John F. Smulski
John Francis Smulski was a Polish-American lawyer, banker and Republican politician who served on the Chicago City Council and as Illinois Treasurer.
Early and family life
Born in Poznań in Prussian Poland, Smulski emigrated with his family to the United States in either 1876 or 1881 and settled in Chicago, Illinois. Smulski attended the Chicago Public Schools and St. Jerome College in Berlin, Ontario, Canada, then the Northwestern [University School of Law]. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1890, and married opera singer Jadwiga Mikitazynski. They had two children who died as infants, then adopted a daughter, Harriet, and a son, John J. Smulski.Career
Admitted to the Illinois bar in 1889. Smulski served on the Chicago City Council as a Republican alderman for Ward 16, as well as two terms as Chicago city attorney, and president of the West Chicago Park Commission. In 1906 Smulski founded and became president of Northwestern Trust and Savings Company of Chicago, and sat on the board of directors of several other financial institutions. Smulski served as Illinois state treasurer from 1907 to 1909. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the [1911 Chicago mayoral election#Republican primary|1911 Republican Chicago mayoral primary].As a 7-year-old boy, Smulski had been jailed by Prussian authorities for wearing a square cap of traditional Polish design. As an adult he became active in Polish-American affairs, including heading the Polish National Department which coordinated food and other aid during World War I. The consul in Chicago later awarded him the cross of the French Legion of Honor, and Smulski also helped Poland negotiate loans after the war.