Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/440

 SMITH

SMITH

April, 1878. to Kate, daughter of Edward and Mary (Hess) Crosslaud of Graves county, Ky. He removed to Dillon, Mont., in 1882, and was a member of the constitutional convention in 1883. He ■wa'? U.S. attorney for Montana, 1885-1889 ; city attorney for Helena, Mont., 1890-91, and the un- successful Populist candidate for representative at large from Montana in the 54th congress in 1894. He was elected governor as a Populist by the Democratic and Popu- list vote in 1896, receiving 36,688 votes, to 14, 993 for Alexander C. Botkin nominated by the two wings of the Republican ticket, for the term expiring Jan. 1, 1901.

SMITH, Roland Cotton, clergyman, was born in New York city. March 24, 1860 ; son of John Cotton and Harriette (Appleton) Smith ; grand- son of Richard Mather and Mary (Woods) Smith and of James and Sarah (Fuller) Appleton, and a descendant of John Cotton and Samuel Apple- ton. He was graduated at Amherst, AB., 1882, A.M., 1885 and at the Episcopal Theological school, Cambridge, Mass., B.D., 1885; was ad- mitted to the diaconate in 1885 ; advanced to the priesthood in 1886 ; was married, Oct. 13, 1886, to Margaret Sigourney, daughter of William and Margaret (Sigourney) Otis of Boston, Mass.; was rector of St. Peter's, Beverly, Mass., 1885-88; assistant minister at Trinity church, Boston, 1888-93 ; rector of St. John's, Northampton, 1893- 1902, and in 1902 was elected rector of St. John's, Washington, D.C., as successor to Alexander Mackay-Smith, elected bishop coadjutor of Penn- sylvania.

SMITH, Roswell, publisher, was born in Leb- anon, Conn., March 30, 1829 ; son of Asher L. Smith, who, with his brother, Roswell C. Smith, conducted a school in Providence, R.I., and published improved text books which were gen- erally used in schools. Tlie son, Roswell, left his father's farm in 1843, and was clerk in the publisiiing house of Paine and Burgess, 1843-46. He was matriculated at Brown university in 1846, pursued Englisli and scientific courses, and was graduated as of the class of 1852, by special vote. He studied law with Thomas C. Perkins in Hart- ford, Conn., removed to Lafayette, Ind., in 1850, and in 1852 was married to Anna G., the only daughter of Henry Leavitt Ellsworth (q.v.). Miss I>eavitt had dictated the first message sent over the perfected Morse telegraph, " What hath God wrought," suggested by her mother. In 1889, he visited England and there met JosiahG. Holland (q.v.), and on his return, Charles Scrib- ner & Co. were induced Ijy Holland and Smith to found, in 1870, Scribner's Jlont lily a.nd in 1873 the

St. NicJioIas, of which two ventures Holland and Smith held a majority of the stock. Mr. Smith assumed the business management, and on the death of Dr. Holland, Mr. Smith became sole pro- prietor of these magazines. He established the publishing house known as the Century company, and changed the name of Scribner's Monthly to The Century. The Century Company published many well known books, as the " Century War Book" and " Life of Abraham Lincoln," and in 1882 Mr. Smith planned to ])ublisli an American revision of the '• Imjjerial Dictionary " and as a result the " Century Dictionary " was commenced in 1889, and completed in 1^94. I\Ir. Smith was prominent in the councils of the Presbyterian church, and became a liberal contributor to its support. He was president of the Congrega- tional club of New York, and was a member of the board of directors of the American Tract so- ciety, lie died in New Y^ork city, April 19, 1892. SMITH, Samuel, soldier, was born in Lan- caster county, Pa., July 27, 1752; son of John and brother of Robert Smith (q.v.). He en- gaged in the mercantile business with his father, and sailed as supercargo of one of his father's ships in 1771, and traveled in Europe. In 1776 he was appointed a captain in Col. William Smallwood's Maryland regiment. He was de- tailed on special duty at Annapolis, to seize Gov- ei'ner Eden (q.v.), suspected of treason ; took part in the battles of Long Island, Harlem, and White Plains and in the retreat through New Jersey ; was promoted major, Dec. 10, 1776 ; lieutenant- colonel in 1777, and served in the 4th Maryland regiment, in the attack on Staten Island and the battle of Brandywine, and commanded Fort Mifflin during the passage of the British fleet up the Delaware river, wliere he withstood a con- tinuous bombardment from Sept. 26 to Nov. 11, 1777, and was severely wounded. He was voted a sword by congress ; was present at Valley Forge ; and took part in the battle of Monmouth. He resigned iiis commission, 1779, and was colonel of militia in Baltimore, 1779-83. He was a port warden of Baltimore, 1783-90 ; a delegate to the state legislature, 1790-92 ; a representative from Maryland in the 3d-7th congresses, 1793-1803 ; U.S. senator, 1803-15 ; acting secretary of the U.S. navy in Jefi'erson's cabinet in 1805, when his brother Robert was transferred from the de- partment of war to the attorney-general's office, and he declined the portfolio of war. He com manded the state militia in the defense of Balti- more during the war of 1812 ; was a represen- tative in the 14th-17th congresses, elected in 1815 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Nicholas R. Moore, taking liis .seat, Feb. 4, 1816. and serving by successive elections, 1816-C?. He resigned in 1822, having been elected U.S. eena-