Alice E. Smith (historian)

American historian (1896–1992) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alice Elizabeth Smith (April 1, 1896 – April 15, 1992) was an American historian. She joined the Wisconsin Historical Society in 1929 and served as their director of research from 1947 until 1965. She was a 1957 Guggenheim Fellow and wrote several books related to the history of Wisconsin.

BornApril 1, 1896

Grantsburg, Wisconsin, U.S.

DiedApril 15, 1992 (aged 96)

OccupationHistorian

AwardsGuggenheim Fellowship (1957)

Quick facts Director of research of the Wisconsin Historical Society, Personal details ...

Alice E. Smith

Director of research of the Wisconsin Historical Society
In office 1947–1965

Personal details
Born	(1896-04-01)April 1, 1896 Grantsburg, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	April 15, 1992(1992-04-15) (aged 96)
Occupation	Historian

Awards	Guggenheim Fellowship (1957)

Academic background
Alma mater	University of Minnesota
Academic work
Sub-discipline	History of Wisconsin
Institutions	Wisconsin Historical Society

Biography

Alice Elizabeth Smith was born on April 1, 1896, in Grantsburg, Wisconsin.^[1] She attended the University of Minnesota, where she obtained her BA in 1923, worked as a teaching assistant in European history from 1924 to 1926, and obtained her MA in 1926.^[1]

Smith worked at the Minnesota Historical Society as a research assistant (1926-1927 and 1928-1929), as well as at the University of Minnesota Press as an editorial assistant (1927-1928).^[1] She joined the Wisconsin Historical Society in 1929 as a manuscript curator.^[1] After working as a 1946-1947 Rockefeller Foundation Fellow, she returned to the WHS as director of research in 1947.^[1] In 1951, she was a special lecturer at the University of Wisconsin Library School.^[1] In 1965, she retired from her role as director of research.^[2]

Smith wrote six books related to the history of Wisconsin,^[2] including Guide to the Manuscripts of the Wisconsin Historical Society (1944),^[1] James Duane Doty: Frontier Promoter (1954),^[a] George Smith's Money: A Scottish Investor in America (1966),^[b] Millstone and Saw: The Origins of Neenah-Menasha (1966),^[c] and the first volume of The History of Wisconsin (1973).^[d] She edited two volumes of The Journals of Welcome Arnold Greene: Journeys in the South, 1822-1824 in 1956 and 1957, the first one with Howard Greene.^[1] In 1957,^[3] Smith was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship "for a study of Scottish leadership and capital in the development of the lower Lake Michigan area in the 19th century".^[1]

Smith died on April 15, 1992.^[4] The Midwestern History Association's Alice Smith Prize in Public History is named after her,^[2] as is the WHS' Alice E. Smith Fellowship.^[5]

Works

James Duane Doty: Frontier Promoter (1954)^[a]
The Journals of Welcome Arnold Greene: Journeys in the South, 1822-1824
George Smith's Money: A Scottish Investor in America (1966)^[b]
Millstone and Saw: The Origins of Neenah-Menasha (1966)^[c]
The History of Wisconsin: Volume I (1973)^[d]

Notes

[a]
Reviews of this book:^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]
[b]
Reviews of this book:^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13]^[14]^[15]^[16]^[17]^[18]^[19]
[c]
Reviews of this book:^[20]^[21]^[22]^[23]^[24]^[25]^[26]
[d]
Reviews of this book:^[27]^[28]

