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Smedley, Samuel

Male 1753 - 1812  (59 years)


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  • Name Smedley, Samuel 
    Born 5 Mar 1753  Fairfield, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Christened 11 Mar 1753  Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 13 Jun 1812  Fairfield, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I24249  USA
    Last Modified 29 Aug 2014 

    Father Smedley, James,   d. 4 Nov 1771, Fairfield, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Mother Mary,   d. 1766, Fairfield, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F6729  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Father Smedley, (Col) James,   b. 1704, of Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 4 Nov 1771, Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 67 years) 
    Family ID F6726  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Rowland, Esther,   b. 29 Oct 1751, Fairfield, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Sep 1792  (Age 40 years) 
    Married Apr 1771 
    Children 
     1. Smedley, Esther,   c. 5 Nov 1771, Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1771
     2. Smedley, Elizabeth,   c. 10 Aug 1774, Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1778  (Age ~ 3 years)
    Last Modified 5 Aug 2021 
    Family ID F4495  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Journal of the American Revolution
      SAMUEL SMEDLEY AND PRIZE DIVISION

      At the outbreak of war, the Connecticut Assembly voted to construct its own navy. The backbone was two ships: one which they purchased and outfitted - the 16-gun brig Defence - and a second built to order - the 20-gun Oliver Cromwell.

      Governor Trumbull, aided in his prosecution of the war by a handpicked Council of Safety, appointed Seth Harding and Ebenezer Bartram as Defence's captain and first lieutenant. Both were respected and experienced merchant captains. They also appointed Samuel Smedley as lieutenant of marines. Smedley was the cousin of Bartram's wife and the son of James Smedley, a French and Indian War vet who, along with Bartram, owned shares in the Upper Wharf along Black Rock Harbor, a well-developed port in Fairfield, Connecticut. Like his father, Samuel was also an investor in maritime commerce - he and a friend co-owned a large storehouse along the wharf - but unlike him, Samuel seems to have had some sailing experience as well.

      Almost immediately after the initial appointments, the second lieutenant dropped out and Smedley was promoted to his spot. By the end of the year, both Bartram and Harding also quit due to illness. Each time, Smedley climbed a rung of the ladder until he was finally commissioned as Defence's captain in the spring of 1777. He was 23 years old. Defence went on to take a total of seven prizes under his command.

      http://allthingsliberty.com/2013/08/samuel-smedley-and-prize-division/