Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/430

 SMITH

SMITH

daughter of Stephen and Sarah (Millis) Lavender of Boston, Mass., and had three sons. He was Republican presidential elector in 1884 ; a member of the New Hampshire executive coun- cil. 1887-^9 ; chairman of the Republican state committee. 18i)0. and was governor of New Hampshire, 1893-95.

SMITH, John Cotton, governor of Connect- icut, was born in Sharon, Conn., Feb. 12, 17G5 ; son of the Rev. Cotton Mather and Temperance (Gale) Worthington Smith, and a descendant of the Rev. Henry Smitii, who emigrated to America in 1636. and settled in Wethersfield, Conn. His father (1731-1806) was a Congrega- tional clergyman in Sharon for fifty years, and chaplain in the patriot army, 1775-76. He was graduated from Yale, A.B., 1783. A.M., 1786 ; practised law in Sharon, 1786-1816, and was married to Margaret Evertsen. He was a repre- sentative in the state legislature, serving as clerk in 1799. and speaker in 1800 ; was a Federalist re- presentative in the 7th-10th congresses, 1801-09 ; chairman of the committee on claims, 1803-06 ; was returned to the state legislature, 1808-09 ; was judge of tlie supreme court of Connecticut in 1810 ; lieutenant-governor of the state, 1810-13, and governor, 1813-18. He was president of the Connecticut Bible society ; of the American Bible society, 1831-45 ; of the A.B.C.F.M., 1826-41 ; a corre- sponding member of the Northern Antiquarian Society of Copen- hagen ; and a member of the Con- necticut Historical society. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred on him b}' Yale in 1814. He died in Sharon, Feb. 12, 1765.

SMITH, John Eugene, soldier, was born at Berne, Switzerland, Aug. 3, 1816 ; son of John Banler Smith, one of Napoleon's officers. His father immigrated to America shortly after the birth of the son, who, after attending school in Philadelphia. Pa., learned the jeweler's trade. He engaged in business in St. Louis, where he was married in 1837, and where his son. Col. A. T. Smith, U.S.A., was born. Later he moved to Galena, 111., and in 1861 was appointed on Gov- ernor Yates's staff, recruiting troops from April to July, He was commissioned colonel, 45th Illi- nois volunteers, and was engaged at Forts Henry and Donelson, serving in the 2d brigaile (W. H. L. Wallace), 1st division (J. A. McClernand) ; and at Shiloh, April 6 and 7, and the siege of Corinth, May 1 and 30, 1862. He was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers, Nov. 29, 1862, and participated in the Vicksburg campaign, com- manding the 1st brigade. 3d division, 17th corps. In the action at Port Gibson, May 1, General Smith supported Peter J. Osterhaus (q.v.) when

he had been repulsed. He was engaged at Ray- nor. May 12, at Jackson, May 14, at Champion Hill, May 16, and in the siege of Vicksburg, May 19-July 4, 1863. In the battle of Chattanooga, Nov. 23-25, 1863, General Smith commanded the 2d division, 17th army corps, the only division of that corps in Sherman's army. Smith's division was tiie second to cross the Tennessee river, formed in column to the rear and right of Mor- gan L. Smith's division and took possession of the heights that lay in a line with Missionary Ridge. At sunrise the following day, Smith led two brig- ades up the west side of the ridge to support Gen. John M. Corse. In doing this he was obliged to march over open ground in the face of a heavy fire, but succeeded in reaching the par- apet, where he lay until the enemy threatened his right flank. He retreated to a wood, formed a new line of battle, and drove the enemy into his works, and after Sheridan and Wood had made their charge. General Smitli succeeded in capturing the Confederate works. He was given command of the 3d division, 15th corps, under General Logan, and was stationed at Cartersville, Ga., for a short time, but joined Sherman before Atlanta, and took part in the march to the sea and through the Carolinas. He was brevetted major-general of volunteers, Jan. 12, 1865, for faithful and efficient services, and for gallantry in action, and was honorably mustered out of the volunteer service, April 30, 1866. He was com- missioned colonel, U.S.A., July 28, 1866, and was brevetted brigadier-general and major-general, U.S.A., March 2, 1867, for gallant and meri- torious services in the siege of Vicksburg and in the action at Savannah, Ga. He was retired be- cause of age. May 19, 1881, and died in Chicago, 111., Jan. 29, 1897.

SMITH, John Gregory, governor of Vermont, was born in St. Albans, Vt., July 22, 1818 ; son of John (q.v.) and Maria (Curtis) Smith. He was graduated from the University of Vermont, A.B., 1838, A.M., 1841, and subsequently attended the Yale Law school. He was married in 1842, to Ann Eliza, daughter of Lawrence L. Brainerd of St. Albans, United States senator. He was ad- mitted to the Franklin county bar and became associated with his father in the practice of law and in railroad management, becoming counsel for the Vermont Central and the Vermont and Canadian railroads in 1849, and upon the death of his father, in 1858, succeeding to the position of trustee under the lease of the latter road. In 1865, both railroads having deteriorated, he ad- vanced the system of issuing trust bonds, which emissions continued until 1872, and when the financial panic struck the country, he successfullj- carried the ro.ads through a long and complicated litigation, resulting in a compromise by which