Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-28
DR.. c. v. SMITH, SO,
CLAIMED BY DEATH
Navy Chaplain in Civil War
Was Acquaintance of
Lincoln.

Dr. G.. Villa mson Smith. assistant
clergyman Of st. Johns Episcopal
Church and former president Of Trim
| ity College. Hartford. Conn. who
WAS one of the few remaining per
sons personally acquainted with Pres.
ideut Lincoln. died Yesterday al
George Washington University Hos
pital. He Was ~ years old and death
was attributed chiefly To age. lie
WAS taken to The hospital about two
weeks ago.
DR. Smith was well known here
where he served in various capacities
tor MANY wears and also had ACHE we'd
recognition in New York and at many
uf the older universities
FIe was conducting a private school
which he had estah lished at Seven
teenth street and PENNSYLVANIA ave
nue. when the Civil War broke out.
Most of his students joined the South
ern armies and he closed the school
and entered the Navy Department.
where he served az a clerk from 1861
10 SH4 az war worker" holding
AT the same time the position of as
S:Stant rector at Epiphany and st.
Johns churches.
Met Hay and President
During his service a the Navy De-
partment DR.. Smith became ac-
qua inted with John Hay. one of Lin
coins secretaries. and with the Pres
ident himself.
DR.. Smith. his friends recalled to-
day. often reCounted how President
Lincoln used 10 visit the War and
Navy offices TO read the latest dis
patches from the sea front. DIR
Smith has described how Lincoln
would sit on desks in the Navy De-
Phil hjrl, l..t
destroyed. and swing his legs" while
discussing problems with officials.
During the last year of the war Lin
coin appointed DIR. Smith Navy
chaplain. and he served on a vessel
of the Union fleet. which was part of
the blockade on the North Carolina
shore. Later he served as cha pla in
nj the Naval Academy and in 1858
was assigned to the T.. :. =. Franklin.
When that ship was cruising off the
Belgian coast the daring bravery Of
the Navy chaplain again was demon
strated. Sixty men of The personnel
Of the ship caught smallpox and were
removed to A temporary hospital
ashore. over the protest of his com
handing officer. DIR. Smith attended
the men. ministerine to those who
died.
Born i'm New York.
Dr. Smith was born At Catskill
y. Y. in 1896 and was educated at
Hobart College, New York. He re
ceived in later years honorary degrees
from Hobart College and from Column
bia University, Trinity College at
Hartford. Conn. from Williams Col
leGe and Yale University
He was a professor of mathema tics
al the Naval Academy. while assigned
there as chaplain. After resigning
from the Navy. he become rector of
Grace Church. Jamaica. Long Isla nd
until 1881, and of the Church of the
Redeemer. Brooklyn, from 1881 to-
1883. lie then was made president of
Trinity College. serving until 1904
He since has been president emeritus
of the college.
DIR. Smith served for many years as
a member of the general missionary
board Of the Episcopal Church. and as
a trustee of the General Theological
Seminary Of New York City. After
resiGning the presidency of Trinity
College he came to Washington as
assistant clergyman at ST. Johns.
He was member of the LOYAL
Legion. the Naval Order of the United
States. Century Club Of New York.
and the Cosmos Club here. He made
his home at the Cosmos Club following
the death of his wife seven wears ago
He was married to Miss Susanna
Duvall of BladensburG. Md. in 1859.
while he was teaching school there
He is survived by one brother, Mont
gomery Smith of Mobile. Ala.
Funeral services will be conducted
in st. Johns Church tomorrow morn.
ing at II o'clock. Burial will be in
Oak Hill Cemetery.