George Luke Smith

George Luke Smith (December 11, 1837 July 9, 1884) was from 1873 to 1875 a U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 4th congressional district, which encompasses the state's third largest city, Shreveport, Louisiana.

George Luke Smith
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Louisiana's 4th district
In office
November 24, 1873  March 3, 1875
Preceded byAlexander Boarman
Succeeded byWilliam M. Levy
Louisiana State Representative
for Caddo Parish
In office
1870–1872
Personal details
Born(1837-12-11)December 11, 1837
New Boston, New Hampshire
DiedJuly 9, 1884(1884-07-09) (aged 46)
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Resting placeWest Street Cemetery, Milford, New Hampshire
Political partyRepublican
Alma materUnion College
Military service
Branch/serviceUnion Army

Born in New Boston in Hillsborough County in southern New Hampshire, Smith completed preparatory studies and attended Union College in Schenectady, New York.

During the American Civil War, he served in the Union Army. At the close of the war, he relocated to Shreveport to engage in mercantile pursuits. He served from 1870 to 1872 as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives during Reconstruction. He was the proprietor of Shreveport Southwestern Telegram and president of the Shreveport Savings Bank & Trust Company.

Smith was elected as a Republican to the Forty-third Congress to fill the vacancy created by the death of Representative-elect Samuel Peters and served from November 24, 1873, until March 3, 1875. Considered a Carpetbagger, Smith was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1874 to the Forty-fourth Congress and was succeeded by the Democrat William M. Levy.

Thereafter, Smith was appointed collector of customs at the port of New Orleans by U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes, a position that he held from May 4, 1878, to February 20, 1879. He moved to Hot Springs, Hot Springs, Arkansas, to engage in the real estate business until his death there.

He is interred at the West Street Cemetery in Milford, New Hampshire.

Smith was the last Republican to hold the 4th district House seat in Louisiana until 1988, when Jim McCrery won a special election for the position to succeed Buddy Roemer who was elected governor of Louisiana the preceding year.

  • United States Congress. "George Luke Smith (id: S000539)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Alexander Boarman
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Louisiana's 4th congressional district

1873  1875
Succeeded by
William M. Levy
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