Bio: Smith, Brayton E. (1874 – 19??)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Smith, Hoyt, Marchetti, Babcock

----Source: History of Marathon County Wisconsin and Representative Citizens, by Louis Marchetti, 1913.

---Smith, Brayton E. (25 April 1874 – 19??)

BRAYTON E. SMITH, a leading member of the bar at Wausau, a member of the law firm of Smith & Leicht, with offices at No. 512 Third Street, is also favorably known in republican political circles and may justly be numbered with the representative men of Marathon County. He was born on a farm in Keokuk County, Ia., April 25, 1874, and is a son of Israel W. and Emma I. (Hoyt) Smith. His parents were residents of Iowa until the spring of 1880, when the family moved to Rock County, Wis., where the father engaged in farming.  

Brayton E. Smith remained at home and assisted on the farm until he was twenty-three years of age, in the meanwhile, however, securing a broadening education, first in the country schools and later in Beloit Academy, graduating from the latter with the class of 1896. In 1897 the family left the farm, moving to Beloit, where he entered college, and continued his studies for two years. In December, 1899 he was appointed to the position of clerk in the U. S. railway mail service. He spent six years in the railway mail service and during the last three years of that period made his home at St. Paul, Minn., devoting all his spare time apart from his official duties to special studies in the law department of the University of Minnesota. In May, 1906, he was admitted to the Wisconsin bar and has been engaged in the practice of his profession at Wausau ever since. On July 1, 1909, when the office of Divorce-counsel was established by act of the legislature, Mr. Smith was appointed divorce counsel of Marathon County, and each year was reappointed and served in the office until October, 1912, when he resigned. From early manhood he has been more or less active in politics and in the spring election of 1912 was a candidate for municipal judge but was defeated by Hon. Louis Marchetti, the present incumbent.

On June 16, 1904, Brayton E. Smith was married to Miss Mary K. Babcock, of Clinton, Rock County, Wis., and they have one son, Orvis B. Mr. Smith is identified with the Knights of Pythias and belongs also to the Fraternal Reserve Association.