Smith (Samuel Francis) Papers, 1822-1894, bulk 1829-1840

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Summary

Title:
Samuel Francis Smith papers
Dates:
1822-1894, bulk 1829-1840
Creators:
Smith, Samuel Francis, 1808-1895
Abstract:
A collection of material related to Samuel Francis Smith, American clergyman, journalist, editor, and poet.
Extent:
1.25 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Samuel Francis Smith papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

A collection of family correspondence which includes letters from Samuel Francis Smith to his mother Sarah Bryant Smith and other family members, discussing his life at Andover Seminary and Waterville, Maine. There are also letters between Smith and his wife, Mary White Smith, including their love letters from 1834; letters from Mary White Smith to her family describing her trip to Europe from 1875 to 1876; and Samuel F. Smith's reminiscences about his trip to India in 1877. The collection also includes an acrostic poem and a reproduction of a photograph of Samuel F. Smith.

Biographical / historical:

Samuel Francis Smith (1808-1895) was a Baptist clergyman, journalist, editor, and poet. He is best known today for writing the lyrics to "My Country, tis of Thee," which he entitled "America." Smith was born in Boston, Massachusetts; he attended Harvard College from 1825 to 1829 and Andover Theological Seminary from 1829 to 1834 and was ordained as a Baptist minister on February 12, 1834. Also in 1834, Smith married Mary White Smith and together they had six children. From 1834 to 1842, he was professor of modern languages at Waterville College, Waterville, Maine, and the pastor of First Waterville Baptist Church. In 1841, Smith accepted a job as the editor of The Christian Review and returned to Boston. He also served as pastor of the Newton Center Baptist Church, just outside of Boston. In 1854, Smith became the secretary of the Baptist Missionary Union. After twelve years as pastor of the Newton Center church, he became editorial secretary of the Baptist Missionary Union and served there for fifteen years; from 1875 to 1880 he made many missionary trips to Europe, Turkey, India, Ceylon, and Burma. Smith died suddenly on November 16, 1895, while on his way by train to preach in Boston.

Acquisition information:
mssHM 28774-28778, gift of Mrs. Bess Hathaway, March 1966; mssHM 29272-29304, purchased from Scribner's, lot 11893, March 1967.
Processing information:

Processed by Huntington Library staff in 1970; in March 2026, Gayle M. Richardson created the finding aid.

Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Gayle M. Richardson
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-05-18 08:16:25 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Samuel Francis Smith papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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