Biography

01/25/1769 - 10/01/1823

Richard Smith (Federalist8) Bedford and Huntingdon Counties 1797-1800 (Federalist8) Bedford, Huntingdon and Somerset Counties 1800-1801 

Early Life:

Richard Smith, born January 25, 1769, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Province of Pennsylvania, British Colonial America; son of the Reverend William and Rebecca Moore Smith, studied law; admitted, Philadelphia bar, 1792, Huntingdon bar, 1795; trustee, Huntingdon County, 1787-1790; elected, Federalist, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1797-1801; law practice, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, 1800-1823; died, October 1, 1823; interment, Riverview Cemetery, Huntingdon, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Politics: 

Elected, Federalist, Pennsylvania State Senate, 8th district, Bedford and Huntingdon Counties, 1797-1800.

Elected, Federalist, Pennsylvania State Senate, 8th district, Bedford, Huntingdon and Somerset Counties, 1800-1801.

Legacy:

Nephew, General William Rudolph Smith, Pennsylvania State Senate, Huntingdon and Mifflin Counties, 1823-1824.

William Rudolph Smith  - Pennsylvania Senate Library (pasen.gov)

Brother, Thomas Duncan Smith, replaced, trustee, Huntingdon County, 1787-1790. 

Father, Doctor William Smith, Anglican Priest. Educator. Benjamin Franklin asked him to teach at a new school to be established in Philadelphia. Smith came to the city to teach natural philosophy and became the first provost (first president) of the College of Philadelphia, a position he held from 1754-1779. Because of a misconception of Smith as a loyalist, the Pennsylvania legislature established the new University of Pennsylvania in 1779. Smith served on the Philadelphia Committee of Correspondence in 1774 serving with such notables as John Dickinson, Samuel Miles, and Joseph Reed. He moved to Maryland and became the first president of Washington College. Later, after the revolution ended, and Smith was no longer seen as a loyalist, the College of Philadelphia merged with the University of Pennsylvania, and Smith was the new school's provost from 1802-1803. In 1757, Smith was the editor of The American Magazine and Monthly Chronicle for the British Colonies which was published by fellow Philadelphian William Bradford.

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members S". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

A New Nation Votes (tufts.edu)

Richard Smith (1769-1823) - Find a Grave Memorial