Smith, Talbot

Talbot Smith was born October 11, 1899 in Fayette, Missouri. His father, an Episcopal minister, moved the family a great deal throughout the midwestern and western areas of the United States during Talbot's younger years, and hence he attended a number of grammar and high schools before graduating in Wyoming in 1917. He entered the United States Naval Academy the same year, and while at Annapolis he received a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering in 1920. He married Lola Hamlen the following year. While still in the Navy Smith also attended the University of Michigan and earned a Master of Science degree in chemical engineering in 1927.

Smith retired from active duty in the Navy on January 1, 1931 as a lieutenant, senior grade. He then went to work as an engineer for Atlantic Refining Company in Philadelphia, where he served as a trouble-shooter for customers' problems with the company's fuel oil and equipment. This type of work did not appeal to him, however, and so he worked at Atlantic Refining long enough only to save money to enable him to enter into the profession which really appealed to him - law. He applied at several different law schools and was rejected; one of these, the University of California, fifteen years later accepted Smith as a faculty member in its law school. Many of the law school deans were convinced that the combination of Smith's age -- thirty-two at the time of his application - along with his "military mind" would prove a barrier too formidable to be overcome in the pursuit of a law degree. Nevertheless, Smith persisted and was accepted at the University of Michigan for the fall semester in 1931. "The Admiral," as he was known by his classmates, both in deference to his age as well as his naval background, graduated with a J.D. degree in February, 1934. Immediately afterwards Smith joined the Detroit law firm of Monaghan, Crowley, Reilley and Kellog. This firm specialized in corporate law, and after several years Smith was given a small percentage of the firm's profits in addition to his regular salary, though he never became a partner in this firm.

...