Reed Smoot represented Utah in the United States Senate for thirty years,longer than any other Utah senator past or present. He was the firstnative-born Utahn to establish a national political reputation and was also theonly Mormon apostle to serve in the U.S. Senate. During his senatorial career,Smoot served concurrently as a Mormon apostle, thus earning the nickname of the"Apostle-Senator."

He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 10 January 1862 to Abraham Owen andAnne Kristina (Morrison) Smoot. He attended public schools and the Universityof Utah, and graduated from Brigham Young Academy (now Brigham YoungUniversity) in 1879. He served as a Mormon missionary in England and latermarried Alpha M. Eldredge of Salt Lake City on 17 September 1884. They were theparents of six children: Harold Reed, Chloe, Harlow Eldredge, Annie K., ZellaEsther, and Ernest Winder. Alpha died on 7 November 1928 and Smoot latermarried Mrs. Alice Taylor Sheets on 2 July 1930.

Before his election to the Senate, Reed Smoot engaged in a number of businessenterprises, including banking, mining, livestock raising, and the manufactureof woolen goods. He was president of both Provo Commercial & Savings Bankand the Smoot Investment Company. He also served as a director of ZCMI and ofthe Deseret Savings Bank in Salt Lake City. Smoot was active in the Mormonchurch and was called to the presidency of the Utah Stake (Provo) in 1895. Heserved there until his ordination as an apostle in 1900.

Reed Smoot was elected to the United States Senate as Republican in 1902. Hiselection sparked a bitter four-year battle in the Senate over whether he shouldbe allowed to serve due to his position as a Mormon apostle and the MormonChurch's policy regarding plural marriage, among other concerns. During thesefour years, the Mormon Church was on trial as much as was Reed Smoot. Smoot wasfinally allowed to take his seat in the Senate on 20 February 1907. He wasreelected in 1908, 1914, 1920, and 1926, and served from 4 March 1903 to 3March 1933. Because of the Senate seniority system, Smoot served as chairman ofthe powerful Senate Finance Committee from 1923 to 1933, as well as on theSenate Appropriations Committee. Senator Smoot was recognized as an expert ongovernment finance and public land issues. He was known for his discipline,hard work, integrity, and thorough preparation. His politics were conservativeand pro-business. He is perhaps best known as the joint author of the famous ifoften criticized Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act.

Reed Smoot was active and prominent in the national Republican party. Heserved as a delegate to the Republican national conventions in 1908, 1912,1916, 1920, and 1924, and was chairman of the Resolutions Committee at the 1928Republican National Convention. He also served as chairman of the RepublicanSenatorial Campaign Committee. He became an accepted member of the inner clubof the national Republican establishment and was an advisor to a number ofRepublican presidents. Smoot was acknowledged as the de facto leader of theUtah Republican party and had considerable influence over Utah state politicsand politicians.

Senator Smoot was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1932. He movedback to Salt Lake City in 1933 and retired from active business and politicalpursuits to devote his full-time efforts to his apostolic calling until hisdeath on 9 February 1941 in St. Petersburg, Florida, while on a visit. At thetime of his death, he was next in line to succeed the president of the Quorumof the Twelve and third in line to succeed the president of the Mormon Church.While serving as an apostle and Senator, Reed Smoot helped to improve thepublic image of both the state of Utah and the Mormon Church in the eyes of therest of the nation