(Published in History of Idaho: The Gem of the Mountains Vol. 2 by James H. Hawley 1920)
Hon. Isaac Albert Smoot, residing in St. Anthony, Fremont county, where he has important ranching and real estate interests, has recently retired from the position of land commissioner of the state of Idaho. He was born in Provo, Utah, November 3, 1880, and is a son of the Hon. Abraham Owen Smoot, who passed away in 1914 and who was also a native of Utah, having been born in Salt Lake City, September 9, 1858. He served as state senator in Utah for sixteen years and as United States commissioner for many years and was prominent in the affairs of the state for a very extended period. He was a son of Abraham Owen Smoot, Sr., who was one of the leading Mormons of Utah and one of the high officials of the Mormon church. His birth occurred in Kentucky and he brought the second colony of one hundred Mormons to Utah in 1847, acting as captain of the wagon train. Brigham Young had brought the first one hundred earlier in the same year. Mr. Smoot became president of the Utah Stake of Zion of Utah county and was the first mayor of Salt Lake City, in which position he continued to serve for fourteen years. Later he served as mayor of Provo, Utah, for eighteen years. His second son is United States Senator Reed Smoot, of Utah, the father of Isaac A. Smoot being the eldest son in the family.
Isaac A. Smoot was reared in Provo, Utah, where he acquired his early education, and subsequently was a student in the Brigham Young University of that place. He left the university at the age of nineteen and for four years thereafter devoted his attention to mining in the Tintic district. Later he served for two and a half years as a Mormon missionary in England in obedience to a call from the church, remaining abroad from 1903 until 1906. On his return home he soon became local manager of the Bell Telephone Company at Provo and six months later was promoted to the position of district manager for the corporation, in which capacity he continued to serve for six years. In 1912 he was elected county assessor of Utah county, Utah, while absent from his home town and county, and he never returned home during the campaign. His election therefore indicates most clearly his personal popularity and the confidence which was reposed in him by his fellow townsmen. He was nominated on the democratic ticket during his absence without his knowledge and his brother at the convention attempted to prevent the nomination. Notwithstanding this he received three hundred more votes than any other candidate on the ticket and continued to fill the position for two years.
In the meantime, or on the 31st of March, 1909, Mr. Smoot had married an Idaho girl, the daughter of Samuel R. Parkinson, of Franklin, Idaho, who has now reached the venerable age of eighty-nine years and is one of the oldest pioneers of the state and the second settler of Franklin, Idaho, where he yet makes his home. He, too, is prominent in the Mormon church, in which he has served as bishop for forty years. Mrs. Smoot is one of the thirty-two children of Mr. Parkinson, of whom twenty-nine are living. The Parkinson family, including father and twelve living sons, are all prominent in public affairs in Idaho and Utah. The father's posterity now numbers over three hundred.
Mr. Smoot's marriage to Miss Parkinson finally led to his removal to Idaho, for on the occasion of several visits to his wife's people in this state he became greatly impressed with its possibilities and in 1915 he took up his abode at St. Anthony, where he became interested in both ranching and real estate. In the fall of 1916 he was made chairman of the democratic county committee of Fremont county and succeeded in electing the entire democratic ticket that fall in what is normally a strong republican county. In January. 1917, he was appointed by the Idaho state land board, without solicitation on his part, to the office of state land commissioner. He entered upon the duties of the position on the 1st of January, 1917, for a two years' term but on the 5th of August, 1918, resigned and returned to his former home in Fremont county. He does not seem to have the political ambition which has actuated his father and grandfather and which is so often an incentive for valuable public service. In 1901, however, he filled the office of clerk in the Utah state senate, occupying the position for one term.
To Mr. and Mrs. Smoot have been born three children, two sons and a daughter: Ruth P., Albert P. and Richard P. The initial in each instance stands for the name Parkinson. Mr. Smoot and his family continue their membership in the Mormon church. They are well known in their part of the state and Mr. Smoot is recognized as a man of marked business ability and enterprise who carries forward to successful completion whatever be undertakes.
