John Cotton Smith

John Cotton Smith

John Cotton Smith (born February 2, 1765 in Sharon , Litchfield County , Colony of Connecticut , †  December 7, 1845 ibid) was an American politician and the sixth governor of the US state of Connecticut. He was a member of the Federalist Party .

Early years and political advancement

John Cotton Smith, son of Cotton Mather Smith, a Puritan pastor who moved from the Massachusetts Bay Colony to the Colony of Connecticut , was born in Sharon on February 2, 1765. He went to Yale University , where he graduated in 1783. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1787. He later decided to pursue a political career. He ran for a seat in the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1793 and won the election and re-elections in 1796 and 1800. In his third term in the House of Representatives, he was elected Speaker , an office that he held several times later, from 1806 to 1806 1807 and from 1807 to 1809. Furthermore, in 1799 he worked as a clerk in the House of Representatives. In addition, Smith was also a member of the US Congress from 1800 until his resignation in August 1806 . He later served briefly in 1809 as a judge at Connecticut's Supreme Court ; however, he had to resign when he was elected lieutenant governor of Connecticut in 1810 , a position he held until 1812.

Connecticut Governor

When Governor Roger Griswold died on October 25, 1812, Smith took over his office. Smith was then officially elected to the governor's office by referendums in 1813, 1814, 1815, and 1816. During his tenure, he continued to enforce Griswold's refusal to put the state militia army under state leadership. Smith championed agricultural development as well as the shipping business within the state. He was also an advocate of Connecticut's involvement in the Hartford Convention, which was held between 1814 and 1815. His administration also opposed reform and the liberal amendment of Connecticut's Royal Charter. Smith left office on May 8, 1817 after losing in a re-run for governor.

Later years

Smith ran for Connecticut governor two more times, in 1818 and 1819, but failed both times. Thereupon he withdrew from public life, but remained active in his religious and scientific interests. He was a member of the Connecticut and Massachusetts Historical Societies and President of the American Board of Foreign Mission from 1826 to 1841 . He was also President of Connecticut's State Bible Society and from 1831 until his death in 1845 of the American Bible Society .

Governor John Cotton Smith died on December 7, 1845 in Sharon and was buried in the local Hillside Cemetery .

literature

• Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 1, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

• John Smith at the National Governors Association (English)
• John Cotton Smith in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• John Cotton Smith in the database of Find a Grave (English)
• John Cotton Smith at The Political Graveyard