Ballard Smith

Summary

Ballard Smith was a soldier and congressman from Virginia.

Ballard Smith
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Greenbrier County
In office
1836
Preceded byPierre Withered
Succeeded byHezekiah Pinnell
In office
1824–1825
Joseph Alderson
In office
1810–1812
Alongside Linah Mims, William Morrow
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 7th district
In office
March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1821
Preceded byHugh Caperton
Succeeded byWilliam Smith
Personal details
BornUnknown
Hanover County, Virginia
DiedUnknown
Political partyDemocratic-Republican
Military service
AllegianceUnited States of America
Branch/serviceContinental Army
United States Army
RankCaptain Lieutenant
Major
Unit1st Virginia Regiment
Battles/warsAmerican Revolutionary War

Biography edit

Smith was born in Hanover County, Virginia. In the Revolutionary War, he rose to the now-defunct rank of captain lieutenant in the 1st Virginia Regiment of the Continental Army. In the 1790s, he rose to the rank of major in the United States Army.

He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1810 to 1813 and was later elected a Democratic-Republican to the United States House of Representatives in 1814, serving from 1815 to 1821. Afterwards, Smith returned to the House of Delegates in 1824, serving again until 1826 and again in 1836 and 1837.

Electoral history edit

  • 1815; Smith was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Federalist John Mathews.
  • 1817; Smith was re-elected unopposed.
  • 1819; Smith was re-elected unopposed.

References edit

  • United States Congress. "Ballard Smith (id: S000516)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2009-05-07
  • Service record from Francis B. Heitman's Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army. Heitman says that the Lieutenant Ballard Smith who served in the Revolution died on 20 March 1794, i.e. before the subject of this article served in Congress. Heitman is in error or these are two different men.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 7th congressional district

1815–1821
Succeeded by