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William Orlando Smith

1859 – 1932

American politician

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About William Orlando Smith

Lived 1859 – 1932 (aged 72). William Orlando Smith was an American politician, publisher and editor.

William Orlando Smith (June 13, 1859 – May 12, 1932) was a U.S. Representative from the state of Pennsylvania.

Biography Smith was born in Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania on June 13, 1859. He learned the printing trade, and worked as publisher of the Reynoldsville Herald from 1876 to 1879.

He worked in the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C., from 1879 to 1884. He returned to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, in 1884 and successively edited the Punxsutawney Tribune and the Punxsutawney Spirit.

He was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1889 to 1898. He worked as editor of the Bradford Daily Era in Bradford, Pennsylvania in 1891. He purchased a half interest in the Punxsutawney Spirit in January 1892.

Smith was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-eighth and Fifty-ninth Congresses (1903 to 1907). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1906. After his time in Congress, he resumed his newspaper interests in Punxsutawney.

He died in Cleveland, Ohio on May 12, 1932. Interment was at Circle Hill Cemetery in Punxsutawney.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Positions held
United States representative, Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Also known as
William O. Smith

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped William Orlando Smith's

Frequently asked questions

Who was William Orlando Smith?

American politician

When was William Orlando Smith born?

William Orlando Smith was born on 13 June 1859 in Reynoldsville.

When did William Orlando Smith die?

William Orlando Smith died on 12 May 1932 in Cleveland.

What was William Orlando Smith's occupation?

William Orlando Smith was a politician, publisher and editor.

What nationality was William Orlando Smith?

William Orlando Smith was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: William Orlando Smith

· Wikidata: Q8016369

· DBpedia: William Orlando Smith

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Orlando Smith. https://biography.guide/william-orlando-smith/

MLA: "William Orlando Smith." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-orlando-smith/.

Chicago: "William Orlando Smith." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-orlando-smith/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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