Ernest Oren Smith was born in Dawson, Georgia on August 19, 1892, but he spent most of his life in Columbus, Georgia. There he attended Rose Hill Elementary School, Columbus High School, and Columbus Industrial School. In 1915 he graduated from Georgia Tech as a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity with a degree in Architecture. He volunteered for the first Officer's Training Camp in Fort McPherson, Georgia in 1917, but was honorably discharged two years later because of illness. Upon returning to Columbus he entered into his father's architectural firm. Mr. Smith remained there until after the death of his father, when he opened his own firm. In 1925, he married his first wife, Jennie Louise Parrish and they had one daughter,Jennie Louise Smith; Jennie Louise Parrish Smith died on January 1, 1930. Fourteen years later he married Dorothy Pekor.

Mr. Smith specialized in industrial architecture, as can be observed in some of the buildings he has designed; Wells Flav-o-rich Dairies, Royal Crown Cola Co., Hardaway High School, Spencer High School The Ledger Enquirer Building and the Downtown Postoffice, .just to name a few. He retired in 1960, but kept busy until his death on March 8, 1981.

Walker, Louise Smith. "Persons of Interest Buried in Linwood Cemetery." Biography Vertical File: Smith, E. Oren. Columbus State University Archives.