James Smith (delegate)

James Smith ( * 1719 in the province of Ulster, Ireland, † July 11, 1806 in York, USA), an American lawyer Irish- British origin, one of the founding fathers of the United States. He signed for the state of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

Life

Smith's family emigrated by 1729 to Chester County. His father owned a farm along the Susquehanna River. Smith learned at a Presbyterian teacher Greek, Latin and mathematics. He studied at the College of Pennsylvania, which later became the University of Pennsylvania. He studied law in the office of his brother George and was admitted as a lawyer in Pennsylvania ( " Admitted to the bar ").

At first he practiced near Shippensburg, later near York. He was captain of the local militia. In 1775 he was appointed to the Provincial Congress in Philadelphia and 1776 in the Constitutional Convention of the state. That same year, Smith was elected to the Continental Congress. In 1785 he was re-elected, but declined due to his advanced age from.

Smith is buried in York.

A residence hall on the north campus of the University of Pennsylvania is named after Smith 's former students.