Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/426

 SMITH

SMITH

congress. He was a member of the state con- vention of 1776 : of the provincial congress of June, 1776. tliat met to form a new state govern- ment and favored a declaration of independence. He ort;anized a volunteer camp of militia to pro- tect the state ; was a member of the state consti- tutional convention of July 15, 1776 ; and was a delet^ate to the Continental congress, 1776-78. signing his name to the Declaration of- Indepen- dence. He w;is a representative in the general assembly of Pennsylvania, and in 1780 was ap- pointed judge of the high court of appeals. He was commissioned brigadier-general of state militia and was chosen a state councillor in the dispute between Pennsylvania and Connecticut in 1784. He was again elected to the Continental congress to succeed Matthew Clarkson, resigned, but declined the honor on account of the infirm- ities of age. Returning to York in 1783, he practised law till 1801. He died in York, Pa., July 11. 1806.

SMITH, James, Jr., senator, was born in Newark. N.J., June 12, 1851; son of James Smith. He became a large manufacturer of patent and enamel leather. He was elected by the citizens of his district, which was overwhelmingly Re- publican, a member of the common council of Newark, his majority being larger than the entire vote of the candidate of the Republican party, and following this success he was nomi- nated by the Democratic party for mayor, but declined to become a candidate. In 1893 he was tlie caucus candidate of the Democratic members of the legislature for senator as successor to Rufus Blodgett, and was elected, taking his seat March 4, 1893, his term expiring March 3, 1899, when he was succeeded by John Kean, Republi- can. He served in the senate as chairman of the committee on organization, credit and expendi-" tures of the executive department, and as a member of the committee on coast defenses. Dis- trict of Columbia, interstate commerce, manu- factures, naval affairs and Pacific railroad.

SMITH, James Francis, soldier, was born in San Francisco, Cal., Jan. 28, 1859 ; son of Patrick and Ann Smith. lie was graduated from Santa Clara college. A.B., 1878, A.M., 1881, studied law at Hastings Law school, California, and was ad- mitted to the bar in January, 1881. He was married, Aug. 13, 1885, to Lillie A. Dunnigan of Santa Clara, Cal. He was commissioned colonel of the 1st California regiment of volunteers in April. 1898 ; served in the first expedition to the Philippines, participating in the battle of Malate Trenches, July 31, 1898, and in the capture of Manila, Aug. 13, 1898. He served as deputy provost marshal at Manila, August, 1898 ; as president of the military commis.sion, Oct. 12, 1899; commanded the 1st brigade, 1st division, 8th

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army corps, Oct. 22. 1898, and was a member of the commission to confer with the commission from Aguinaldo in January, 1899. He was en- gaged in the battle at Santa Ana, Feb. 5, 1899 ; in the fighting at San Pedro Mecati, Pateros and Taguig, Feb. 15— March 1, 1899, being com- mended for gallantry in dispatches, and was placed in command of the Island of Negros as a sub-district, March 1, 1899. He was promoted brigadier-general, U.S.V., April 29, 1899; was military governor of the Island of Negros, July 24. 1899— April, 1900. and from the latter date of the department of the Vizcayas.

SMITH, James Milton, governor of Georgia, was born in Twiggs county, Ga., Oct. 24. 1823. He learned the blacksmith's trade, attended Cul- loden Academy, Munroe county, Ga., and in 1846 was admitted to the Columbus bar, where he settled in practice. He served in the Confed- erate States army as major, 13th Georgia infantry, and was promoted colonel in 1862. He fought in the Army of Northern Virginia, under Lee, and was badly wounded at Cold Harbor. He was a representative from Georgia, in the 2d Confed- erate States congress, from Feb. 22, 1864, to the close of the session. He returned to the practice- of law, and was a representa- tive in the Georgia legisla- "..^ - ture, and speaker of the house. in 1870. He was governor of Georgia, as successor to Rufus B. Bullock, who resigned in November, 1870, having been chosen by special election, or- dered by the legislature, held Dec. 3, 1871, and was re-elected in 1872, serving, 1872-76, and de- clining a renomination, in 1876. He died at Columbus, Ga.. Nov. 25, 1890.

SMITH, James Youngs, governor of Rhode Island, was born in Groton, Conn., Sept. 15, 1809; son of Amos D. and Priscella (Mitchell) Smith, and a descendant on his mother's side, of Priscella Mullens. He attended the district school ; was clerk in a country store. 1822-26, and then engaged in the lumber business in Providence, R.I. He wasman-ied, Aug. 13, 1835, to Emily, daughter of Thomas Brown, a cotton manufacturer of Scituate, R.I. He sold his lum- ber business in 1843, and with his brother, Amos D. Smith, engaged in the manufacture of cotton goods in Providence. He was a Republican re- presentative in the general assembly ; member of the school committee ; mayor of Providence, 1855-56, was defeated for governor of Rhode Is- land in 1861 by William Sprague, and was govern- or, 1863-66. He was president of several banks, and a director of the Providence and Worcester and the New York and New England railway com- panies. He died in Providence, R.I., March 26, 1876.