Jump to content

Edward Parmelee Smith: Difference between revisions

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m →Career: c/e
m →Career: c/e wikify Mt. Rushmore
Line 10: Line 10:
Rev. Smith was for some years a pastor at a Congregational Church in [[Pepperell, Massachusetts]]. During the [[American Civil War]] he expanded his religious work among soldiers as part of the [[United States Christian Commission]]. He headed a field division. In 1869 he published ''Incidents of the Christian Commission'', an account of its work in hospitals and on the battlefield.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D03E3DD123AE63BBC4E52DFBE66838D669FDE "Rev. Edward P. Smith"], ''New York Times'', 16 Aug 1876, accessed 3 Mar 2009</ref>
Rev. Smith was for some years a pastor at a Congregational Church in [[Pepperell, Massachusetts]]. During the [[American Civil War]] he expanded his religious work among soldiers as part of the [[United States Christian Commission]]. He headed a field division. In 1869 he published ''Incidents of the Christian Commission'', an account of its work in hospitals and on the battlefield.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D03E3DD123AE63BBC4E52DFBE66838D669FDE "Rev. Edward P. Smith"], ''New York Times'', 16 Aug 1876, accessed 3 Mar 2009</ref>


He was next invited to join the [[American Missionary Association]], which quickly founded schools and colleges for [[freedmen]] throughout the South, as education was one of the critical needs in the aftermath of the war. Rev. Smith was appointed a General Field Agent, headquartered in New York, but with charge for its work in the southern states.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D03E3DD123AE63BBC4E52DFBE66838D669FDE "Rev. Edward P. Smith"], ''New York Times'', 16 Aug 1876, accessed 3 Mar 2009</ref> With Rev. Elisa Milo xxxx and John Ogden, he founded the [[Fisk School]] (future [[Fisk University]]) in [[Nashville, Tennessee]], in addition to schools in Atlanta, Georgia; and other cities.
He was next invited to join the [[American Missionary Association]], which quickly founded schools and colleges for [[freedmen]] throughout the South, as education was one of the critical needs in the aftermath of the war. Rev. Smith was appointed a General Field Agent, headquartered in New York, but with charge for its work in the southern states.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D03E3DD123AE63BBC4E52DFBE66838D669FDE "Rev. Edward P. Smith"], ''New York Times'', 16 Aug 1876, accessed 3 Mar 2009</ref> With Rev. Elisa Milo xxxx and John Ogden, he founded the [[Fisk School]] (future [[Fisk University]]) in [[Nashville, Tennessee]], in addition to schools in [[Atlanta, Georgia]]; and other cities.


In 1871 Smith was asked to investigate needs of [[American Indians]] in [[Minnesota]], and he spent time among the [[Pillagers]] and [[Chippewa]]. In 1873 President [[Ulysses S. Grant]] appointed Smith US Commissioner of Indian Affairs. During tumultuous times, he enjoyed Grant's support, although he was accused of corruption. Smith was cleared during an investigation. During his time, he showed a more generous religious spirit than some of the agents, overriding one in Idaho to allow [[Catholic]] priests to hold services for Indians near the agency. In that area, there were numerous Catholics among the Native Americans.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D03E3DD123AE63BBC4E52DFBE66838D669FDE "Rev. Edward P. Smith"], ''New York Times'', 16 Aug 1876, accessed 3 Mar 2009</ref>
In 1871 Smith was asked to investigate needs of [[American Indians]] in [[Minnesota]], and he spent time among the [[Pillagers]] and [[Chippewa]]. In 1873 President [[Ulysses S. Grant]] appointed Smith US Commissioner of Indian Affairs. During tumultuous times, he enjoyed Grant's support, although he was accused of corruption. Smith was cleared during an investigation. During his time, he showed a more generous religious spirit than some of the agents, overriding one in Idaho to allow [[Catholic]] priests to hold services for Indians near the agency. In that area, there were numerous Catholics among the Native Americans.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D03E3DD123AE63BBC4E52DFBE66838D669FDE "Rev. Edward P. Smith"], ''New York Times'', 16 Aug 1876, accessed 3 Mar 2009</ref>

