The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-11-10
,.x,. sm,,h~A Brier BsoSraph's'''
sketch.

p7rrEBoao'. y. y. No'Stt, in 1901 !:
G.rr,t smith was born at twenty. fifth
hence he is approaching r " College
wear. DO graduated ~ lie still occupies
a. she aSH W h,,ilt by his father. "I Iohnson
the msnS'p'i rast house west 81 .n,,,rn
On ~ =, I,hrstown. 1t j. SN az once was
hs,' .,r, stories. The uipee,, H q, which the
a.irn,v occupied by nT ;r.d hut or late
Williams we're often ente, .an Such
II hiss been "a recommendation OF the h'lilG-
+ the s'Ie score Of viaitors can I've enter
ing lnn ,,.;,bnut inconvenience. MT. onltn
t'incn a large estate from his father,
inner ~ which he presented 10 rach
GU. 90 children OF his deceased nro-
al -" .-ontv. five thousand dollars. since
. ., ho has NOT only managed his properly,
81. has occupied prominent p9s''." ,
o,nonc the rcformcrs OF the oaE. nc M,
sind;el law and Is q member OF inc "a, -, ~
this state, and has also been adihl'. e,;. ~
practice in the Federal courts. M - Raj.
married into n slayehoidin2 iall''t ,,., nt HE
,"r,,ra INT his wife harmonized WIN ~,
.,'a,s ond their slaves were cmanclph.cu
wy WV ,',rnviaed with homes. His WE
' ,', ar Fitzhugh) came to Osweso anu
t,',,, milling. but tailcd. and "a Mr. Shl'th
va! n,ayily on his paper, he became aeept
i,'rn,vrt He remarked 10 friend at lhat
timo that he expected to dle III ueot'
ya., benefit accrued To him. however, uu1
Of this very affair for the properly Mas
ASSIGNED to him and he assumed Tue Ila .,a
80, nnrnmhered it. The amount OF the
i,itcr was about $3.50. 200, and the pro
ncrtr which he still retains, Is no" worm
~ t;ucs that amount. Indeed. IL consul
tu,r. the chief part OF his weaith; /, M
hocu for twenty-five years IN inc nali"s "a
pr,,,h an agent, Mr.. Joan b. EdmnndSI,
,rho now collects az income from IL which
isc,tim .ted AT S60,oU.
pctcrboro' contains small Me'nouis'
society: also a church founded oy Mr.
Smith " hen be abandoned that OF MS an
ceStors on account OF It's adherence ~
American slavery. His mothcV was p.ous
woman. and he had at an early age J0lheu
hnr church tine Reformed Dutch, or res
hr,.,iar). but its bondage to slavery dis-
Dns.ed him. and be formed religious So
cte,v whose terms Of membership were oil Il
moe liberal character. The presbyterian
church i now public reading-room, while
rhc Church of Pcterboro'," ~ MIR.
smiths is called, remains. Among its pas.
tors was the Rev. Fl. L. CrozIer, now OF
New York. Mr.. smith has frequently
preached 10 this house, and his knowlcdee
Of Hebrew and Greek enables him TO cX-
Am ne the Scriptures III the original. After
b bic els, composed of young ladies'. rs
, sneaker he possesses rare gifts. mo
manson ut Peternoro' Is managed By his
sor, Green Smith, whose vile Is The house
The rising hour is G, and half hour
after the bell has struck Nr. Smith beats
musical triangle for family worship. ThIs
hc conducts In person, but he Is wont TO
Substitute the recitation OF the Scriptures
+ hat
he can repeat most OF the Psalms and other
parts 81 Tie Bible. Singing and prayer toll
low. From to - the time is devoted to
tho library, and then comes Il walk to the
office. where Caleb Calkins has tor thirty
wear, ptIi,iated as clerk. Mr. Smith has been
ir long lime selling the lanas inherited
from his a.her, and hence has vast number
81 bond, and mortgages in his possession.
Ills entire income must lie about 100000.
O! THIS Il large amount is given away III Il
private manner. Two pensioners, now adj
Sinc,d in reara, occupy cot!a9cs near his
u!aueion, but when winter approaches
rnty become members oil his household.
one OF these, called "Aunt Laura has
lcen with him forty years and tue other,
AUNT Betsy" has served fifty years. The
litter, though eigh!y.tour, has her facul
ties in good preservation, and Is employed
10 answer NIL begging letters. and 10 look
alter Mr.. Smiths private charity-roli in
that urightorhood. Begging letters, "a
matter Of course, are answered IN the mega
,yc, unless special claims are advanced.
Mr.. Smiths only daughter inherits much
Of her fathers intellect bu, her lie hiss
been quirt one. She married many years
age, ana resides in Geneva. Green cmiih,
wuo - Gc!rit's youngest child, Is about
twemty five, and is chiefly noted tor his love
tf birds. lie has an aViary forty feet square,
containing n great number OF cages, whose
inmates are allowed, at times, the tree Use
OF The whole room. lie has presented 10
Cornell University about five hundred
stunsd specimens Of American ornilhulugs.
Gem Smlth'S variations in theology have
been lnag before the world. At enc time
he wandered into species o. de!sn, but lie
rns Ct late years expressed views similar 70
what l. commonly called Liberal Chris.
tianiy." IIelnves simplicity, and is child
Ike aud bundle in his department. His
heucrolence frequently works out i'll origi-
nal methods, and an illustration may he
found in the fact that i'll lS4T he directed
the supervisors Of Madison county each TO
designate III his own town seven Spinsters
who s!lould receive $500 apiece. AS there
ale twenty towns III That county the amount
vi thlS gift was $4,000. lis opposition to
land monopoly /, shown by the donation OF
@uu, Goo ACRES al various times to deserving
persons.
In 1852 Mr.. Smith was elected to Cor
Srr>s, and there witnessed the attempts of
northern dema9cgueS and southern D,,rti-
sans o. aationalize slavery, He hoped tor
peaceful adjustment Of the questi on, but
when tie appeal was made to arp,s he aG-
located the war and made speecF, es In sup
port Of the Federal cause. MIR, Smiths
friendship for John Brown brought him
into nh apparent complies ton with the
H'.nH's Ferry affair. Which only time
could remove.
-. o.','tG - now approaching his seven
iy'ht'h year, and has succeeded in getting
~ Iil>iarsS IN shape Which will give but
.ui!c trouble To his executors. Having ac-
i@mp'>heo tbs, he Is looking for the hour
"i his departure, which he contemp,ates
with serenity aud hope. His domestic as
we'll rs public life has been Of q fencitous
nature, and the bride whom he welded
II hall century ago is the compunion an(
h"lpmlte Of his latter days. HIS form il
still erect, but his cnoe raven locks are sill
Nered, and those who see him now ca,
form but HI Imperfect idea OF the great pill
lar OF the anti. slavery cause as he appeale,
TN the platform thirty years ago.
\ PRoDIGAL SoS.--Thc Kansas Cit,
Times has n nice little romance about
rambling sport named Jack Barnes, wht
ran away from his home in San Francisc,