Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/627

Rh was clerk of the territorial council in 1846. He was a member of the Constitutional convention of that year, took an active part in its proceedings, ami was chairman of the committee on militia. Mr. Smith was chief clerk of the state senate in 1849-'50, and attorney-general in 1856-'8. For many years he was president of the Wisconsin his- torical" society. He published "Observations on Wisconsin Territory " (Philadelphia, 1838); "Dis- course before the State Historical Society " (Madi- son. Vis.. 1S.10) ; and " History of Wisconsin," com- piled by direction of the legislature (1st and 3d vols.. 1854: id and 4th vols., I860). Another son of William Moore, Richard Penn, author, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 13 March, ITH'.I; d. in Falls of Schuylkill, Pa., 12 Aug., 1854, evinced a fondness for literary pursuits at an early age, and con- tributed to the " Union " a series of essays entitled " The Plagiary." He studied law under William Rawle, the elder, was admitted to the bar in 1821, succeeded William Duane as editor and proprietor of the " Aurora " in 1822, and published it for five years, during which it was one of the chief journals of the country. He resumed practice in 1827, but subsequently" devoted much time to literary pur- suits, and was the author of several poems and many plays, fifteen of which were produced on the Philadelphia stage, and in London, England, in most instances with decided success. Of these the best known are the tragedy of " Caius Marius," written for Edwin Forrest and acted by him in 1 s:j Land the farces and comedies " Quite Correct," " The Disowned," " The Deformed," " A Wife at a Venture," " The Sentinels," " William Penn," " The Water- Witch," " Is She a Brigand?" " My Uncle's Wedding." " The Daughter," " The Actress of Padua," and a five-act drama entitled the " Vene- tians." He possessed brilliant social qualities and a trenchant wit. Besides his plays he wrote "The Forsaken," a novel (2 vols., Philadelphia, 1831); " Life of David Crockett" (1836) ; "Life of Martin Van Buren" (1836); and many tales. A selection of his miscellanies, with his memoir by Morton McMichael, was collected and published by his son, Horace Wemyss Smith (1856), and his " Complete Works, embodied in his Life and Cor- respondence " was also published by the latter au- thor (4 vols., 1888). His son, Horace Wemyss, author, b. in Philadelphia, Pa.. 15 Aug., 1825; d. there, 9 Dec., 1891. was educated in his native city, and studied dentistry, but never practised, being early inclined to literary pursuits. He entered the National army in 1861, but soon returned to journal- ism, in which he had previously engaged, and has since devoted himself to literature. He collected the " Miscellanies " of his father that are referred to above, and is the author of " Nuts for Future Historians to Crack" (Philadelphia, 1856) ; " York- town Orderly-Book " (1865) ; " Life of Rev. William Smith " (2 vols.. iss<>> : and " History of the German- town Academy" (1882). Another son of Richard Penn, Richard Penn, soldier, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 9 May, 1837; d. in West Brighton, Staten island, N. Y., 27 Nov., 1887, was educated at West Chester college. Pa. Immediately after leaving col- lege he settled in Kansas, and successfully engaged in business there, but returned to Philadelphia in 1860, became lieutenant in the 71st Pennsylvania volunteers, and rose to the rank of colonel. He was engaged in the battles of Yorktown, Fair Oaks, White Oak Swamp, and Malvern Hill, covered the retreat at second Bull Run, was wounded at Antietam, and at Gettysburg did good service by bringing guns into use against Gen. George E. Pickett's charge. He was mustered out of service in 1864, and engaged in business in New York city. On :i July. 1*N7, he delivered an address at Gettysburg on the unveiling of the monument erected in honor of Lieut. Alonzo 11. dishing and the 4th U. S. artillery by the 71st Pennsylvania volunteers. Another son of William. Charles, lawyer, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 4 March, 1765 ; d. there, 18 March, 1836, was graduated at Washington college. Mil., in 17s:i. studied law with his brother. William Moore Smith, and was admitted to the Philadelphia bar in 1786. He practised in Sunbury, Pa., for several years, was a delegate to the State constitutional convention in 1792, settled in Lan- caster, Pa., and attained eminence as a land lawyer. He became president judge in 1819 of the judicial district composed of the counties of Cumberland, Franklin, and Adams, and in 1820 of the newly formed district court of Lancaster city and county. His later life was spent in Philadelphia. He was a member of the American philosophical socie- ty, and in 1819 received the degree of LL. D. from the University of Pennsylvania. He was ap- pointed by the legislature in 1810 to revise the laws of the state, and to frame a compilation of them, which he published with a "Treatise on the Land Laws of Pennsylvania" (5 vols., Philadelphia, 1810-'12). William's half-brother, Thomas, member of the Continental congress, b. near Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1745 : d. in Philadelphia, Pa., 16 June, 1809, emigrated to this country at an early age, became deputy surveyor of an extensive frontier district of Pennsylvania, and, establishing himself in Bedford county, became prothonotary clerk, clerk of the sessions, and recorder. He early joined the patriot cause, was a colonel of militia during the Revolution, and a member of the State consti- tutional convention in 1776, served several terms in the legislature, and was in congress in 1780-'2. He became judge of the courts of the counties of Cumberland, Huntingdon, Bedford, and Franklin, in 1791, and from 1794 until his death was a judge of the supreme court of Pennsylvania. He was a devoted adherent of the Federal party. Thomas's son, George Washington, author, b. in Philadel- phia, Pa., 4 Aug., 1800 ; d. there, 22 April, 1876, was graduated at Princeton in 1818, studied law under Horace Binney, and was admitted to the bar of Philadelphia in 1823. but did not practise, and spent several years in Europe and Asia exploring the antiquities of those countries. He was a founder of the Pennsylvania historical society, for many years one of its councillors, and at his death senior vice-president. Mr. Smith possessed a large estate, of which he gave liberally to benevolent objects. He was a member of the vestry of Christ church, Philadelphia, for more than thirty years, and annually deposited $5,000 in its offertory for the benefit of the Episcopal hospital. He was a member of the American philosophical society in 1840-'76. He published " Facts and Arguments in Favor of adopting Railroads in Preference to Canals" (Philadelphia, 1824); "Defence of the Pennsylvania System in Favor of Solitary Confinement of Prisoners" (1829); and several pamphlets on similar subjects, and edited Nicholas Wood's treatise on " Railroads " (1832). William's nephew, William, clergyman, b. in Aberdeen. Scotland, in 1754; d. in New York city, 6 April, 1821, was educated at one of the Scotch universities (probably Aberdeen). He studied for the ministry, and was admitted to orders in the Church of England about 1780. He came to the United States in 1785, was minister of Stepney parish, Md., for two years, then became rector of St. Paul's church. Narragansett. R. I., for a year and a half, after which he accepted