Statesman, was born in North Carolina in 1762. His parents moved into the neighboring state of South Carolina while he was a boy, and as they were in poor circumstances, it was difficult for him to obtain good schooling. At last, however, he was sent to Mt. Zion College, where he was graduated at the age of eighteen. He adopted the profession of the law and studied in an office in Charleston, being admitted to practice in 1784. From this time up to 1808, he was almost continuously in one or the other of two houses of the South Carolina lesiglature. In 1789 he was elected to congress, where he remained ten years. From 1806 he was a member of the South Carolina state senate for two years, when he was chosen judge, and remained on the bench until 1816, when he was elected a member of the U.S. senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Taylor, and continued until 1824, and was again a member in 1826. During this period he was offered the appointment of associate justice of the U.S. supreme court, which he declined. In 1829 Judge Smith was a candidate for the vice presidency, and two years later served again in the state senate. Having the misfortune to differ from John C. Calhoun in regard to the state policy of South Carolina, and as to national questions, he changed his residency to Alabama, where he became a member of the state legislature. In 1836 President Jackson offered him an associate justiceship in the supreme court, but he declined the position for the second time. In the latter part of his life Judge Smith became enormously wealthy, on account of the increase in value of extensive landed property, which he owned in Alabama and Luisiana. Judge Smith died in Huntsville, Alabama, June 10, 1840.