Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Senator Nathan Smith, 1770-1835.

Nathan Smith.

Birth: Jan. 8, 1770.
Death: Dec. 6, 1835.
Burial: Grove Street Cemetery, New Haven, New Haven County Connecticut.

US Senator. Elected as an Anti-Jacksonian to represent Connecticut in the US Senate, he served from 1833 until his death. Born in Woodbury, Connecticut, he was admitted to the bar in 1792 and settled as a lawyer in New Haven. In 1817 he was appointed prosecuting attoney for New Haven County and kept that position for the rest of his life, while also serving as a delegate to the 1818 State Constitutional Convention, as an unsuccessful candidate for State Governor (1825), and two years (1828 to 1829) as US Attorney for Connecticut. Smith's interest in politics came late in his career and he was 63 when he took his seat in the US Senate, one of the oldest serving members of that body. This marked his only time in elected office. He died in Washington, DC, and John Milton Niles was elected to complete his term. There is a cenotaph for him at Congressional Cemetery. He was the brother of US Congressman Nathaniel Smith and uncle of US Senator Truman Smith.

Congressional Globe, 1835.
Mr. TOMLINSON rose and said: Mr. PRESIDENT it has become my painful duty to announce to the Senate the death of the Hon. NATHAN SMITH, late a Senator from the
State of Connecticut.

Arriving in this city apparently in the full possession of all his powers, my colleague and friend interchanged the kind salutations appropriate to the occasion with the cordiality and frankness and vivacity which characterize his social intercourse, and secured the attachment and confidence of those with whom he was intimately associated. He retired to rest on Saturday evening, as far as was observed, in the enjoyment, his accustomed health and spirits. Feeling indisposed, he rose from his bed, and obtained the advice of a medical friend, who subsequently left his apartment without the slightest apprehension of a fatal result. In a short time his altered appearance caused alarm, and his friend was again called. On his return, the heart had cease to beat, and he expired in his chair on Sunday morning, about half past one o’clock, without a struggle or a groan. The funeral was held on December 7, 1835, at twelve o’clock, members of the senate and the House of Representatives were in attendance.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is not a picture of Nathan Smith the senator! This picture is of Nathan Smith MD who started Dartmouth Medical School. They are buried in the same cemetery and are confused all the time.

Dennis Segelquist said...

“Boy!,” is my face red, and I bet I’m not the only one, thanks for catching the error. I will remove the picture so I won’t add to the confusion.