Hon. Isaac Albert Smoot, residing in St. Anthony, Fremont county, where he has important ranching and real estate interests, has recently retired from the position of land commissioner of the state of Idaho. He was born in Provo, Utah, November 3, 1880, and is a son of the Hon. Abraham Owen Smoot, who passed away in 1914 and who was also a native of Utah, having been born in Salt Lake City, September 9, 1858. He served as state senator in Utah for sixteen years and as United States commissioner for many years and was prominent in the affairs of the state for a very extended period. He was a son of Abraham Owen Smoot, Sr., who was one of the leading Mormons of Utah and one of the high officials of the Mormon church. His birth occurred in Kentucky and he brought the second colony of one hundred Mormons to Utah in 1847, acting as captain of the wagon train. Brigham Young had brought the first one hundred earlier in the same year. Mr. Smoot became president of the Utah Stake of Zion of Utah county and was the first mayor of Salt Lake City, in which position he continued to serve for fourteen years. Later he served as mayor of Provo, Utah, for eighteen years. His second son is United States Senator Reed Smoot, of Utah, the father of Isaac A. Smoot being the eldest son in the family.
Isaac A. Smoot was reared in Provo, Utah, where he acquired his early education, and subsequently was a student in the Brigham Young University of that place. He left the university at the age of nineteen and for four years thereafter devoted his attention to mining in the Tintic district. Later he served for two and a half years as a Mormon missionary in England in obedience to a call from the church, remaining abroad from 1903 until 1906. On his return home he soon became local manager of the Bell Telephone Company at Provo and six months later was promoted to the position of district manager for the corporation, in which capacity he continued to serve for six years. In 1912 he was elected county assessor of Utah county, Utah, while absent from his home town and county, and he never returned home during the campaign. His election therefore indicates most clearly his personal popularity and the confidence which was reposed in him by his fellow townsmen. He was nominated on the democratic ticket during his absence without his knowledge and his brother at the convention attempted to prevent the nomination. Notwithstanding this he received three hundred more votes than any other candidate on the ticket and continued to fill the position for two years.
In the meantime, or on the 31st of March, 1909, Mr. Smoot had married an Idaho girl, the daughter of Samuel R. Parkinson, of Franklin, Idaho, who has now reached the venerable age of eighty-nine years and is one of the oldest pioneers of the state and the second settler of Franklin, Idaho, where he yet makes his home. He, too, is prominent in the Mormon church, in which he has served as bishop for forty years. Mrs. Smoot is one of the thirty-two children of Mr. Parkinson, of whom twenty-nine are living. The Parkinson family, including father and twelve living sons, are all prominent in public affairs in Idaho and Utah. The father's posterity now numbers over three hundred.
Mr. Smoot's marriage to Miss Parkinson finally led to his removal to Idaho, for on the occasion of several visits to his wife's people in this state he became greatly impressed with its possibilities and in 1915 he took up his abode at St. Anthony, where he became interested in both ranching and real estate. In the fall of 1916 he was made chairman of the democratic county committee of Fremont county and succeeded in electing the entire democratic ticket that fall in what is normally a strong republican county. In January. 1917, he was appointed by the Idaho state land board, without solicitation on his part, to the office of state land commissioner. He entered upon the duties of the position on the 1st of January, 1917, for a two years' term but on the 5th of August, 1918, resigned and returned to his former home in Fremont county. He does not seem to have the political ambition which has actuated his father and grandfather and which is so often an incentive for valuable public service. In 1901, however, he filled the office of clerk in the Utah state senate, occupying the position for one term.
To Mr. and Mrs. Smoot have been born three children, two sons and a daughter: Ruth P., Albert P. and Richard P. The initial in each instance stands for the name Parkinson. Mr. Smoot and his family continue their membership in the Mormon church. They are well known in their part of the state and Mr. Smoot is recognized as a man of marked business ability and enterprise who carries forward to successful completion whatever be undertakes.
