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Alexander C. "Aleck" Smith (c. 1838 – May 9, 1875) was a justice of the Idaho Territorial Supreme Court from 1863 to 1866.
Born in Jacksonville, Illinois,[1][2] Smith reportedly "read law somewhere in the West",[3] and "traveled to the Washington Territory in the 1850's where he served for a short time as a prosecuting attorney".[1][2] He married the daughter of Anson G. Henry, who was then surveyor-general of the Washington Territory, and a close friend of President Abraham Lincoln.[2]
Henry visited Washington, D.C., in the spring of 1863 where Lincoln insisted that he stay and accompany him in a visit of the Army of the Potomac.[4] Henry secured Smith's appointment to the territorial supreme court at this time.[2] Smith was appointed to the seat on March 10, 1863,[5] and the appointment was confirmed by the United States Senate the following day.[6] Smith "was only twenty-five at the time of his appointment and was assigned to cover the First District by Governor William H. Wallace".[2] However, Smith's "inexperience and reputation for hard-drinking raised the ire of many in the territory, so much so that he was removed from office in 1866".[1]
Following his ouster from the court, it was reported that Smith had moved to Vancouver, Washington Territory, to practice law.[7] He died of consumption in Kalama, Washington Territory, on May 9, 1875.[8]
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