Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/450

 SMITH

SMOCK

SMITH, Worthlngton, tvlucator, ^vas born at IlaiUfy, M;i><s., Oc[. 11, 1795; youn-rest son of Scth andLyvlin (SuiitIO Sinitli of Ihulley; giand- son of Jonatliuu aiul Kebeo-a (Dickinson) Sniitli, and of Tlionias and Klioda (^ Wortbington) Sniitli, and a .lescudant of Lieut. Samuel Smitb [I). England. l.V.tS; d. Hadley, Mass., IfisO], whocamo to America in Ain'il, IG'M. and from Wetberstield, Conn., to H.idley in 1650. He was graduated from Williams college in 181G, fromtbe Andover Tiieologii-al seminary, 1819, and was ordained, June 4. 1803, at St, Albans, Vt. He was mar- ried. July 1, 18'::3. to Mary Anne, eldest daugliter of Epbraim and Eliaibetb (Norton) Little, of St. Albans. He .served as pastor of the Congrega- tional church in St. Albans, Vt., 1823-19, as county superintendent of common schools in 1846, and was president of the University of Vermont, 1849-.55. He received the degree of D.D from the University of Vermont in 1845, and is the author of several published sermons, discourses and addresses (1829-40). Professor Joseph Torrey issued a selection of his sermons with a memoir in 1861. He .li.-d at St. All)ans. Vt., Feb. 13, 1856. SMITH, Worthington Curtis, representative, was born in Baire, Vt., Aug. 12, 1819; son of John (q.v.) and Maria (Curtis) Smith. He was graduated from the University of Vermont, A.B., 1843: studied law with his father, but did not practi.se, and in 1845 engaged in the iron trade. He was married, Jan. 12, 1850, to Cathe- rine M., daugliter of Maj. John Walworth, of Plattsburg, N.Y. He assisted in raising and equipping the 1st Vermont volunteers, in 1861; was a representative in the state legislature, 1863; a state senator, 1864-65, being unanimouslj' elected president pro tern, of that body in the lat- ter year, and was a Republican representative in the 40th, 41st and 42d congresses. 1867-73. He was largely identified with the railroad interest of the state, and was also president of the Ver- mont National bank at St. Albans, 1864-70. He died in St. Albans. Vt., Jan. 2, 1894.

SMITHSON, James, pliilanthropist, was born in France, 1765: the natural .son of Sir Hugh Smithson, the first duke of Northumberland, and Elizabeth Macie, a niece of Charles, Duke of Somerset, and heiress of the Hungerfords of Studley. He was grad- uated from the University of SA^-THso/N/iAN i/ySTiruT.oN 0.xfordinl786.

He made special researches in chemistry, and traveled extensively in Europe, carrying with him a p<-)rtable laboratory in which he made obser- vations of the climatic, geological and physical

structure of the localities. He made a clioice collection of minerals; contributed to Thomp- son's A)nials of Philoaophy, 1819-29; was a mem- ber of the lioyal .society, and ccmtribnted valu- able original papers to its Transactions. He be- queathed to his nephew, Heiny James Hunger- ford, £120,000 with the provision that should the latter die without issue, the whole amount was to revert to the United States government, to fovnid an institution at Washington, D.C.,tobe called the Smithsonian Institution, " for the in- crease and diffusion of kjiowledge among men." In 18:)5 his nephew died without heirs, and there was paid into the U.S. treasury $.508,318.46. The Smithsonian Institution was founded in 1846, and in 1891 the amount was further increased by a gift of $200,000 from Thomas George Hodgkins of Setauket, N.Y. The funds of the Institution are deposited in the U.S. treasury, the govern- ment paying six per cent, interest on the fund. In 1846 Congress passed an act creating an " Es- tablishment " consisting of the President ami his cabinet, and a board of regents, including the Vice-President, three senators and three repre- sentatives in congress and six other citizens, the executive officer to be a secretary elected by the board of regents. The Smithsonian Institution was organized by Joseph Henry, who became the first secretary, followed on his death, May 13, 1878, by Spencer FuUerton Baird who died, Aug. 19. 1887, and was succeeded by Samuel Pierpont Langley who held the office in 1903, at which time the departments under his control included: The National Museum: The Bureau of American Ethnology; International Exchanges; The Na- tional Zoological Park and the Astrophysical Ob- servatoiy. The Institution was also the origina- tor of the Commission of Fish and Fisheries, the Weather Bureau, and of various divisions placed in cliarge of the Department of Agriculture. James Smithson died in Genoa. Italy. June 27, 1829. In January, 1903, a movement was j)laced on foot to remove his remains to the Smithsonian Institu- tion grounds in Washington, D.C.

SMOCK, John Conover, geologist, was born in Holmdel, N.J., Sept. 21, 1842; son of Isaac G. and Ellen (Conover) Smock; grandson of George and Margaret (Van Deventer) Smock, and of John and Aim (Smock) Conover, and a descend- ant of Hendrick Matthyse Smock, the progeni- tor of the Smock family in this country, who settled in New Utrecht, Long Island, in 1654. He was graduated from Rutgers in 1862, and be- came a tutor in chemistry there, 1862-67. He •was elected professor of mining and metallurgy in 1867, and studied at the Berg Academie and the University of Berlin, 1869-70. He was mar- ried, Oct. 15, 1874, to Catherine Elizabeth, daugh- ter of Abram J. and Catherine (Schoonmaker)