Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/606

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SMITH
SMITH

mond, Va., 1819); "An Accidence for Young Seamen" ( 1026); "The True Travels" (1630); and " Advertisements for the Inexperienced Planters of New England "(1631); new ed.. Boston, 1865). His life has been written by Mrs. Edward Robinson (London, 1845); William Gilmore Simms (New York, 1846); Charles Deane, in his "Notes on Wingfield's Tract on a Discourse on Virginia" (Boston, 1859); George Channing Hill (1858); George S. Hillard, in Jared Sparks's "American Biography"; Charles Dudley Warner in the series of "American Worthies" (N'ew York, 1881); and Charles Kittridgre True (1882).


SMITH, John, senator, b. in Hamilton county, Ohio, in 1735; d. there, 10 June, 1816. He had few early advantages, but by persistent effort acquired a respectable education, and, possessing much natural ability, was one of the most conspicuous of the early politicians in Ohio. He was also a popular Baptist preacher, and in 1790 organized at Columbia the first church of that denomination in the state. He was a member of the first territorial legislature in 1798, and in 1803-'08 was a U.S. senator from Ohio, having been chosen as a Jeffersonian Democrat. During the early part of his service he enjoyed the close friendship of President Jefferson, who in 1804 sent him on a confidential mission to Louisiana and Florida to discover the attitude toward the United States of the Spanish officers that were stationed in these states, that he might learn how far their friendship was to be depended on in the event of a war between this country and France. Smith's intimacy with Jefferson was interrupted by the charge of his implication in the Aaron Burr treason. Smith and Burr were personal friends, and appearances were so much against him that a motion was made in the U.S. senate to expel him; but it failed by one vote. Smith denied all connection with the affair, and was believed to be innocent by his constituents. See “Notes on the Northwest Territory,” by Jacob Burnet (New York, 1847).


SMITH, John, senator, b. in Mastic, near Brookhaven, N.Y., 12 Feb. 1752; d. there, 12 Aug., 1816. He was carefully educated, served in the legislature in 1784-'99, and was in congress from the latter year till 1804, when he took his seat in the U.S. senate in place of De Witt Clinton, who had resigned, holding office till 1813. He had been chosen as a Democrat. After the close of his term he became U.S. marshal for the district of New York, and he was also a major-general of militia for many years.


SMITH, John, clergyman, b. in Newbury. Mass., 21 Dec., 1752; d." in Hanover, N. H., 30 April, 1809. He was graduated at Dartmouth in 1773. and served as tutor there from 1774 till 1778, when he became professor of languages in the col- lege, holding that office and that of college pastor until his death. Brown gave him the degree of D. D. in 1803. He was college librarian for thirty years, delivered lectures on systematic theology for two years, and published " Hebrew Grammar " (Hanover, 1772): ' Latin Grammar " (1802) ; "He- brew Grammar" (1803); an edition of "Cicero de Oratore. with Notes and a Brief Memoir of Cicero in English " (1804) ; a " Greek Grammar " (1809) ; and several sermons. His wife, Susan Mason, b. in Boston in 1765; d. in 1845, was the daughter of Col. David Mason. In her eightieth year she wrote a " Memoir " of her husband (Boston, 1843). SMITH, John, congressman, b. in Barre, Mass., 14 Aug., 1789; d. in St. Albans, Vt, 2(i Nov.. 1S5S. He removed to St. Albans in boyhood, was ad- mitted to the bar in 1810, and establishc'd a prac- tice. He was state's attorney for Franklin coun- ty in 1826-'32, a member of congress in 1830-'41, resumed practice at the latter date, became chan- cellor of Vermont, and was subsequently interested in railroad enterprises. His son, John Gregory, governor of Vermont, b. in St. Alban's, Vt.. 22 July, 1818, was graduated at the University of Ver- mont in 1838, and at the law department of Yale in 1*41. He began practice with his father, whom he succeeded as chancellor in 1858, became active in railroad interests in Vermont, was a member of the state senate in 1858-'9, and of the house of rep- resentatives in 1861-'2, becoming speaker in the latter year. He was governor of Vermont in* 1863-"5. and actively supported the National cause during the civil war. He became president of the Northern Pacific railroad in 1866. and subsequent- ly was president of the Central Vermont railroad. The University of Vermont gave Gov. Smith the degree of LL.D. in 1871.


SMITH, John Eugene, soldier, b. in the can- ton of Berne, Switzerland, 3 Aug., 1816; d. in ( 'lii- cago, 29 Jan., 1897. His father was an officer un- der Napoleon, and after the emperor's downfall emigrated to Philadelphia, where the son received an academic edu- cation and became a jeweler. He en- tered the National army in 1861 as colonel of the 45th Illinois infantry, engaged in the cap- ture of Fort Henry and Fort Donel- son, and in the bat- tle of Shiloh and siege of Corinth, became brigadier- general of volun- teers, 29 Nov., 1862, commanded the 8th division of the 16th army corps in De-

cember, 1862, was

engaged in the Vicksburg campaign, leading the 3d division of the 17th corps in June. 1863, and was transferred to the 15th corps in September, taking part in the capture of Mission Ridge, and in the Atlanta and Carolina campaigns in 1864-'o. In December, 1870, he was assigned to the 14th U. S. infantry. He was mustered out of the vol- unteer service in April, 1866, and became colonel of the 27th U. S. infantry in July of that year. He received the brevet of major-general of volun- teers on 12 Jan., 1865, for faithful services and gallantry in action, and the brevets of brigadier- and major-general, U. S. army, on 2 March, 1867, for his conduct at the siege of Vicksburg and in action at Savannah. In May, 1881, he was retired, and afterward resided in Chicago. His son, Alfred T., b. in Missouri in 1838, and a graduate of the U. S. military academy, which he entered in 1885, served through the civil war, and since March, 1894, has been colonel of the 13th infantry. He commanded the regiment in Cuba during the war with Spain, taking part in the battles around Santiago.


SMITH, John Hyatt, clergyman, b. in Sara- toga, N. Y., 10 April, 1824; d. in Brooklyn, N. Y.. 7 Dec., 1886. His father, a Presbyterian clergy- man, gave him a thorough education, and he then engaged in business in Detroit, Mich. Deciding to study for the ministry, he removed to Albany, N. Y., and while prepa'ring for that profession worked in a bank. He was licensed to preach in