Background
Nathaniel was born on January 6, 1762 in Woodbury, Connecticut, United States, the son of poor parents, Richard and Annis (Hurd) Smith.
Nathaniel was born on January 6, 1762 in Woodbury, Connecticut, United States, the son of poor parents, Richard and Annis (Hurd) Smith.
He received little formal schooling. He had hard studies in the law office of Judge Tapping Reeve.
In recognition of his service, Yale College bestowed upon him an honorary master's degree in 1795.
Smith began working in his early years, traveling as a Yankee peddler throughout New England. On one occasion while waiting for his brother, Nathan, who was to join him in Rutland, Vermount, he visited a court room and was so struck by the ineptitude of lawyer and judge that he was moved to test his own talents in a study of the law. He succeeded in gaining admission as clerk and student to the law office of Judge Tapping Reeve. He was admitted to the bar (1787) and began practice in Woodbury.
Smith represented Woodbury in the General Assembly, 1790-95, taking an aggressive leadership in the gradual abolition of slavery and in the foundation of a common-school system financed in part by the sale of the state's western land claims. He was elected a representative in Congress for two terms (1795 - 99), but at the expiration of the second he declined to stand again as a candidate, since he had lost popularity by his support of the Jay Treaty.
Returning to his practice in Woodbury, he represented that town in the state council from 1800 through 1804. In 1806 he was appointed associate judge of the superior court, in which capacity he served with considerable distinction until he was retired in 1819 after the overthrow of the Old Order in the Republican-Tolerationist sweep of the state.
The last three years of his life were marred by a painful illness bravely borne. Smith died in Woodbury on March 9, 1822.
He was a stout Federalist.
He had an indomitable of will. He demonstrated ability as a clever advocate and a magnetic stump-speaker.
Smith married Ruth, daughter of the Rev. Noah Benedict. They had two children, Harriet J. Smith and Nathaniel Benedict Smith.