14, 1919 - Oct 4, 1920 36th (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)   Democrat Henderson / Rusk   Gregg, Harrison, Panola, Rusk, Shelby
S 8 Jan 12, 1915 - Jan 14, 1919 35th (6) (7)   34th (8)   35th (6) (7)   Democrat Henderson / Rusk Senate President Pro Tempore (35th)   Gregg, Harrison, Panola, Rusk, Shelby

(1) "Representatives for Texas Shown": W.T. Davidson of Marshall, in special election 11/20/1920, succeeded unexpired term of Lon A. Smith, elected comptroller 11/2/1920, p. 11, 11/21/1920. Galveston Daily News.
(2) Smith resigned 10/4/1920. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(3) "Democrats get 310,790 votes of 487,559 in Texas": Results of general election canvass announced. Lon A. Smith elected comptroller November 2, 1920, 12/18/1920, p. 1. San Antonio Express.
(4) "Democrats nominate Davidson," 11/3/1920, p. 9. T.W. Davidson nominated for the State Senate...to fill the vacancy created by resignation of Lon A. Smith of Henderson, elected State Comptroller. San Antonio Express.
(5) 36th Legislature - Member-elect in List of State Senators Elected at the General Election Held November 5th, 1918, oath of office administered, 1/14/1919, pp. 1-2. Senate Journal.
(6) 35th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, elected 8/3/1917, 2nd C.S. Senate Journal.
(7) 35th Legislature - Roll Call of Holdover Senators, 1/9/1917, pp. 1-2. Senate Journal.
(8) 34th Legislature - Elected November 3, 1914, oath of office administered to members elect, 1/12/1915, pp. 1-2. Senate Journal.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 8
Jan 14, 1919 - Oct 4, 1920
Legislatures: 36th (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Henderson / Rusk
Counties in district: Gregg, Harrison, Panola, Rusk, Shelby
Senate District 8
Jan 12, 1915 - Jan 14, 1919
Legislatures: 35th (6) (7)   34th (8)   35th (6) (7)  
Senate President Pro Tempore (35th)
(35th)
(35th)
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Henderson / Rusk
Counties in district: Gregg, Harrison, Panola, Rusk, Shelby

(1) "Representatives for Texas Shown": W.T. Davidson of Marshall, in special election 11/20/1920, succeeded unexpired term of Lon A. Smith, elected comptroller 11/2/1920, p. 11, 11/21/1920. Galveston Daily News.
(2) Smith resigned 10/4/1920. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(3) "Democrats get 310,790 votes of 487,559 in Texas": Results of general election canvass announced. Lon A. Smith elected comptroller November 2, 1920, 12/18/1920, p. 1. San Antonio Express.
(4) "Democrats nominate Davidson," 11/3/1920, p. 9. T.W. Davidson nominated for the State Senate...to fill the vacancy created by resignation of Lon A. Smith of Henderson, elected State Comptroller. San Antonio Express.
(5) 36th Legislature - Member-elect in List of State Senators Elected at the General Election Held November 5th, 1918, oath of office administered, 1/14/1919, pp. 1-2. Senate Journal.
(6) 35th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, elected 8/3/1917, 2nd C.S. Senate Journal.
(7) 35th Legislature - Roll Call of Holdover Senators, 1/9/1917, pp. 1-2. Senate Journal.
(8) 34th Legislature - Elected November 3, 1914, oath of office administered to members elect, 1/12/1915, pp. 1-2. Senate Journal.

Biographical Information top

Selected newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

Biographical Sketches

  • Portrait and biographical sketch, Commander Lon A. Smith, Texas Division, S.C.V., Volume 30, Number 1, January 1922, p. 77. Confederate Veteran.
  • Alonzo Abner Smith of Henderson. Biographical sketch, Senate of the 35th Legislature, "A Look at the Affairs of State: The Real Names and Addresses of Thirty-one Senators With Additional Facts," The Houston Post, 3/22/1917, p. 6.
    Alonzo Abner Smith, Comptroller of Public Accounts, born 3/13/1869 in Henderson, Rusk County, Texas. Biographical sketch, photo, and poem by Lon Smith, "Our State Departments and Those Who Conduct Them," The Austin Statesman, 9/4/1921, p. 5. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). March 22, 1917 September 4, 1921
  • Smith, Lon A. Texas State Cemetery.
  • Biographical sketch, Hon. Lon A. Smith, Volume III, pp. 203-204. Texas Under Many Flags, 1930.

Other Resources

  • "Friends, State Employees Pay Last Tribute to Lon A. Smith," 10/24/1947, p. 26. "His body lay in state in the senate chamber prior to funeral services." Amarillo Daily News.
  • "Lon A. Smith to Quit Seat on Rail Board: Olan R. Van Zandt Decides to Run for Place on Commission," 4/21/1940, pp. 1, 6. Smith announced he would not be a candidate for re-election to the Railroad Commission; former State Senator and Comptroller. Dallas Morning News.
  • Obituary, "Lon A. Smith is Death Victim," 10/22/1947, p. 3. Lubbock Morning Avalanche.
  • Mentioned in "Chronological Listing of Key Events in the History of the Railroad Commission of Texas (1866-1939)." Railroad Commission of Texas.
  • Railroad Commissioners Past through Present, with dates of service. Railroad Commission of Texas.

Photographs

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

Committee Information top

36th R.S. - 1919
Agricultural Affairs (Vice Chair) 
Constitutional Amendments  
Governor's Nominations  
Insurance and Banking (Chair) 
Labor  
Public Health  
State Affairs  
State Penitentiaries  
35th R.S. - 1917
Central Investigating Committee  
Counties and County Boundaries  
Educational Affairs  
Enrolled Bills  
Insurance and Banking  
Labor  
Nominations of the Governor  
Public Health  
Roads, Bridges and Ferries  
State Affairs  
34th R.S. - 1915
Bubonic Plague Appropriation Investigation  
Constitutional Amendments  
Counties and County Boundaries  
Educational Affairs  
Engrossed Bills  
Internal Improvements  
Judiciary No. 1  
Labor  
Public Printing (Chair) 
Public Roads, Bridges and Ferries  
State Affairs  

This website is a work in progress. Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.

Party information is not available for the 1st-11th Legislatures.

Have a question, comment or contribution? Email the Library or call 512-463-1252.

Many photos in Texas Legislators: Past and Present are used with permission of the Texas State Preservation Board. For permission to reproduce these photos, please contact the Texas State Preservation Board graphics coordinator at 512-475-3060.