 | BIOGRAPHY
Robert Smith
Secretary of State,
Term of Appointment:
03/06/1809 to
04/01/1811
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- Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on November 3, 1757;
- Moved with his parents to Baltimore, Maryland, at an early age;
- Graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1781;
- Served briefly as a private in the Continental Army; studied law,
- Admitted to the bar in Baltimore, and soon led a large admiralty practice;
- One of the presidential electors of Maryland in 1789;
- Married Margaret Smith in 1790;
- Member of the Maryland Senate 1793-1795, and of the House of Delegates, 1796-1800;
- Sat in the Baltimore City Council 1798-1801;
- Served as Secretary of the Navy in President Jefferson's Cabinet 1801-1809;
- Nominated, confirmed, and commissioned Attorney General in 1805, but did not serve;
- Secretary of State in President Madison's Cabinet from March 6, 1809, until April 1, 1811;
- As Secretary of State, negotiated the Smith-Erskine Agreement of 1809, rejection of which by the British Government marked a turning point in the relations between the two countries;
- Returned to Baltimore, where he filled offices in various private organizations;
- Died in Baltimore November 26, 1842.
Released on July 15, 2003
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