Edward Dunlap Smith (1807 – March 28, 1883) was a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

clergyman and served as

Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives The chaplain of the United States House of Representatives is the officer of the United States House of Representatives responsible for beginning each day's proceedings with a prayer. The House cites the first half of Article 1, Section 2, Claus ...

(1834–1835).

Early life

Edward Dunlap Smith was born in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, the son of a prominent ironmaster. He was a graduate of

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

, the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and contains his The Lawn, Academical Village, a World H ...

and

Princeton Theological Seminary Princeton Theological Seminary (PTSem), officially The Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church, is a Private university, private seminary, school of theology in Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Establish ...

Ministry

Smith served a Presbyterian church in Washington, D.C., before moving to New York City's Old Chelsea Presbyterian Church (West 22nd Street) in 1838 and preached there for 30 years before retiring.

Chaplain of the House of Representatives

On December 1, 1834, Rev. Edward Dunlap Smith was appointed chaplain of the United States House of Representatives.Presbyterian Historical Society, Montreat, NC

Personal life

Smith met his wife Jane Blair Cary, daughter Virginia Randolph and Wilson Jefferson Cary, while a student at the

. The Smiths were the parents of four sons, including, Archibald Cary Smith the celebrated marine architect, and two daughters.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Edward Dunlap 1807 births 1883 deaths American Presbyterian ministers Princeton University alumni University of Virginia alumni Princeton Theological Seminary alumni Chaplains of the United States House of Representatives 19th-century American clergy