Revision as of 00:15, 5 March 2009

Edward Parmelee Smith (1827-1876) was a Congregational minister in Massachusetts before becoming Field Secretary for the United States Christian Commission during the American Civil War. In official positions with the American Missionary Association (AMA), he was a co-founder of Fisk University and other historically black colleges established for the education of freedmen. He was appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs under President Ulysses S. Grant. In 1875 he was selected president of Howard University, but died on a trip in Africa in 1876 before taking office.[1]

Early life and education

Born in South Britain, Connecticut in June 1827, Edward Parmelee Smith was educated at New England schools and colleges: Andover, Dartmouth College and Yale University, where he graduated from the Theological Seminary.[2][3]

Marriage and family

Smith married and they had one daughter.[4] His wife always shared his labors; during the Civil War she worked in hospitals and the field.

Career

Rev. Smith was for some years a pastor at a Congregational Church in Pepperell, Massachusetts. During the American Civil War he expanded his religious work among soldiers as part of the United States Christian Commission. He headed a field division. In 1869 he published Incidents of the Christian Commission, an account of its work in hospitals and on the battlefield.[5]

He was next invited to join the American Missionary Association, which quickly founded schools and colleges for freedmen throughout the South, as education was one of the critical needs in the aftermath of the war. Rev. Smith was appointed a General Field Agent, headquartered in New York, but with charge for its work in the southern states.[6] With Rev. Elisa Milo xxxx and John Ogden, he founded the Fisk School (future Fisk University) in Nashville, Tennessee, in addition to schools in Atlanta, Georgia; and other cities.

In 1871 Smith was asked to investigate needs of American Indians in Minnesota, and he spent time among the Pillagers and Chippewa. In 1873 President Ulysses S. Grant appointed Smith US Commissioner of Indian Affairs. During tumultuous times, he enjoyed Grant's support, although he was accused of corruption. Smith was cleared during an investigation. During his time, he showed a more generous religious spirit than some of the agents, overriding one in Idaho to allow Catholic priests to hold services for Indians near the agency. In that area, there were numerous Catholics among the Native Americans.[7]

When the Secretary of the Interior resigned in 1875, Smith did as well. He was then elected to the presidency of Howard University, one of the historically black colleges jointly founded by the AMA and the Freedmen's Bureau. Before he started in office, he went to visit the African mission field of the American Missionary Association. After traveling in Gambia and Sierra Leone, he came down with a fever at Good Hope Station on Sheroro Island near Accra. He died there about three weeks later on 27 July 1876.[8]

Citations

  1. ^ "Edward Parmelee Smith", Officers of the American Missionary Association, Amistad Research Center, 2006, accessed 3 Mar 2009
  2. ^ "Rev. Edward P. Smith", New York Times, 16 Aug 1876, accessed 3 Mar 2009
  3. ^ "Edward Parmelee Smith", Officers of the American Missionary Association, Amistad Research Center, 2006, accessed 3 Mar 2009
  4. ^ "Rev. Edward P. Smith", New York Times, 16 Aug 1876, accessed 3 Mar 2009
  5. ^ "Rev. Edward P. Smith", New York Times, 16 Aug 1876, accessed 3 Mar 2009
  6. ^ "Rev. Edward P. Smith", New York Times, 16 Aug 1876, accessed 3 Mar 2009
  7. ^ "Rev. Edward P. Smith", New York Times, 16 Aug 1876, accessed 3 Mar 2009
  8. ^ "Rev. Edward P. Smith", New York Times, 16 Aug 1876, accessed 3 Mar 2009

Career

Smith started his ministry as a pastor at a Congregational Church in Pepperell, Massachusetts.[1]

Citations

  1. ^ "Edward Parmelee Smith", Officers of the American Missionary Association, Amistad Research Center, 2006, accessed 3 Mar 2009
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Edward_Parmelee_Smith&oldid=275050782"