James Smith (politician)
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James Smith (* around 1719 in the province of Ulster , Ireland ; † July 11, 1806 in York , USA ), an American lawyer of Irish-British origin, is one of the founding fathers of the USA . He signed the US Declaration of Independence for the state of Pennsylvania .
Life
Smith's family immigrated to Chester County around 1729 . His father ran a farm on the Susquehanna River . Smith studied Greek, Latin, and mathematics with a Presbyterian teacher. He studied at the College of Pennsylvania, later the University of Pennsylvania . He studied law in his brother George's office and was admitted to the bar in Pennsylvania ("Admitted to the bar").
First he practiced near Shippensburg , later near York. He became captain of the local militia. In 1775 he was called to the Provincial Congress in Philadelphia and in 1776 to the Constitutional Congress of the state. That same year, Smith was elected to the Continental Congress. In 1785 he was re-elected, but declined because of his advanced age.
Smith is buried in York.
A dormitory on the north campus of the University of Pennsylvania is named after Smith as a former student.
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| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Smith, James |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Irish-British-American attorney and signatory of the United States' Declaration of Independence |
| DATE OF BIRTH | around 1719 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Ulster , Ireland |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 11, 1806 |
| Place of death | York , Pennsylvania, USA |