Jonathan Bayard Smith
Jonathan Bayard Smith ( born February 21, 1742 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, † June 16, 1812 ) was an American politician. He was the son of Samuel Smith from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, which lasted later to Philadelphia, and there led a successful commercial enterprise.
Career
Smith graduated in 1760 at Princeton College, and then worked with his father. Later he decided to pursue a political career. He was a member of the Committee of Safety and was its Secretary from 1775 to 1777. Then he was elected as a delegate for Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress, where he served until November 1778 of 4 April 1777. During this time he signed the Articles of Confederation. He was also from 1777 to 1778 and 1778 Prothonotary Judge at the Court of Common Pleas. In the following year, 1779, he was one of the founders of the University of the State of Pennsylvania, and until their merger with the College of Philadelphia University of Pennsylvania in 1791 a member of the Board of Trustees. Subsequently, he was curator at that university, a position which he held until his death. He was also from 1779 to 1808 curator at Princeton College. Then he served from 1792 to 1794 in the City Council of Philadelphia and 1794 was Auditor General of Philadelphia.
Smith died in 1812 in Philadelphia and was subsequently buried in the cemetery of the Second Presbyterian Church.