Judge John Witherspoon Smith

Brief Life History of John Witherspoon

John Witherspoon Smith was born in Virginia in 1778, while his father "served as the founder and rector of Hampden–Sydney College." [1] He "graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1795, the same year his father succeeded John Witherspoon as the institution’s president. Smith moved from New York to New Orleans in 1805 and served as clerk of the superior court until Governor Claiborne removed him in 1807. He remained in Louisiana and later secured appointments as U.S. attorney and as a judge of the state criminal court in New Orleans." [2]

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Family Time Line

Judge John Witherspoon Smith
1778–1829
Sarah Henrietta Duer
1786–1887
Marriage: 8 March 1805
Anne Catherine Smith
1806–1874
Frances Caroline Smith
1808–1887
Samuel Stanhope Smith
1810–
Catherine Alexander Smith
1812–1887
John Witherspoon Smith Jr
1814–
Sarah Duer Smith
1820–1859
Theodora Maria Smith
1821–1907
Caroline Lauren Smith
1822–1845
Mary Livingston Smith
1824–1880

Sources (5)

  • John Witherspoon Smith, "New Jersey Births and Christenings, 1660-1980"
  • John Witherspoon Smith, "Louisiana, Orleans Parish Death Records and Certificates, 1835-1954"
  • Judge John Witherspoon Smith in entry for Sarah Henrietta Duer, "Louisiana, Orleans Parish Death Records and Certificates, 1835-1954"

World Events (8)

1780 · Richmond Becomes the Capital

On April 18, 1780 Richmond became the capital of Virginia. It was the temporary capital from 1780-1788.

1781 · The First Constitution

Serving the newly created United States of America as the first constitution, the Articles of Confederation were an agreement among the 13 original states preserving the independence and sovereignty of the states. But with a limited central government, the Constitutional Convention came together to replace the Articles of Confederation with a more established Constitution and central government on where the states can be represented and voice their concerns and comments to build up the nation.

1794 · Creating the Eleventh Amendment

The Eleventh Amendment restricts the ability of any people to start a lawsuit against the states in federal court.

Name Meaning

English and Scottish: occupational name denoting a worker in metal, especially iron, such as a blacksmith or farrier, from Middle English smith ‘smith’ (Old English smith, probably a derivative of smītan ‘to strike, hammer’). Early examples are also found in the Latin form Faber . Metal-working was one of the earliest occupations for which specialist skills were required, and its importance ensured that this term and its equivalents in other languages were the most widespread of all occupational surnames in Europe. Medieval smiths were important not only in making horseshoes, plowshares, and other domestic articles, but above all for their skill in forging swords, other weapons, and armor. This is also the most frequent of all surnames in the US. It is very common among African Americans and Native Americans (see also 5 below). This surname (in any of the two possible English senses; see also below) is also found in Haiti. See also Smither .

English: from Middle English smithe ‘smithy, forge’ (Old English smiththe). The surname may be topographic, for someone who lived in or by a blacksmith's shop, occupational, for someone who worked in one, or habitational, from a place so named, such as Smitha in King's Nympton (Devon). Compare Smithey .

Irish and Scottish: sometimes adopted for Gaelic Mac Gobhann, Irish Mac Gabhann ‘son of the smith’. See McGowan .

Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.

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