Biography

1741 - 12/29/1812

Sergeant John Smilie (Democratic-Republican) Fayette and Washington Counties 1790-1793

Early Life:

Sergeant John Smilie, born 1741, Newtownards, County Down, Ireland; arrived, Delaware, United States, after a hellish 15-week voyage aboard an overbooked ship, the "Sally", in which 64 passengers and crew died of thirst or starvation, 1760; settled, Pennsylvania, 1760; attended the public schools; Lancaster County Committee of Safety, 1776; married, Jane Porter Smilie, 1766, son, Robert Porter Smilie; member, Provincial Conference of County Committees, Philadelphia (ordered the first state constitution), 1776; elected, Constitutionalist, Pennsylvania State Assembly, Lancaster County, 1778-1780; sergeant, Revolutionary War; moved, Fayette, Pennsylvania, 1780-1781; elected, Constitutionalist, Pennsylvania State Assembly, Fayette County, 1784-1786; delegate, Pennsylvania State Constitutional Convention, 1790; elected, Democratic-Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1790-resigned 1793; elected, Anti-Administration candidate, Third Congress, United States House of Representatives, 1793-1795; elected, Democratic-Republican, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1795-1798; elected, Republican, United States House of Representatives, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Nineth, Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Congresses, 1799, had been reelected, Thirteenth Congress, but died, before the close of the Twelfth Congress; died, December 29, 1812, typhus, Washington, District of Columbia; interment, Congressional Cemetery, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia.  

Pennsylvania Politics:

Lancaster County Committee of Safety, 1776.

Member, Provincial Conference of County Committees, Philadelphia (ordered the first state constitution), 1776.

Elected, Constitutionalist, took oath of office, Pennsylvania General Assembly, Lancaster County, 1778-1779, 1779-1780.

Elected, Constitutionalist, Pennsylvania General Assembly, Fayette County, 1784-1785, 1785-1786; was signatories of a protest to the seating of William Maclay although he had received three less votes than Daniel Montgomery, 1785-1786. 

Elected, Delegate, Fayette County, Pennsylvania State Constitutional Convention, ratified United States Constitution, 1787.

Delegate, Pennsylvania State Constitutional Convention, 1790.

Elected, Democratic-Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, Fayette and Washington Counties, 1790-resigned, September 5, 1793; original member Senate of Pennsylvania; elected, United States House of Representatives.  

Elected, Democratic-Republican, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, Fayette County, 1795-1798.

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Elected, Anti-Administration candidate, Third Congress, United States House of Representatives, 1793-1795.

Elected, Republican, United States House of Representatives, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Nineth, Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Congresses, 1799, had been reelected, Thirteenth Congress, but died, before the close of the Twelfth Congress.

Legacy:

Ratification of the Constitution by the State of Pennsylvania; December 12, 1787.

In the Name of the People of Pennsylvania

Be it Known unto all Men that We the Delegates of the People of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in general Convention assembled Have assented to, and ratified, and by these presents Do in the Name and by the authority of the Same People, and for ourselves, assent to, and ratify the foregoing Constitution for the United States of America. Done in Convention at Philadelphia the twelfth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the twelfth. In witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names. 

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members S". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

A New Nation Votes (tufts.edu)

John Smilie (1742-1812) - Find a Grave Memorial