M. Hoke Smith
| Michael Hoke Smith | |
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United States Senator from Georgia |
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In office November 16, 1911 – March 4, 1921 |
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| Preceded by | Joseph M. Terrell |
| Succeeded by | Thomas E. Watson |
| 58th Governor of Georgia | |
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In office July 1, 1911 – November 16, 1911 |
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| Preceded by | Joseph M. Brown |
| Succeeded by | John M. Slaton |
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In office June 29, 1907 – June 26, 1909 |
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| Preceded by | Joseph M. Terrell |
| Succeeded by | Joseph M. Brown |
| 19th United States Secretary of the Interior | |
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In office March 6, 1893 – September 1, 1896 |
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| President | Grover Cleveland |
| Preceded by | John Willock Noble |
| Succeeded by | David R. Francis |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
September 2, 1855 Newton, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | November 27, 1931 (aged 76) U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Marion "Birdie" Cobb Smith |
| Profession | Politician, Lawyer |
Michael Hoke Smith (September 2, 1855 – November 27, 1931) was an American politician and newspaper owner who served as United States Secretary of the Interior (1893–1896), 58th Governor of Georgia (1907–1909, 1911), and a United States Senator (1911–1920) from Georgia.
Smith was born in Newton, North Carolina, and moved to Georgia in 1872 with his parents. He attended Pleasant Retreat Academy and was primarily educated by his father, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His uncle was Civil War General Robert Hoke. Smith passed the bar examination in 1873 and became a lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia. He maintained a small office in the James building downtown. His practice began to grow when he began to argue injury suits. As his practice grew, he brought in his brother Burton in 1882, also excellent in front of juries, and they worked together for over 10 years. Their main clients were the many railroad workers injured on the job; three-quarters of the cases they took involved personal injury and they won the bulk of them.
Smith served as chairman of the Fulton County and State Democratic Conventions and was president of the Atlanta Board of Education. In 1887, Smith bought the Atlanta Journal. His strong support in the Journal for Grover Cleveland during the 1892 Presidential election garnered Cleveland's attention and led to a federal job.
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