References

[1]
Reports of the Secretary and of the Treasurer. John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. 1955. pp. 105–106.
[2]
"Alice Smith Prize in Public History". Midwestern History Association. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
[3]
"Alice E. Smith". Guggenheim Fellowships. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
[4]
"Alice E. Smith, 1896-1992". LUX: Yale Collections Discovery. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
[5]
"About Our Research Fellowship Opportunities". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
[6]
Blume, William Wirt (1955). "Review of James Duane Doty -- Frontier Promoter". Michigan Law Review. 53 (5): 770–771. doi:10.2307/1285249. ISSN 0026-2234. JSTOR 1285249.
[7]
Neil, William M. (1955). "Review of James Duane Doty: Frontier Promoter". Indiana Magazine of History. 51 (3): 271–272. ISSN 0019-6673. JSTOR 27788290.
[8]
Vaughan, Thomas (1955). "Review of James Duane Doty; Frontier Promoter". Oregon Historical Quarterly. 56 (1): 69–69. ISSN 0030-4727. JSTOR 20612175.
[9]
Wyman, Walker D. (1955). Smith, Alice E. (ed.). "Speculating Pioneer". Minnesota History. 34 (5): 208–209. ISSN 0026-5497. JSTOR 20175902.
[10]
Barsness, Richard W. (1967). "Review of George Smith's Money: A Scottish Investor in America". The Wisconsin Magazine of History. 50 (3): 264–265. ISSN 0043-6534. JSTOR 4634259.
[11]
Frantz, Joe B. (1967). "Review of George Smith's Money: A Scottish Investor in America". The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 58 (4): 217–218. ISSN 0030-8803. JSTOR 40488449.
[12]
Galusha, Hugh D. (1967). Smith, Alice E. (ed.). "Financial History". Minnesota History. 40 (6): 308–309. ISSN 0026-5497. JSTOR 20177900.
[13]
"Review of George Smith's Money. A Scottish Investor in America". The Georgia Historical Quarterly. 50 (4): 475–475. 1966. ISSN 0016-8297. JSTOR 40578808.
[14]
Miller, Nathan (1967). "Review of George Smith's Money: A Scottish Investor in America". The Journal of Economic History. 27 (1): 135–135. ISSN 0022-0507. JSTOR 2115486.
[15]
Morgan, Edward J. (1967). "Review of George Smith's Money". Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. 60 (3): 349–350. ISSN 0019-2287. JSTOR 40190486.
[16]
Musolf, Berdyne (1967). "Review of George Smith's Money: A Scottish Investor in America". Agricultural History. 41 (1): 90–91. ISSN 0002-1482. JSTOR 3740028.
[17]
Neu, Irene D. (1966). "Review of George Smith's Money: A Scottish Investor in America". The Business History Review. 40 (4): 508–510. doi:10.2307/3112130. ISSN 0007-6805. JSTOR 3112130.
[18]
Sharkey, Robert P. (1967). "Review of George Smith's Money: A Scottish Investor in America". The American Historical Review. 72 (2): 705–706. doi:10.2307/1859443. ISSN 0002-8762. JSTOR 1859443.
[19]
Smith, Norman W. (1967). "Review of George Smith's Money". The Economic History Review. 20 (1): 193–194. doi:10.2307/2592071. ISSN 0013-0117. JSTOR 2592071.
[20]
Alexander, Edward P. (1967). "Review of Millstone and Saw: The Origins of Neenah-Menasha". The Journal of American History. 54 (2): 405–406. doi:10.2307/1894838. ISSN 0021-8723. JSTOR 1894838.
[21]
Auer, James (1967). "Review of Millstone and Saw: The Origins of Neenah-Menasha". The Wisconsin Magazine of History. 50 (2): 170–171. ISSN 0043-6534. JSTOR 4634229.
[22]
Derby, William (1969). "Review of Millstone and Saw: The Origins of Neenah-Menasha". The Economic History Review. 22 (1): 174–175. doi:10.2307/2592010. ISSN 0013-0117. JSTOR 2592010.
[23]
"Review of Millstone and Saw: The Origins of Neenah-Menasha". Forest History Newsletter. 12 (3): 36–36. 1968. doi:10.2307/4004228. ISSN 0015-7422. JSTOR 4004228.
[24]
Larsen, Arthur J. (1967). "Review of Millstone and Saw: The Origins of Neenah-Menasha". The American Historical Review. 72 (4): 1489–1490. doi:10.2307/1847973. ISSN 0002-8762. JSTOR 1847973.
[25]
Noyes, Edward (1968). "Review of Millstone and Saw: The Origins of Neenah-Menasha". The Journal of Economic History. 28 (3): 506–507. ISSN 0022-0507. JSTOR 2116516.
[26]
Rice, Herbert W. (1967). "Review of Millstone and Saw: The Origins of Neenah-Menasha". Indiana Magazine of History. 63 (3): 249–249. ISSN 0019-6673. JSTOR 27789435.
[27]
Gara, Larry (1977). "Review of Wisconsin: A History; The History of Wisconsin. Volume I, From Exploration to Statehood". The Historian. 39 (2): 377–378. ISSN 0018-2370. JSTOR 24444560.
[28]
Smith, Dwight L. (1974). "Review of The History of Wisconsin, Volume I, From Exploration to Statehood". Indiana Magazine of History. 70 (1): 78–79. ISSN 0019-6673. JSTOR 27789950.

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