Green Clay Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Green Clay Smith
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 2nd Territorial Governor of Montana | |
| In office July 13, 1866 – April 9, 1869 |
|
| Preceded by | Thomas Francis Meagher (acting) |
| Succeeded by | James Mitchell Ashley |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 6th district |
|
| In office March 4, 1863 – July 13,1866 |
|
| Preceded by | George W. Dunlap |
| Succeeded by | Andrew H. Ward |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 4, 1826 Richmond, Kentucky |
| Died | June 29, 1895 (aged 68) Washington, D.C. |
| Political party | Unconditional Unionist, Prohibitionist |
| Profession | Politician, Lawyer, Pastor |
| Signature |  |
Green Clay Smith (born July 4, 1826, died June 29, 1895) was an American soldier and politician. He was elected to the Kentucky state government before the American Civil War. During the war, he served as an officer for the Union (the North). He rose to the rank of brigadier general.
After his military service, Smith was elected to the U.S. Congress from Kentucky in 1862. He represented the Unionist Party until 1866. Later that year, he became the Territorial Governor of Montana, serving until 1869. He then returned to Washington, D.C., where he became a Baptist minister. He also worked to promote the temperance movement, which encouraged people to avoid alcohol.
Contents
Green Clay Smith's Early Life
Green Clay Smith was born in 1826 in Richmond, Kentucky. His parents were John Speed Smith and Elizabeth Lewis (Clay) Smith. He was the third of seven children. He was named after his grandfather, Green Clay, who was a wealthy farmer and politician.
Smith's father was also a politician, serving in the Kentucky legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives. His uncles, Brutus J. Clay and Cassius M. Clay, were also politicians. Cassius M. Clay was known for being an abolitionist, meaning he was against slavery.
As a young man, Green Clay Smith focused on his studies. When the U.S.-Mexican War started, he joined the Army. He became a second lieutenant in the Kentucky Volunteer Infantry in 1846.
After the war, Smith returned to Kentucky. He graduated from Transylvania University in 1849. He then studied law and became a lawyer in 1852. He started his law practice in Covington. From 1853 to 1857, he also worked as a school commissioner.
Green Clay Smith's Career
Serving in Congress
Smith was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives, where he served from 1861 to 1863. During the Civil War, he joined the Union Army. He became a colonel in the Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry in 1862. Soon after, he was appointed a brigadier general of volunteers.
Like his uncles, Smith joined the Unionist Party. In 1862, he was elected to the U.S. Congress. He left his military role in December 1863 to focus on his work in Congress. From 1865 to 1866, he led the Committee on Militia, which dealt with military matters. In March 1865, he was given the honorary rank of major general of volunteers.
Governor of Montana Territory
In July 1866, Smith left Congress. President Andrew Johnson appointed him as the Territorial Governor of Montana. He served in this role from 1866 to 1869. As governor, he worked to reduce conflicts between European American settlers and the Native American tribes living in the area, such as the Blackfoot Confederacy.
Becoming a Pastor
After his time as governor, Smith moved back to Washington, D.C.. He became a Baptist minister. He served in several churches and was very active in the temperance movement. This movement encouraged people to live without alcohol. He was a pastor in cities like Richmond, Mt. Sterling, Frankfort, and Louisville, Kentucky. In 1890, he became the pastor of the Metropolitan Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., where he served until his death.
Running for President
In 1876, the National Prohibition Party chose Green Clay Smith as their candidate for President of the United States. His running mate was Gideon T. Stewart. They received 9,737 votes in the election. Smith continued his work in religion and the temperance movement after the election.
Green Clay Smith's Death
Green Clay Smith passed away in 1895. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
