Heman R. Smith

Heman R. Smith (1795 – September 1, 1861) was a Hinesburg farmer and military officer who served as Adjutant General of the Vermont Militia.

Heman R. Smith
Adjutant General of the Vermont Militia
In office 1852–1853
Preceded by	Frederic Williams Hopkins
Succeeded by	Lewis Samuel Partridge
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from Hinesburg
In office 1841–1843
Preceded by	Jedediah Boynton
Succeeded by	John S. Patrick
Personal details
Born	1795 Hinesburg, Vermont
Died	January 1, 1861 (aged 65–66) Hinesburg, Vermont
Resting place	Hinesburg Village Cemetery, Hinesburg, Vermont
Political party	National Republican Whig Republican
Spouse(s)	Harriet Leonard (m. 1822-1861, his death)
Occupation	Farmer Militia officer Politician

Biography

Heman R. Smith was born in Hinesburg, Vermont in 1795, and was the son of Sagy Smith (1767-1851) and farmer Morris Smith (1769-1850), two of Hinesburg's earliest settlers. He was educated locally and became a farmer. He was also active in the Chittenden County Agricultural Society.[1]

Smith joined the National Republican Party,[2] and later became a Whig,[3] He was active in local government, including terms as a Justice of the Peace and member of the Vermont House of Representatives.[4][5]

Active in the Vermont Militia, Smith rose through the ranks to command 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division and 2nd Brigade, 1st Division with the rank of brigadier general.[6][7] From 1843 to 1846 he commanded the 1st Division as a major general.[8][9]

In 1852 Smith was appointed Vermont's Adjutant General, and he served until 1853.[10][11] He became a Republican when the party was founded, and was a delegate to the party's Chittenden County convention in 1860.[12]

In 1861 he was considered for appointment as U.S. Marshal for Vermont,[13] but the selection went to Charles C. P. Baldwin.[14][15]

At the start of the American Civil War Smith was active in recruiting soldiers for the Union Army, and assisted in forming two companies in Hinesburg.[16]

Death and burial

Smith died in Hinesburg on September 1, 1861.[17] He was buried at Hinesburg Village Cemetery.[17]

Family

In 1822, Smith married Harriet Leonard (1799-1881) of Hinesburg.[18] They had no children, and after her husband's death Mrs. Smith continued to reside on and operate the family farm until well into her old age.[18]

References

1. Burlington Free Press, Chittenden County Agricultural Society, January 19, 1844, via Library of Congress Chronicling America Collection
2. "The State Convention of National Republicans". Vermont Courier. Woodstock, VT. July 12, 1833. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "County Convention". Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. July 8, 1842. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Vermont General Assembly, Journal of the House of the State of Vermont, 1841, page 4
5. Vermont General Assembly, Journal of the Vermont House of Representatives, 1828, page 38
6. Vermont General Assembly, Journal of the General Assembly of the State of Vermont, 1830, page 151
7. Vermont General Assembly, Journal of the Vermont General Assembly, 1842, page 50
8. Vermont General Assembly, Journal of the Vermont General Assembly, 1843, page 37
9. Vermont General Assembly, Journal of the Vermont General Assembly, 1846, page 43
10. Vermont General Assembly, Journal of the Vermont General Assembly, 1852, page 300
11. Vermont Adjutant General, Annual Report, 1955, page 4
12. "The County Convention". Burlington Times. Burlington, VT. July 11, 1860. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
13. Smith, Heman R. (January 1, 1861). "Letter: Heman R. Smith to Abraham Lincoln, requesting appointment as U.S. Marshal for Vermont" (PDF). Connecting Presidential Collections (CPC). Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
14. "List of U.S. Marshals for Vermont". District of Vermont History. United States Marshals Service. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
15. Lincoln, Abraham, author; Basler, Roy P, editor (1953). The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. IV. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. p. 299. ISBN 9781434476982.
16. Abby Maria Hemenway, editor, The Vermont Historical Gazetteer, Volume 1, 1867, page 795
17. "Vermont Vital Records, 1720-1908 Death Record for Heman R. Smith, Copy dated October 28, 1919". Ancestry.com. Lehi, UT: Ancestry.com LLC. September 1, 1861.
18. Rann, William S. (1886). History of Chittenden County, Vermont. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason & Co. p. 853.

External links

Heman R. Smith at Find a Grave