Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/446

 SMITH

SMITH

forts at Cauton. China, in 1856. and was third officer on the Congress when slie was burned in Hampton Huads. Marcli S. 18G-'. by the Merrimac. Ill Ai)ril lie was sent by Goldsborough with 7 gun- boats into the York river to assist McClelhm in his Peninsular campaign, and on May 1, during the siege of Yorktown, he shelled the enemy's artillery and forced it to retire. On May 6, he moved the gun-boats up to West Point, escort- ing and landing General Franklin's division in tlie face of strong opposition, and on May 17, sent two gun-boats up the Pamunkey to destroy the Confederate store-vessels. He arrived at City Point. May IS ; relieved Rogers of the com- mand of the squadron ; was shortly afterward re- lieved by Commander Gillis ; was promoted com- modore and commanded the Pensacola station until he retired in I860. He died in St. Louis, Mo.. May 1. 1873.

SMITH, William Alden, representative, was born at Dowagiac, Mich., May 12, 1859. He re- ceived a common-school education, and removed with his parents to Grand Rapids, Mich., in 1872. He was appointed page in the Michigan house of representatives in 1879, and in 1882 was assistant secretary of the Michigan senate. He was ad- mitted to the bar in 1883, and was a member of the Republican state central committee in 1888, 1890. and 1892. In 1886 he was married to Nana Osterhaut. He was Republican representative from the fifth Michigan district in the 54th-58th congresses. 1895-1905, and served on the com- mittee on foreign affairs ; as ciiairman of the com- mittee on Pacific railroads, and as a member of the committee on memorial exercises of the late President McKinley.

SMITH, William Andrew, clergyman, was burn in Fredericksburg, Va., Nov. 29. 1802. His parents died when he was very young and he was adopted by Russell Hill, a Petersburg mer- ciiant. He studied privately till 1820 ; taught school, 1821-23 ; was a circuit preacher, 1824, and in February, 1825, was admitted to the Virginia conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, serving as a delegate to every session of the gen- eral conference, 1832-44. He was a member of the Louisville convention which organized the M. E. church, Soutli ; was an original trustee of Randolph-Macon college, 1830-66 ; agent for tlie college, 1833 ; its president and profes.sor of moral and mental philosophy, 1846-66, and president of Central university, 1869-70. He received the de- gree of D.D.; edited the Christian Advocate, and wrote Lectures on the Philosophy of Slavery (1S60). He died in Richmond, Ya., March 1, 1870. S.VIITH, William E., governor of "Wisconsin, was V)orn in Inverness. Scotland. June 18. 1824 ; son of Alexander and Sarah (Grant) Smith. He came to the United States with his parents in his

youth, and resided in New York and Michigan. He was married in 1849 to Mar}- Booth, and en- gaged in business in Fox Lake, Dodge county, Wis., was a representative in the state legihlature in 1851 and in 1871, serving as speaker of the house in 1871 ; was state senator, 1858-59 and 1864-65 ; and state treasurer, 1866-70. He re- moved to Milwaukee in 1871, and was governor of Wisconsin, 1877-81. He was a member of the board of regents of normal schools, 1858-76. and a director of the state prison, 1874-78. He died in Milwaukee, Wis., Feb. 23, 1883.

SMITH, William E., representative, was born at Augusta, Ga., March 14, 1829 : son of Samuel and Susan (Harten) Smith ; grandson of How- ell and Susan (Majors) Harten, and a de- scendant of the Hartens of Virginia. He received an academic education, and was ad- mitted to the bar in May, 1848, under a special act of the legislature. He was ordinarj- of Dougherty county, Georgia, 1853, and solicitor- general of the southwest circuit. 1858-60. He was married, Aug. 7, 1860, to Caroline, daughter of Reuben and Mary (Hill) Williams, of Baker count}', Ga. His wife dying in 1869, he married in 1872, her sister, Mary Williams. He enlisted as 1st lieutenant in the Confederate army, 4th Georgia volunteers, in 1861 ; was promoted cap- tain, April, 1862, and served in the defence of Richmond, losing a leg at the battle of King's School House, June 25, 1862. He was a repre- sentative from the second district of Georgia in the second Confederate States congress, from Feb. 22, 1864 ; declined the office of circuit-judge in 1874, engaged in cotton planting, and was a Democratic representative from Georgia in the 44th. 45th and 46th congresses. 1875-81. He died at Albany, Ga.. March 10, 1890.

SMITH, William Farrar, soldier, was born in St. Albans, Vt., Feb. 17, 1824 ; son of Aslibel and Sarah (Butler) Smith ; grandson of Amasa and

(Gregory) Smith, and of Eldad and Marcy

(Saflford) Butler, and a descendant of Samuel Robinson (born in Bristol, England, 1668, died in Cambridge, Mass., 1730), whose son, Samuel, was first magistrate of Vermont. He was nephew of John Smith (q.v.), and cousin of Worthing- ton C. Smith, botli representatives in the U.S. congress ; of Governor John Gregory Smith (q.v.), and cousin once removed of Edwin Smith (q.v.), also governor of Vermont. He was grad- uated from the U.S. Military academy in 1845, and brevetted 2d lieutenant of topographical en- gineers. July 1. 1845. and served on the Northern lake survey, 1845-46 ; as professor of mathematics at the U.S. Military academy, 1846-48 ; and as as- sistant engineer on explorations in Texas. Florida and Mexico, 1848-55. He was promoted 2d lieu- tenant, July 14, 1849, and 1st lieutenant. March