Chilton County Historical Society

The College standard dictionary gives several good definitions of the word ambition, one of the principal ones being eater [sic] or inordinate desire of power or distinction for its own sake, but another definition, eager to achieve something great and good, fits the case of Cecil Brown, because his desire to achieve something good is demonstrated in the sincere interest he shows in his law practice.

Cecil is the son of Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Smith, and was born in Clanton in 1902. He attended the Clanton grammar school and in 1920 graduated from Chilton County High School where he made a creditable record. The following year he entered the University of Alabama, where he studied law and in 1923 he graduated.

Talent is often more manifest in a small child and there is nothing more interesting than watching this talent of which the child is often unconscious developed step by step. When Cecil was a tiny lad he would often stand on a stump and speak to an emergent imaginary multitude, and no doubt this fanciful audience [was] swayed by his youthful eloquence.

A talent is often inherited from one's forefathers and Cecil's gift as a lawyer seems natural coming is as he does from a family of lawyers. His father, Mr. A. C. Smith, has practiced law in Clanton for 35 years, and with eight other lawyers in the family it is not surprising that Cecil should carry on the family tradition.

Upon graduation from law school Mr. Smith began practicing law with his father in Clanton, and his splendid knowledge of law made quite an impression.

In 1925 Mr. Smith went to Lakeland, Florida, a thriving city of 25,000 inhabitants, and began to practice law with the firm of Calloway and Burrus of that city. Mr. Calloway will be remembered as a former resident of Clanton.

On May 10th 1926, Mr. Smith came back to Clanton and married Miss Jetty Popwell, and he and his bride returned to Florida immediately after the ceremony, where Mr. Smith resumed his law practice.

During his brief stay in Florida, Mr. Smith's ability as a lawyer has given him a place of eminence in the Florida bar. Mr. E. E. Calloway of the firm of Calloway and Burrus aspires to the Federal judgeship and no doubt Mr. Smith will take his place in the firm in the near future.

It is inspiring to enumerate the number of Clanton sons and daughters who have gone out into the world worthy of every profession and vocation, and Clanton and Chilton County are exceelingly [sic] proud of Cecil's record and with the remarkable progress he has made in the professional world even at such a youthful age. We are sure that he will reach the summit of his profession in a few years.