Colonel Alexander Smith, U.S. Representative-Elect

President of Alexander Smith & Sons

• Find A Grave Memorial ID # 17059997
• Colonel Smith's Wikipedia Page
• Alexander Smith & Sons Carpet Company, Yonkers, New York
• Alexander Smith & Sons Carpet Company Advertising

Smith embarked on a remarkable journey that intertwined business acumen and political ambition, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of Yonkers.

Smith was born on October 14, 1818, in Mercer County, New Jersey. Raised on his family farm, Smith’s early years were marked by a strong work ethic and a thirst for knowledge. These attributes would shape his future endeavors.

In 1834, the Smith family moved to West Farms, New York, providing Alexander with new opportunities to explore his interests. It was in 1844 that he took his first steps towards becoming an entrepreneur. He established a modest shop in West Farms dedicated to crafting looms and carpets. However, adversity struck when fire consumed the shop, forcing Smith to rebuild from the ashes. Undeterred, he persevered, and by 1864, he had successfully rebuilt his business in the city of Yonkers.

Smith’s carpet enterprise not only survived but flourished, propelled by his innovative spirit. He invented a groundbreaking loom designed specifically for weaving exquisite carpets. These then attracted the attention of fellow carpet manufacturers who sought licensing agreements with him. Under Smith’s leadership, his company grew to include two sprawling factories that employed over 3,000 workers. This influx transformed Yonkers into a hub of the carpet industry.

Political Ambitious Unrealized

Beyond his achievements in business, Alexander Smith was an ardent Republican with political aspirations. In 1878, he emerged as the party’s nominee for Congress in New York’s 12th District. However, fate took a cruel turn on election day when Smith fell seriously ill. Tragically, he passed away mere hours after being informed of his victory, leaving behind an unfinished political career and a grieving community.

Businessman and US Congressman-elect. He was raised on his family's farm, educated in New Jersey, and moved with his family to West Farms, New York in 1834. He became interested in manufacturing, and founded the Smith Carpet Company, a maker of fine carpets which eventually employed 7,000 people. He also invented a loom for weaving fine carpets, which he licensed other carpet makers to use. A Republican, in 1878 he was the party's nominee for Congress in New York's 12th District.

On November 5, 1878, Yonkers mourned the loss of Alexander Smith. He was laid to rest at Oakland Cemetery, a final resting place befitting a man of his stature. His legacy, though, endured through the company he founded. Over time, the Alexander Smith & Sons Carpet Company evolved through mergers and relocations. It ultimately found its place within Mohawk Industries in Mississippi.

The impact of Alexander Smith’s entrepreneurial spirit is still visible today in the Alexander Smith Carpet Mills Historic District in Yonkers, founded in 1983. This district preserves the historic factory and office buildings that once bustled with the creativity and innovation of Smith’s carpet-making enterprise. It serves as a living tribute to a man whose contributions to Yonkers etched themselves into the annals of history.

NOTE: Once the world’s largest carpet manufacturer, the Alexander Smith Carpet Mills complex included 19 buildings spread across 39 acres and employed 7,000 workers at the turn of the 20th century. The company’s technological innovations transformed the efficiency of carpet production and played a key role in influencing Yonkers’ growth as a city. The oldest existing building at the complex was completed in 1871. The stylistically varied complex has a cohesiveness both aesthetically and functionally. The major buildings display curved mansard roofs in the French Second Empire style, while the worker’s housing is contained in traditional row homes on the edge of the campus. Although the doors of “the carpet shop,” as it was known locally, closed in 1954, the buildings of the complex have been in use since 2015 as a New York State Qualified Production Facility (QPF) and film studio in the heart of Yonkers Carpet Mills Arts District. The complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Alexander Smith’s life hung as a tapestry woven with threads of industry, innovation, and ambition. His legacy continues to inspire those who follow in his footsteps, reminding us that determination and vision can create enduring change even in the face of adversity.

Alexander Smith: Weaving a Legacy of Industry and Politics in Yonkers
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He became ill on election day, and died just a few hours after being informed that he had won. His heirs continued to operate the business, and by 1929 Alexander Smith & Sons was the world's largest manufacturer of carpets and rugs. The company continues today as a divisions of Mohawk Industries, headquartered in Georgia.

The Alexander Smith Carpet Mills Historic District was established in 1983. It included many of the Yonkers factory and office buildings that the company used before moving out of New York.

Alexander Smith Carpet Mills: A One-of-a-Kind Film Facility