(Published in History of Idaho: The Gem of the Mountains Vol. 2 by James H. Hawley 1920)
Hon. Isaac Albert Smoot, residing in St. Anthony, Fremont county, where he has important ranching and real estate interests, has recently retired from the position of land commissioner of the state of Idaho. He was born in Provo, Utah, November 3, 1880, and is a son of the Hon. Abraham Owen Smoot, who passed away in 1914 and who was also a native of Utah, having been born in Salt Lake City, September 9, 1858. He served as state senator in Utah for sixteen years and as United States commissioner for many years and was prominent in the affairs of the state for a very extended period. He was a son of Abraham Owen Smoot, Sr., who was one of the leading Mormons of Utah and one of the high officials of the Mormon church. His birth occurred in Kentucky and he brought the second colony of one hundred Mormons to Utah in 1847, acting as captain of the wagon train. Brigham Young had brought the first one hundred earlier in the same year. Mr. Smoot became president of the Utah Stake of Zion of Utah county and was the first mayor of Salt Lake City, in which position he continued to serve for fourteen years. Later he served as mayor of Provo, Utah, for eighteen years. His second son is United States Senator Reed Smoot, of Utah, the father of Isaac A. Smoot being the eldest son in the family.
Isaac A. Smoot was reared in Provo, Utah, where he acquired his early education, and subsequently was a student in the Brigham Young University of that place. He left the university at the age of nineteen and for four years thereafter devoted his attention to mining in the Tintic district. Later he served for two and a half years as a Mormon missionary in England in obedience to a call from the church, remaining abroad from 1903 until 1906. On his return home he soon became local manager of the Bell Telephone Company at Provo and six months later was promoted to the position of district manager for the corporation, in which capacity he continued to serve for six years. In 1912 he was elected county assessor of Utah county, Utah, while absent from his home town and county, and he never returned home during the campaign. His election therefore indicates most clearly his personal popularity and the confidence which was reposed in him by his fellow townsmen. He was nominated on the democratic ticket during his absence without his knowledge and his brother at the convention attempted to prevent the nomination. Notwithstanding this he received three hundred more votes than any other candidate on the ticket and continued to fill the position for two years.
In the meantime, or on the 31st of March, 1909, Mr. Smoot had married an Idaho girl, the daughter of Samuel R. Parkinson, of Franklin, Idaho, who has now reached the venerable age of eighty-nine years and is one of the oldest pioneers of the state and the second settler of Franklin, Idaho, where he yet makes his home. He, too, is prominent in the Mormon church, in which he has served as bishop for forty years. Mrs. Smoot is one of the thirty-two children of Mr. Parkinson, of whom twenty-nine are living. The Parkinson family, including father and twelve living sons, are all prominent in public affairs in Idaho and Utah. The father's posterity now numbers over three hundred.
Mr. Smoot's marriage to Miss Parkinson finally led to his removal to Idaho, for on the occasion of several visits to his wife's people in this state he became greatly impressed with its possibilities and in 1915 he took up his abode at St. Anthony, where he became interested in both ranching and real estate. In the fall of 1916 he was made chairman of the democratic county committee of Fremont county and succeeded in electing the entire democratic ticket that fall in what is normally a strong republican county. In January. 1917, he was appointed by the Idaho state land board, without solicitation on his part, to the office of state land commissioner. He entered upon the duties of the position on the 1st of January, 1917, for a two years' term but on the 5th of August, 1918, resigned and returned to his former home in Fremont county. He does not seem to have the political ambition which has actuated his father and grandfather and which is so often an incentive for valuable public service. In 1901, however, he filled the office of clerk in the Utah state senate, occupying the position for one term.
To Mr. and Mrs. Smoot have been born three children, two sons and a daughter: Ruth P., Albert P. and Richard P. The initial in each instance stands for the name Parkinson. Mr. Smoot and his family continue their membership in the Mormon church. They are well known in their part of the state and Mr. Smoot is recognized as a man of marked business ability and enterprise who carries forward to successful completion whatever be undertakes.
