He attended public school and Washington and Lee UniversityinLexington, Virginia. Smathers was graduated from the law department of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1911 and was admitted to the bar in 1912, commencing practice in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he served as a judge of the common pleas court of Atlantic City from 1922 to 1932.[2] Additionally, he served as the first assistant Attorney General of New Jersey, from 1934 to 1936.[2] Smathers was elected to the New Jersey Senate in 1935. He served one term in the U.S. Senate, losing his bid for reelection in 1942. He returned to his law practice in Atlantic City until his retirement to Waynesville.
^He was installed late on April 15, 1937, remaining until then a member of the state Senate, but that does not affect when his service in the U.S. Senate begins, as there is no prohibition in concurrent service in both federal and state legislatures.
^"W.H. Smathers, 64, Dies. Former U.S. Senator From N.J.". Chicago Tribune. September 25, 1955. William H. Smathers, 64, of New Jersey died in a hospital here today. He was an uncle of Sen. George Smathers, Florida Democrat. Smathers, a Democrat. ...