William Smith (New York state senator)

William Smith
William Smith
Member of the New York State Senate for the Southern District
	In office; 1777–1783
Preceded by	Inaugural holder
Succeeded by	Samuel Townsend
Personal details
Born	June 28, 1720; Manor St. George, Brookhaven, Province of New York, British America
Died	March 17, 1799 (aged 78)
Spouse(s)	Mary Smith; (died 1758); Ruth Woodhull; (m. 1762; his death 1799)
Relations	William "Tangier" Smith (grandfather)
Children	8, including John
Parents	William Henry Smith; Hannah Sayre Cooper

William Smith (June 28, 1720 – March 17, 1799) was an American politician from New York.

Early life

He was born on June 28, 1720,[1] at Manor St. George in Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York, the son of Maj. William Henry Smith (1690–1743) and Hannah (née Sayre) Cooper Smith. Before his parents marriage, his mother was married to John Cooper[2]

His maternal grandfather was Capt. Daniel Sayre and his paternal grandfather was William "Tangier" Smith, the Chief Justice of the Province of New York.[2]

Career

He was a judge of the Suffolk County Court from 1771 to 1775.[3] At the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War he sided with the Patriots. He stayed with friends in Orange County and got involved in politics.

He was a member of the 3rd and 4th New York Provincial Congresses in 1776 and 1777. He was appointed by the New York Constitutional Convention to the New York State Senate to represent the Southern District which was under British control and no State election could be held there. He was a member of the State Senate from 1777 to 1783, sitting in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th New York State Legislatures.[4] He was one of nine senators who represented the Southern District of New York, which consisted of Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk and Westchester counties.[5]

Personal life

He married Mary Smith (1735–1758). Before her death on April 22, 1758, they were the parents of:[2]

John Smith (1752–1816), a U.S. Senator who married three times, including to Elizabeth (née Woodhull) Nicoll, a daughter of Gen. Nathaniel Woodhull.[2]
Mary Smith (1758–1759), who died in infancy.[6]

On March 2, 1762,[7] William married Ruth Woodhull (1740–1822), the sister of Gen. Nathaniel Woodhull and State Senator Jesse Woodhull. Together, William and Ruth were the parents of six children, two sons and four daughters, including:[8]

Hannah Smith (1764–1809), who married her cousin Capt. Richard William Woodhull, a son of Col. Jesse Woodhull.[2]
William Smith (1769–1803), who married Hannah Phoenix Smith.[2]
Sarah Smith (1773–1792), who died unmarried.[2]
Elizabeth Smith (1775–1795), who died unmarried.[2]

He died on March 17, 1799.[9]

References

"Family: William Smith/Ruth Woodhull" at Long Island Surnames
Woodhull Genealogy: The Woodhull Family in England and America. H.T. Coates. 1904. pp. 99–100. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
The Documentary History of the First Federal Elections, 1788–1790 edited by Gordon DenBoer (University of Wisconsin Press, 1986; Vol. III, pg. 203; ISBN 0-299-06690-8)
The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pg. 53 and 110ff; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
Hough, Franklin Benjamin (1858). The New York Civil List: Containing the names and origin of the civil divisions, and the names and dates of election or appointment of the principal state and county officers from the Revolution to the present time. Weed, Parsons and Co. pp. 108, 111, 112. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
"Mary Smith (1735–1758)" at Long Island Surnames
New York Marriages Previous to 1784 (Clearfield Co., reprinted 1999 from original publication in 1860; pg. 470; ISBN 0-8063-0259-3)
Godey's Magazine and Lady's Book (1849, Vol. XXXVIII, pg. 384)
Samuel W. Eager (1846). An Outline History of Orange County: Together with Local Tradition and Short Biographical Sketches of Early Settlers, Etc. S. T. Callahan, Newburgh NY. p. 544. William Smith... was born in 1720... He died March 17, 1799.

Political offices
Preceded by Inaugural holder	Member of the New York State Senate 1777–1783	Succeeded by Samuel Townsend

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[1] "Family: William Smith/Ruth Woodhull" at Long Island Surnames

[Woodhull1904-2] Woodhull Genealogy: The Woodhull Family in England and America. H.T. Coates. 1904. pp. 99–100. Retrieved 29 October 2019.

[3] The Documentary History of the First Federal Elections, 1788–1790 edited by Gordon DenBoer (University of Wisconsin Press, 1986; Vol. III, pg. 203; ISBN 0-299-06690-8)

[4] The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pg. 53 and 110ff; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)

[Hough1858-5] Hough, Franklin Benjamin (1858). The New York Civil List: Containing the names and origin of the civil divisions, and the names and dates of election or appointment of the principal state and county officers from the Revolution to the present time. Weed, Parsons and Co. pp. 108, 111, 112. Retrieved 30 January 2020.

[6] "Mary Smith (1735–1758)" at Long Island Surnames

[7] New York Marriages Previous to 1784 (Clearfield Co., reprinted 1999 from original publication in 1860; pg. 470; ISBN 0-8063-0259-3)

[8] Godey's Magazine and Lady's Book (1849, Vol. XXXVIII, pg. 384)

[9] Samuel W. Eager (1846). An Outline History of Orange County: Together with Local Tradition and Short Biographical Sketches of Early Settlers, Etc. S. T. Callahan, Newburgh NY. p. 544. William Smith... was born in 1720... He died March 17, 1799.