Tom Smart was born in Canada and came to the U.S. at the age of nine. He arrived in Bemidji at the age of 18, and began work as a teamster for Wes Wright, old time drayman of Bemidji. By 1905, he took over the drayage business. Tom Smart was also familiarly known as “the unbreakable” drayman of the city, inasmuch as he handled goods in such a careful manner that with his methods “three moves were not as bad as a fire,” as the saying goes. Mr. Smart, aside from his regular freight and express business, made a specialty of moving safes and pianos and other heavy portable goods. He used special rigging and paraphernalia for this class of work, and he guaranteed the safe delivery of every article he handled.
Tom and Maude Smart lived at 612 America Avenue. In May 1905, they advertised apple trees, crabs, gooseberries and raspberries for sale at their residence. In 1910, he operated the Dray Line at 320 Beltrami Ave., as well as the Smart-Getchell Ice Company. Maude was a dressmaker.
Smart employed quite a number of teamsters, and owned a spacious property for the stabling of his horses. A reputed lover of horses, he bought and traded in them a great deal. His horses were always in the best of condition.
In 1912, some of his employees were Jonathan Smart, Albert Smart, Billy Ray, Tom Smart, Bert Peterson, Ed Olson, Ernie Putnam, and Jack Jinkinsen. The Dray Line business was located at 306-308 Beltrami avenue in the 1920’s and 1930’s. He sold the Smart Dray Line in November 1936 to Harry McNeal and Robert McMurray, employees who had worked for the company for the previous ten years. The new firm was be known as the Northern Dray and Transfer Co.
Tom Smart was elected as mayor in 1926 and served five consecutive terms through 1930. He was elected again in 1932 and served in 1933 and 1934. Besides serving eight years as mayor, Mr. Smart served a number of years on the council. He passed away on New Years Day of 1938 and is buried at Greenwood Cemetery. Mrs. Smart lived in Bemidji for another ten years and then moved to California. She died in 1968 and is also buried at Greenwood.