Samuel Smith Jr. (military captain)
Samuel Smith Jr. | |
|---|---|
Samuel Smith's house built in 1638 and rebuilt in 1875 | |
| Born | January 26, 1714 Topsfield, Massachusetts Bay Colony |
| Died | November 14, 1785 (aged 71) Topsfield, Massachusetts, United States |
| Occupation(s) | Politician and militiaman |
| Years active | 1774-1780 |
| Title | Captain |
| Children | 6, including Asael Smith |
Samuel Smith Jr. (January 26, 1714 - November 14, 1785) was a Christian anti-British politician from Topsfield, Massachusetts and the paternal great-grandfather of Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Early life
Samuel Smith was the third child of Samuel Smith Sr. and Rebecca Curtis.[2] He was described in the town being a "gentleman" in the Topsfield census, On May 27, 1734, Samuel married Priscilla Gould. The couple had six children together: Priscilla Smith (1735-1792), Samuel Smith III (1737-1792), Vashti Smith (1739-1807), Susanna Smith (1741-1741), Susanna Smith (1742-1811), and Asael Smith (1743-1830). On September 25, 1744, Priscilla died of unknown reasons and Samuel married her first cousin also named Priscilla Gould; Priscilla had no children with Samuel but helped raise his children.[4][5]
Military and politics
Samuel enlisted in a Massachusetts militia and achieved the rank of Lieutenant from 1758 to 1766, in 1766 he achieved the rank of Captain and led an entire military company. Samuel retired in the 1770s and became a Chairman of the Tea Committee in 1773 which would eventually led to the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773. In October of 1774, Samuel Smith was chosen to represent the town of Topsfield for a meeting in Ipswich over the Intolerable Acts imposed by the British Empire following the Boston Tea Party. During his visit to Ipswich in 1744, he became a congressman for the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. From 1760 to 1785: he became a grand juryman in 1760, Supervisor of roads in 1770, served on the Committee of Public Safety from 1779 to 1780 and 1783 to 1785, served as an Assessor and selectman from 1771 to 1777 and from 1781 to 1782, served as a town clerk in 1774, 1776, and 1777, served as a representative to the General Court in 1763, 1765, 1766-1770, 1772, 1777-1779 and 1781, served as a moderator from 1758-1760, 1762, 1764, 1766-1775, 1778, 1779, 1780 and 1783 and "Recog. of Debts from 1777-1780 and 1782 and 1783.[4][7][8][9]
Later years and death
Samuel's physical and mental health declined rapidly once he left politics which only became worse because of his debts. Due to his heavy involvement in public affairs, he accumulated a large amount debt which he lived with until his death. On November 14, 1785, Samuel died due to a stroke.[4][7][8][9][10]
References
- ^ "Smith Homestead – Ensign Peak Foundation". Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ a b "Joseph Smith's Family Tree". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ Kim R. Wilson: Joseph Smith’s Topsfield Ancestors Commemorated, (2005)
- ^ a b c d Samuel and Priscilla (Gould) Smith, Luella Jones Downard
- ^ a b Joseph Smith An American Prophet, John Henry Evans
- ^ "DNA shows Joseph Smith was Irish – Joseph Smith Jr and Emma Hale Smith Historical Society". josephsmithjr.org. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ a b Colonial Families of America, Ruth Lawrence Q973 D2L
- ^ a b Topsfield Historical Collections 974.45 B5t- 1902
- ^ a b History of Topsfield, 974.45/Tl H2d
- ^ Samuel Smith in Topsfield Deaths, Topsfield Congregational Church Record Book, 1785