Dennis Smelt

Dennis Smelt ( born November 23, 1763 Essex County, Virginia; † October 22, 1818 in Augusta, Georgia ) was an American politician. Between 1806 and 1811 he represented the state of Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Career

Dennis Smelt attended the College of William & Mary and then took part in spite of his youth in the war of independence. However, it is not known what function he exercised during the war. Later he studied medicine in England. After qualifying as a doctor he started in Augusta to work in his new profession. In addition, he pursued medical research in the field of infectious diseases. Smelt was also the founder of one of the first churches in Augusta.

Between 1800 and 1811 Smelt was curator of the University of Georgia. Politically, he was one of the leaders who stood in opposition to the Federalist Party. He joined, founded by President Thomas Jefferson Democratic- Republican Party and was one of the founders at the state level in Georgia. In the presidential election of 1800 he was an elector of his party.

Following the resignation of Mr Joseph Bryan Smelt was at the due election for the third seat of Georgia as his successor in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington DC selected. There he came into effect on September 1, 1806 at its new mandate. After two re- elections he could remain until March 3, 1811 in Congress. In 1810 Smelt renounced another candidacy. After his retirement from the U.S. House of Representatives, he again worked as a doctor. He died on October 22, 1818 in Augusta, and was also buried there. Dennis Smelt was married to Mary Cooper Smelt (1778-1858); the couple had a daughter.