Samuel Smith — SPARQNOW

At-a-Glance

Served as a congressman for the Massachusetts Provincial Congress in 1744.
Achieved the rank of Captain in the Massachusetts militia by 1766.
Served as a representative to the General Court from 1763 to 1781.
Chaired the Tea Committee in 1773, which led to the Boston Tea Party.
Represented Topsfield in a meeting concerning the Intolerable Acts in 1774.
Served on the Committee of Public Safety from 1779 to 1785.

Biography

Samuel Smith Jr. (January 26, 1714 – November 14, 1785) was a Christian anti-British politician and militiaman from Topsfield, Massachusetts. He is also recognized as the paternal great-grandfather of Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism. Smith dedicated a significant portion of his life to public service in colonial Massachusetts.

His early political career began in 1744 when he became a congressman for the Massachusetts Provincial Congress during a visit to Ipswich.