Francis (Frank) J. Smith Jr. was born on 21 March 1924 in California. He earned his B.S. from California Polytechnic State University in 1948, his M.S. from Purdue University in 1952 and his Ph.D. in 1961 from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Smith joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota in 1958 as assistant professor of agricultural economics. He was promoted to associate professor in 1964, professor in 1968 and was awarded the title professor emeritus in 1982. Dr. Smith officially retired from the University of Minnesota in 1982, but he continued to teach part time until 1991. He died in October 1992.
From the guide to the Francis J. Smith Jr. papers, 1959-1986, (University of Minnesota Libraries. University of Minnesota Archives [uarc])
