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Perry Smith
Gender:
Male
Born:
May 12, 1783
Died:
June 3, 1852
Home Town:
Woodbury, CT
Later Residences:
New Milford, CT
Marriage(s):
Anne Comstock Smith (unknown)
Biographical Notes:
Perry Smith was the son of John and Abigail (Lambert) Smith. He worked as a lawyer in New Milford, CT. His wife was the daughter of Samuel and Hester (Comstock) Smith of New Milford. After attending the Litchfield Law School, he was admitted to the bar and began to practice law in New Milford, CT. He became a member of the CT State House of Representatives from 1822 to 1823 and 1835 to 1836. He was Judge of Probate Court from 1833 to 1835 and made postmaster of New Milford in 1837.
In 1837, he was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate. He served as chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and on the Committee on Revolutionary Claims. Smith died in New Milford,CT on June 3, 1852 of apoplexy. He is buried in Center Cemetery, New Milford, CT.
Note: Newspaper obituaries list his date of death as June 3, 1852 while his tombstone marks it as June 8, 1852.
In 1837, he was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate. He served as chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and on the Committee on Revolutionary Claims. Smith died in New Milford,CT on June 3, 1852 of apoplexy. He is buried in Center Cemetery, New Milford, CT.
Note: Newspaper obituaries list his date of death as June 3, 1852 while his tombstone marks it as June 8, 1852.
Quotes:
"His writings and speeches were always remarkable for sententious pith and brevity."
Litchfield Republican, June 10,1852, Page 3, Litchfield, Connecticut.
Litchfield Republican, June 10,1852, Page 3, Litchfield, Connecticut.
Education
Years at LLS:
1807
Profession / Service
Profession:
Lawyer; Political Office
Admitted To Bar:
Connecticut in 1807
Political Party:
Democrat
Federal Posts:
U.S. Senator (CT) 1837-1843
Federal Committees:
Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture from 1837-1838. Member of the Committee on Revolutionary Claims in 1839 and 1840.
State Posts:
State Representative (CT) 1822-1823, 1835-1836
Local Posts:
Judge of Probate 1833-1835
Postmaster (New Milford, CT) 1829-1837
Postmaster (New Milford, CT) 1829-1837
Immediate Family (Why only immediate family?)
- Anne Comstock Smith
Wife - Abigail Lambert Smith
Mother
The Citation of Attendance provides primary source documentation of the student’s attendance at the Litchfield Female Academy and/or the Litchfield Law School. If a citation is absent, the student is thought to have attended but currently lacks primary source confirmation. Records for the schools were sporadic, especially in the formative years of both institutions. If instructors kept comprehensive records for the Litchfield Female Academy or the Litchfield Law School, they do not survive. Researchers and staff have identified students through letters, diaries, family histories and genealogies, and town histories as well as catalogues of students printed in various years. Art and needlework have provided further identification of Female Academy Students, and Litchfield County Bar records document a number of Law School students. The history of both schools and the identification of the students who attended them owe credit to the early 20th century research and documentation efforts of Emily Noyes Vanderpoel and Samuel Fisher, and the late 20th century research and documentation efforts of Lynne Templeton Brickley and the Litchfield Historical Society staff.
CITATION OF ATTENDANCE:
Catalogue of the Litchfield Law School (Hartford, CT: Press of Case, Tiffany, and Company, 1849), 6.
Litchfield County Bar Association Records, 1804, Litchfield Historical Society, Helga J. Ingraham Memorial Library.
Litchfield County Bar Association Records, 1804, Litchfield Historical Society, Helga J. Ingraham Memorial Library.
Secondary Sources:
Cothren, William. History of Ancient Woodbury from the First Indian Deed in 1659 to 1879. Weedbury, CT: William Cothren, 1879
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