Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/419

 SMITH

SMITH

Mrs. Smith in the front rank among the poets of this country. Her books following these two were: Stories for Children (1847); The Rovian Tribute; a Tragedy in Five Acts (1850); Woman and her Needs (1851); Hiyits on Dress and Beauty (1853); Old New York, or, Jacob Leisler, a Tragedy (1853); Bertha and Lily, or the Parsonage at Beach Glen (1854); The Newsboy (1855); Bald Eagle or the Last of the Ramapaughs (1867), and Reminiscences of Noted ^len and Women (unpub- lished). She died at the home of her son in Hollywood. N.C.. Nov. 15. 1893.

SMITH, Erminnie Adelle (Piatt), geologist and ethnologist, was born in Marcellus, N.Y., April 26. 1836. She was educated at Miss Wil- lard's seminar}'. Troy, N.Y., and in 1855 was married to Simeon H. Smith of Jersey Citj', N.J. She resumed the study of geology commenced in her girlhood days, and accumulated one of the largest private collections of specimens in the United States, which at her death came into the possession of her three sons. She spent four years with lier sons in Germany where she con- tinued her studies of science and language and was graduated at the School of Mines, Freiburg, Saxony. After her return to Jersey City she lectured for benevolent objects before parlor audiences, on scientific and other subjects, and this led to her founding the Esthetic society of Jersey City of which she was president, 1879-86, and a frequent lecturer at the monthly receptions. She engaged in ethnological work for the Smith- sonian Institution in 1878 and obtained and classi- fied over 15,000 words of the Iroquois dialects, visit- ing for the purpose the remnants of the Tusca- rora found in Canada. During the two summers she spent among the Indians she won their affection and was adopted into the tribe and named Ka-tei-tci-sta-kwast (beautiful flower). She was a member of the Sorosis and Meridian women's clubs and of the Historical society of New York, and of the London Scientific society^ and was made a fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences. She was made a corresponding member of the Numismatic and Antiquarian society of Philadelphia and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, being secretary of the section of geology and geography of the latter society in 1885. She pre- pared an Iroquois-English dictionary, published after her death, and a volume of her poems and essays was published by the Esthetic society in 1883. She died in Jersey City, N.J., June 9, 1886.

SMITH, Eugene Allen, geologist, was born in Autauga county, Ala., Oct. 27, 1841; son of Samuel Parrish and Adelaide Julia (Allyn) Smith; grandson of Thomas and Mary (Scott) Smith and of Richard and Julia (Phelps) Allyn, and a descendant of "William Phelps, born in

Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England, 1599, who came to America, 1630; and of Matthew Allyn, born in Brampton, England, 1604, who came to America, 1632. He was graduated at the Univer- sity of Alabama in 1862; was instructor in mathe- matics there, 1863-65; studied at the universities of Berlin and Gottingen, 1865-66, and in 1868 re- ceived the degree of Ph.D. from Heidelberg uni- versity. He was married July 10, 1872, to Jennie Henry, daughter of Dr. Landon Cabell Garland (q.v.). He was assistant state geologist of Miss- issippi, 1868-71, and in 1873 became state geologist of Alabama. He was made professor of miner- alogy and geology in the University of Alabama in 1871, and in 1874 became professor of chemis- try, geology and natural history. He was honor- ary commissioner to the Paris exposition in 1878; was special agent on cotton culture. Tenth Cen- sus, 1880; was a member of the American com- mittee of the international geological congress, 1884-89; secretary of the section of geology and geography of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1884; a member of the council of the Geological society of America, 1892-95, and a member of the jury of awards at the Atlanta exposition in 1895 and at the Nash- ville exposition, 1897. He is the author of numer- ous papers and reports.

SMITH, Francis Henney, soldier, was born in Norfolk, Va., Oct. 18, 1812; son of Francis Henney and Anne (Marsden) Smith; grandson of James and Mary (Calvert) Marsden, and greats-grandson of Cornelius and Mary (Saunders) Calvert, who were married in Princess Anne county, Va., July 29, 1719. His father, Francis Henney Smith, was born in England and was a commission merchant in Norfolk, Va. Francis H. Smith, Jr., was gradu- ated from the U.S. Military academy and assigned to the 1st artillery July 1, 1833; was commissioned 2d lieutenant, Nov. 30, 1833; was assistant pro- fessor of geography, history and ethics at the Military academy, 1834-35, and served on ord- nance duty until May 1, 1836, when he resigned his commission. He was married June 9, 1835, at West Point, N.Y,, to Sara, daughter of Dr. Thomas (U.S.A.) and Anna (Truxtun) Henderson of Dumfries, Va. He was professor of mathe- matics at Hampden-Sidney college, 1837-39, and superintendent (with rank of colonel) and pro- fessor of mathematics at Virginia Military insti- tute, Lexington, Va., 1839-89. He was president of the board of visitors at the U.S. Military academy in 1856. In 1861 he was made colonel of a regiment of Virginia volunteers stationed at Norfolk, and in 1864 with his corps of cadets he aided in the defence of Richmond and later opposed General Hunter before Lynchburg. In 1865 lie rebuilt the military institute and con- tinued as its superintendent until Jan. 1, 1890.