Truman Smith

This article is about the 19th century Connecticut politician. For the 20th century U.S. Army officer, his grandson, see Truman Smith (officer).

Truman Smith
Member of the United States Senate from Connecticut
In office March 4, 1849 – May 24, 1854
Preceded by	John M. Niles
Succeeded by	Francis Gillette
Member of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut's 4th district
In office March 4, 1845 – March 4, 1849
Preceded by	Samuel Simons
Succeeded by	Thomas B. Butler
Member of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut's 5th district
In office March 4, 1839 – March 4, 1843
Preceded by	Lancelot Phelps
Succeeded by	(none)
Personal details
Born	(1791-11-27)November 27, 1791 Roxbury, Connecticut, USA
Died	Stamford, Connecticut, USA
Political party	Whig
Spouse(s)	Maria Cook Smith, Mary Ann Dickinson Smith
Children	Catherine Marie Smith, Jeannie Penniman (Jane) Smith, George Webster Smith, Truman Houston Smith, Samuel Hubbard Smith, Edmond Dickinson Smith, Robert Shufeldt Smith, Henry Humphry Smith, Allen Hoyt Smith
Profession	Politician, Lawyer, Judge

Truman Smith (November 27, 1791 – May 3, 1884) was a Whig member of the United States Senate from Connecticut from 1849 to 1854 and a member of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut's 4th and 5th congressional districts from 1845 to 1849 and from 1849 to 1854. He also served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1831 to 1832, and in 1834.

Biography

Smith was born in Roxbury, Connecticut. He was the nephew of Nathaniel Smith and Nathan Smith. Smith completed preparatory studies and graduated from Yale College in 1815. He studied law at Litchfield Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1818, commencing practice in Litchfield, Connecticut. He married Maria Cook on June 2, 1832, and they had three children, Catherine Marie Smith, Jeannie Penniman (Jane) Smith, and George Webster Smith. His wife, Marie, died on April 20, 1849. He married Mary Ann Dickinson Walker on November 7, 1850, by whom he had six children, Truman Houston Smith, Samuel Hubbard Smith, Edmond Dickinson Smith, Robert Shufeldt Smith, Henry Humphry Smith, and Allen Hoyt Smith.

Career

Smith was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1831 to 1832 and again in 1834. He was elected a Whig to the United States House of Representatives, representing the 5th district, during the Twenty-sixth and Twenty-seventh Congresses, and serving from March 4, 1839 to March 3, 1843, declining renomination in 1842.

Smith was a presidential elector on the Whig ticket in 1844 He was elected back to the House of Representatives representing the 4th District for the Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth Congresses. He served from March 4, 1845, to March 3, 1849. Smith declined the appointment to be the first United States Secretary of the Interior from President Zachary Taylor in 1849 having been elected to the United States Senate. He served from March 4, 1849, until his resignation May 24, 1854.

Afterwards, he lived in Stamford, Connecticut with his second wife, Mary Ann Dickinson Smith, while practicing law in New York City, New York. Mary Ann was the adopted daughter of the miniaturist Anson Dickinson. Smith's New York law office was open from 1854 to 1871. In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln appointed Smith judge of the Court of Arbitration under the treaty of 1862 with Great Britain for the suppression of the slave trade where he served until 1870.

Death

Smith retired from business that year and died in Stamford, Connecticut on May 3, 1884,(age 92 years, 158 days). He is interned at Stamford in Woodland Cemetery.

References

External links

• Truman Smith at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Truman Smith at Find A Grave

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Lancelot Phelps	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's 5th congressional district March 4, 1839 – March 4, 1843	Succeeded by (none)
Preceded by Samuel Simons	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's 4th congressional district March 4, 1845 – March 4, 1849	Succeeded by Thomas B. Butler
United States Senate
Preceded by John M. Niles	U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Connecticut March 4, 1849 – May 24, 1854 Served alongside: Roger S. Baldwin and Isaac Toucey	Succeeded by Francis Gillette

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.