Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/361

 BURGESSES AND OTHER PROMIxVENT PERSONS

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1759-1761 vacated his scat l^y accepting;- the office of sheriff in November, 1759. Me was l)urgess again in 1766-1768. lie married Miss Robinson and had issue.

Small, Dr. William, a native of Scotland, and probably a graduate of the University of Edinburgh. c|ualified as professor of natural philosophy and mathematics in the college of William and Alary, October 18, 1758; after the remoxal of Mr. Rowe in August. 170, Dr. Small filled the chair of moral philosophy also till June 26, 1761, and v.as the first who ever gave in that college — • and doubtless the first who ever gave in any colonial college — "'regular lectures in ethics, rhetoric and Helles Lettres." In September, 1764, he returned to Europe and took up his residence at Birmingham, England. In 1767 he purchased for the college an elab- orate physical apparatus costing upwards of £332 sterling. He was intimate with Eras- mus Darwin and with James Watt, the inventor of the steam engine, and it was on his advice that Watt left Glasgow and came to Birmingham. Small introduced him to Matthew Bolton, the founder of the Soho engineering w^orks with whom Watt formed a partnership in making steam engines. Dr Small died at Birmingham in 1775. John F'age, one of his students at William and Mary, referred to him as the "illustrious Dr. Small.'" and Thomas Jefferson, another student who fell under his instructions, de- clared that Dr. Small "fixed the destinies of his life."

Smith, Arthur, gentleman, was born in 1597 and came to Virginia in 1622 in the company of Farrar Flinton ; burgess for Isle of Wight county in 1644-1645. By his will

dated October i, 1645, he left sons Thomas, Arthur, Richard and George Smith.

Smith, Colonel Arthur, son of Arthur Smith (q. v.j, was born in 1638, resided on Pagan Creek, Isle of Wight county, was justice in 1675 and 1680; colonel of the militia the latter year; and burgess in 1685. His will dated December 2, 1696, was ])ro\e(l in Isle of Wight county June 10, 1697.

Smith, Arthur, son of Colonel Arthur Smith, of Isle of Wight county, who died in 1696-1697, was born in 1670; was burgess for Isle of Wight county in 1703-1705, 1710- 1712, 1715, 1718, 1720-1722. He had a son .Arthur who was the founder of Smithfield, \'irginia.

Smith, Rev. Charles Jeffrey, A. M., w^as a Presbyterian minister of Eong Island. New York. He formed a partnership with another Presbyterian. William Holt, of Vir- ginia, and in 1765 held 500 acres in James City county, and a mill called "Kennon's Mill." Pie founded a settlement in New Kent county which he called "Providence" ,now Providence Forge), and built thereon iron, grist and saw mills. He died in 1771. After his death the forge at New Kent was conducted by Francis Jerdone and William Holt.

Smith, Francis, son of Captain Nicholas Smith, Jr., was vestryman and justice of Essex county, 1740; major of horse, 1753, and afterwards colonel ; member of the house of burgesses for Essex, 1752-1758. His will dated March, 1760, and proved March 15, 1762, disposes of a large estate; father of Meriwether Smith, prominent in the American revolution.