James Smith: PA Signer of the Declaration of Independence

James Smith was born on September 19, 1713, in the Province of Ulster North Ireland. However, his birth year is uncertain, as some estimates place it between 1715 and 1720. He was born to John Smith and was the second son. He was raised in the Province of Ulster until he was at least ten years old, when his parents, who were well-to-do farmers, came to America around 1729. They settled in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

He was tutored by the local clergy and then attended the Philadelphia Academy. The local clergy school was called Reverend Francis Alison’s Academy, where he studied Latin, Greek, and surveying. While at the Philadelphia Academy, which eventually became the College of Philadelphia and then the University of Pennsylvania, he would study Greek, Latin, and mathematics. He would read law under his brother George and in Thomas Cookson’s office. Between his studies at the Philadelphia Academy and reading law, he learned surveying and did some surveying in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

In 1745, Smith was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar and began to practice in Shippensburg. At first, there was not much work to engage his practice, so he spent most of his time surveying. This was a frontier area at the time, and the demand for lawyers was low, so around 1750, he moved to York to practice law. However, this area was considered the wrong place, as it was west of the Susquehanna River, and the east, at this time, was considered the cultured area of the colony. In his law office, he had several young lawyers working for him, and Smith made many friends during this period.

Smith marries Eleanor Armour in 1769. She is the daughter of John Armour, of New Castle, Delaware, and they would have five children, but only one would survive to adulthood and produce descendants. Their first child, Margaret, was born in 1761, and then Mary was born in 1763. Mary would marry her brother-in-law, James Kelly, around 1800-1801. They would have five children, but all five would die without descendants, and only two would get married. Mary would pass away on April 20, 1840. Their next child, Elizabeth, was born in 1765 and passed away on September 6, 1793. She had been married to James Kelly, but they had no children together. The only sons, George and James, were born in 1767 and 1769, respectively.

With his legal business flourishing, Smith’s surveying activities begin to decline, but this does not stop him from exploring other ventures to make money. Sometime in the early 1760’s, he began an iron foundry, but it failed due to mismanagement by his partners. When asked about his partners, Smith would say “one of who was a knave and the other a fool.”[1] He would lose quite a bit of money, but this does not stop him from trying to do things because he begins to get involved in politics as a Whig.

His attention starts to turn to the widening rift between Britain and the colonies, and he authors a paper called, Essay on the Constitutional Power of Great Britain over the Colonies in America. He offers this to the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly because he wrote of boycotting British goods, which would hurt British merchants and would force Parliament to roll back the laws that were stifling American trade. He was appointed to a committee that wrote instructions to the general assembly on what to do and how to manage the situation.

The next few years are busy ones for Smith, as he organizes a volunteer militia company in York County around 1774 and is elected its Captain. The company grows to Battalion size, and he was elected commander, but he declines this appointment in favor of a younger man. Then, in 1775, he was elected as a delegate to the Pennsylvania Provincial Convention. It appears he does not agree with the view of reconciliation that most Pennsylvanians were taking at this time. He seems to understand the concept of liberty and what the British were doing to oppress that liberty. He states, “if the British administrations should determine by force to effect a submission to the late arbitrary acts of the British Parliament, in such a situation, we hold it our indispensable duty to resist such force, and at every hazard to defend the rights and liberties of America.”[2] He continues to serve in the Provincial Assembly and was a strong supporter of the American cause. He was considered an engaging orator and could draw people in because his speeches always included humor.

In July of 1776, he was elected a delegate to the Second Continental Congress and took his seat on July 20 to replace delegates who had not voted “for” the Declaration on July 4. He signs with the other delegates on August 2, but prior to his election to the Continental Congress, he would ride with Captain Francis Wade and Dr. Young to take the printed Declaration to York, Pennsylvania, and have it read in the town square. He served on the military committee, which advised General Washington. He declines re-election in 1777, but serves until 1778, as he was recalled to Congress. He would retire after the Battle of Monmouth. Prior to his retirement and while the Congress was in York, he allowed the Board of War to meet in his law offices there.

1781 was a busy year for Smith, as he became a Brigadier General of the State Militia and resumed his law practice in York. He would continue working until 1800 and saw his fortune steadily increase during this time. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed his law office in 1805. This was a great loss for history, because not only did the office house his extensive library, but also many of his personal papers, which would have given historians a clearer look at his work and life. He passed away on July 11, 1806, at the age of 93, and is buried in the First Presbyterian Churchyard in York, PA.

Tidbits

Described as being a little eccentric, having a good sense of humor and a retentive memory, but he never joked about religion or George Washington.

He would never would tell people his exact age.

Loved to use anecdotes in conversation.

He carried an Irish accent his entire life and was a great storyteller who entertained some of the other delegates.,

[1] http://www.dsdi1776.com/signers‑by‑state/

[2] Goodrich, Charles A., Lives of the Signers to the Declaration of Independence (New York: William Reed & Co., 1856)