Hon. Isaac Albert Smoot, residing in St. Anthony, Fremont county, where he has important ranching and real estate interests, has recently retired from the position of land commissioner of the state of Idaho. He was born in Provo, Utah, November 3, 1880, and is a son of the Hon. Abraham Owen Smoot, who passed away in 1914 and who was also a native of Utah, having been born in Salt Lake City, September 9, 1858. He served as state senator in Utah for sixteen years and as United States commissioner for many years and was prominent in the affairs of the state for a very extended period. He was a son of Abraham Owen Smoot, Sr., who was one of the leading Mormons of Utah and one of the high officials of the Mormon church. His birth occurred in Kentucky and he brought the second colony of one hundred Mormons to Utah in 1847, acting as captain of the wagon train. Brigham Young had brought the first one hundred earlier in the same year. Mr. Smoot became president of the Utah Stake of Zion of Utah county and was the first mayor of Salt Lake City, in which position he continued to serve for fourteen years. Later he served as mayor of Provo, Utah, for eighteen years. His second son is United States Senator Reed Smoot, of Utah, the father of Isaac A. Smoot being the eldest son in the family.
Isaac A. Smoot was reared in Provo, Utah, where he acquired his early education, and subsequently was a student in the Brigham Young University of that place. He left the university at the age of nineteen and for four years thereafter devoted his attention to mining in the Tintic district. Later he served for two and a half years as a Mormon missionary in England in obedience to a call from the church, remaining abroad from 1903 until 1906. On his return home he soon became local manager of the Bell Telephone Company at Provo and six months later was promoted to the position of district manager for the corporation, in which capacity he continued to serve for six years. In 1912 he was elected county assessor of Utah county, Utah, while absent from his home town and county, and he never returned home during the campaign. His election therefore indicates most clearly his personal popularity and the confidence which was reposed in him by his fellow townsmen. He was nominated on the democratic ticket during his absence without his knowledge and his brother at the convention attempted to prevent the nomination. Notwithstanding this he received three hundred more votes than any other candidate on the ticket and continued to fill the position for two years.
In the meantime, or on the 31st of March, 1909, Mr. Smoot had married an Idaho girl, the daughter of Samuel R. Parkinson, of Franklin, Idaho, who has now reached the venerable age of eighty-nine years and is one of the oldest pioneers of the state and the second settler of Franklin, Idaho, where he yet makes his home. He, too, is prominent in the Mormon church, in which he has served as bishop for forty years. Mrs. Smoot is one of the thirty-two children of Mr. Parkinson, of whom twenty-nine are living. The Parkinson family, including father and twelve living sons, are all prominent in public affairs in Idaho and Utah. The father's posterity now numbers over three hundred.
Mr. Smoot's marriage to Miss Parkinson finally led to his removal to Idaho, for on the occasion of several visits to his wife's people in this state he became greatly impressed with its possibilities and in 1915 he took up his abode at St. Anthony, where he became interested in both ranching and real estate. In the fall of 1916 he was made chairman of the democratic county committee of Fremont county and succeeded in electing the entire democratic ticket that fall in what is normally a strong republican county. In January. 1917, he was appointed by the Idaho state land board, without solicitation on his part, to the office of state land commissioner. He entered upon the duties of the position on the 1st of January, 1917, for a two years' term but on the 5th of August, 1918, resigned and returned to his former home in Fremont county. He does not seem to have the political ambition which has actuated his father and grandfather and which is so often an incentive for valuable public service. In 1901, however, he filled the office of clerk in the Utah state senate, occupying the position for one term.
To Mr. and Mrs. Smoot have been born three children, two sons and a daughter: Ruth P., Albert P. and Richard P. The initial in each instance stands for the name Parkinson. Mr. Smoot and his family continue their membership in the Mormon church. They are well known in their part of the state and Mr. Smoot is recognized as a man of marked business ability and enterprise who carries forward to successful completion whatever be undertakes.
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