By Tedd deLong

Marcus Aurelius Smith is a name that’s not on the tip of everybody’s tongue but it should be remembered here in Arizona. Why should his name be familiar to us since he was born and educated in Kentucky and worked as a lawyer in San Francisco?

Marcus was born in January, 1851, near Cynthiana, Kentucky. As a young man he aspired to study the classics in college. While there, he realized a calling in the field of law and switched from Transylvania University to Kentucky University in Lexington where he graduated with a law degree. He went to work briefly as the prosecuting attorney for the city of Lexington. He followed a relative to San Francisco where he practiced law from 1879 to 1881 when he moved to the land of silver and sun – The Arizona Territory. He set up practice in Tombstone which had great need of his particular skills. The general lack of law-abiding by any number of local residents as well as those just passing through gave the town a reputation for lawlessness. In 1882 he became Tombstone’s prosecuting attorney. He also continued his reputation as a card-player, especially of the Faro Bank game which he had learned in San Francisco alongside people like Mark Twain.

The legal skills which Mr. Smith brought to the Tombstone area helped him prosecute some of the more well-known names, including the Earp brothers and "Doc" Holliday. He lost the case but it is still quoted in legal proceedings today. After this, he was elected County Prosecutor for the new Cochise County and, in 1886, was elected as delegate to the House of Representatives from Arizona Territory. During the next 25 years of service to Arizona, he fought for statehood, silver parity, water rights and a number of needs of the Territorial citizens. He continued to practice law during his tenure as a representative. As a Democrat, he was challenged regularly by the Republican power base from the Prescott and Phoenix areas. This didn’t stop him from introducing bills for statehood, beginning in 1890 and continuing until its passage in 1912.

During his terms in Washington, the Republicans tried to send someone else to bend his political direction. One of these was Ralph Cameron, sometimes known as "the man who owned the Grand Canyon." Mr. Cameron defeated Mr. Smith in 1909 and spent a few years in the representative chair, but not with the tenacity of Mr. Smith.

As the Territory reached its goal of statehood in February of 1912, two senators needed to be chosen to represent the new state. Henry F. Ashurst and Marcus Aurelius Smith were elected. Smith drew the short straw and became the 2-year term holder. Two years later, when the election was held for the first 6-year senatorial term, he emerged victorious. He held this office until 1921, after which he continued to live and work in Washington D.C. until his death in 1924.

It was said of Mr. Smith: "Everyone knew him, everyone loved him and everyone called him Mark."

The Sharlot Hall Museum Blue Rose Theater presents "Just call me Mark," a play written and acted by Tedd deLong. His portrayal of Marcus Aurelius Smith will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 16th, Friday and Saturday, 17th and 18th at 7:30 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday. Come and meet the Honorable Mr. Smith. Call the museum for information and tickets.

Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(po0611p) Reuse only by permission.

An avid fisherman, Arizona Territory Representative Marcus Aurelius Smith fishing in Oak Creek, 1890s. In 1912, at 61 years of age, he was selected as one of two senators sent to Washington to represent the brand new State of Arizona.

Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(Marcus A. Smith, Public Domain, Library of Congress).

Marcus A. Smith, 1908, delegate to the House of Representatives from the Territory of Arizona.