Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/436

 SMITH

SMITH

grand-niece of Presiiloiit John Adams. Of their seven chiKlreii, tiie eldest son. who lulopted his grandniotlurs maiden name, beoame Judge Bur- leigh of Massachusetts; G. Melville Smith was a Presbyterian minister at Newburyport, Mass., and his daughter Louise, who married Albert C. Squier in 187(5, won a reputation as an artist in New York city, lie was for several years chaplain of the "Old Guard." New York city, and is the autlior of: ["^niirrsalism Examined, lienoiinced, and Exposed {l^i2); Text-book of Universalism (1845); Universitlism Not of God (1847); Sabbath Evenings (1849); Mount Calvary (1866); Sun- shine and Shadow in Xeiv York (1868-69); The Old Colony Railroad (1874); Bulls and Bears of Sew York (1875); Successful Folks (1878). He di«d in Brooklyn, N.Y.. Nov. 7, 1879.

SMITH, Melancton, delegate, was born in Jamaica, L.I.. N. Y., in 1724. He engaged in busi- ness in Pongiikeepsie, N.Y., in 1744; was a member of the provincial congress held at New York, May 23, 1775; a secret service commissioner and sheriff of Duchess county, N.Y., in 1777. He removed to New Y''ork city in 1785; was a dele- gate to the Continental congress, 1785-88; and a member of the state convention that met at Poughkeepsie to ratify the Federal constitution of 1787. He was a member of the state assembly in 1701, and was a sachem of the Tammany siwiely. He supported George Clinton for re- election as governor in 1792. and later served as circuit judge. He died in New Y^^ork city, July 29. 1708.

SMITH, Melancton, naval officer, was born in New York city, May 24, 1810; son of Melancton and Cornelia Haring (Jones) Smith, and grand- son of Melancton Smith (q.v.) and of Dr. Gar- dener Jones. His father (1780-18 18), an officer in the war of 1813. fought under General Macomb at Plattsburgh on Lake Ciiamplain in August, 1*^14. The son was warranted midshipman in the U.S. navy. March 1, 1826; attended the U.S. naval school at New York, 1830-31; was advanced to passed miflshipman, April 28, 1833; was com- missioned master in 1836, and served in the "West India squadron, 1837-38. He was commissioned lieutenant, March 8, 1837, and was married in tiie same year to Mary Jackson, daughter of Thomas Jones of Long Island, N. Y.; she died at Seaford, L.I.,N.Y., April 15, 1885. He served in the Florida war on the steamer Poiiise/f, and in com- manf a fort, 1839-40; was commissioned com- mander, Sfpt. 14, 1855, and in 1861, was placed in command of the U.S.S. MassacJiuaetts. He took possession of Ship Island, Sept. 17, 1861; engaged the C<»J> federate .steamer i-TonVZa, Cai)t. George M. Hollin.s. C.S.N., off Siiip Island, on Oct. 19, 1861; captured the forts at Biloxi, Miss., DfC. 31, 1861; returned to Hampton Roads, and joined Admiral

Farragut's fleet, Marcli 25, 1862. He took part in the opening of the Lower Mississipi)i and the passage of Forts Jackson and St. Philip and the Chalmette batteries, the Mississijjpi being the third vessel in Capt. Bailey's first division. He destroyed the Confederate ram Manassas by running her aground, then pounding her with shot till she blew up. He took part in running the batteries at Vicksburg, Miss., March 14, 1862, in command of the Mississij^pi, and on passing the city his ship ran aground, and after remov- ing his crew he set fire to the ship. He was= promoted cap- tain, July 16,- 1863; and was given command of the Mononga- "^ hela on the pas- ^'S'^' /Mississippi.

sage from New Orleans to Port Hudson, He com- manded the monitor Onondaga in the James river, and in Albemarle Sound in 1864; and the steam frigate Wabash in both attacks on Fort Fisher, De- cember, 1864-January, 1865. He was promoted commodore, July 25, 1866; was attached to the equipment and recruiting department, 1866-70; was promoted rear-admiral, July 1, 1870; was commandant at the Brooklyn navj- jard, 1870-72; was retired. May 24, 1871, and was governor of the Naval Asylum at Philadelphia, 1871-73. He died in Green Bay, Wis., July 19, 1893.

SMITH, Meriwether, statesman, was born at Bathurst, Essex county, Va., in 1730. He was twice married; first, in 1760, to Alice, daughter of Phillip Lee, and of their children, George William (q.v.) became governor of Virginia; and secondly, Sept. 29, 1769, to Elizabeth, daughter of Col. William Daingerfield. He rep- resented Essex county in the House of Bur- gesses in 1770; was a member of the Virginia conventions of 1775 and 1776, being associated with George Mason (q.v.) in the drafting of the bill of rights and the state constitution; was a signer of the articles of the Westmoreland asso- ciation, Feb. 27, 1776, which was pledged to use no articles of British importation, and of the res- olutions of the Williamsburg association, which met at the old Raleigh Tavern of that city. May 18, 1779. He was also a delegate to the Conti- nental congress, 1778-83, and a member of the Virginia convention, which adopted the constitu- tion of the United States. He died, Jan. 25, 1790.

SMITH, Morgan Lewis, soldier, was born in Oswego county, N.Y., March 8, 1832. He re- moved to New Albany, Ind.. in 1843, and joined the U.S. army in 1846, as a private, attaining the