James George Smith (August 20, 1819 – September 16, 1849) was one of eight founders of
Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi (), commonly known as Beta, is a North American social fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. One of North America's oldest fraternities, as of 2022 it consists of 144 active chapters in the Unite ...
, a prominent college fraternity founded at
Miami University
Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public research university in Oxford, Ohio. The university was founded in 1809, making it the second-oldest university in Ohio (behind Ohio University, founded in 1804) and the 10 ...
in 1839.
Early life
Smith was born in
Waynesville, Ohio on August 20, 1819.
His parents were Mary (née Whitehill) and Thomas Edward Smith.
He attended
Miami University
Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public research university in Oxford, Ohio. The university was founded in 1809, making it the second-oldest university in Ohio (behind Ohio University, founded in 1804) and the 10 ...
in
Oxford, Ohio
Oxford is a city in Butler County, Ohio, United States. The population was 23,035 at the 2020 census. A college town, Oxford was founded as a home for Miami University and lies in the southwestern portion of the state approximately northwest ...
, graduating with an A.B. degree in 1840.
Catalogue of Beta Theta Pi, 9th ed
'' James T. Brown, ed., New York: James T. Brown, 1917. via Hathi Trust. While there, he was a member of the Union Literary Society.
He was also one of eight founders of
Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi (), commonly known as Beta, is a North American social fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. One of North America's oldest fraternities, as of 2022 it consists of 144 active chapters in the Unite ...
in 1839 and served as the fraternity's first secretary.
He was roommates with
Samuel Taylor Marshall, another Beta Theta Pi founder, in the west wing Old Main.
[Floriani, Peter J.; Church, Stanley R. (1989). Morris II, B. Hume (ed.)]
''Faithful Home of the Three Stars: The First 150 Years of Beta Theta Pi''.
Cincinnati: The Beta Theta Pi Fraternity / The C. J. Krehbiel Co. p. 525 – via issuu.
Career
After college, Smith was a farmer, living six miles east of
Lebanon, Ohio.
Personal life
Marshall described Smith as a "pale, studious, quiet fellow in delicate health".
In 1941 and 1842, Smith went to Florida to treat his
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
.
He recovered and returned to Ohio.
Smith died on September 16, 1849, in
Warren, Ohio
Warren is a city in and the county seat of Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. Located in northeastern Ohio, Warren lies approximately northwest of Youngstown and southeast of Cleveland. The population was 39,201 at the 2020 census. The his ...
, from
dysentary, resulting from
cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...
.
He was buried in the Smith family cemetery and reinterred in the Miami Cemetery at
Corwin, Ohio
Corwin is a village (United States)#Ohio, village in Wayne Township, Warren County, Ohio, Wayne Township, Warren County, Ohio, United States. The population was 484 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census.
History
Corwin began as a depot on ...
in November 1867.
See also
*
List of Beta Theta Pi members
References
External links
*
{{fraternity-stub
1819 births
1849 deaths
People from Waynesville, Ohio
Miami University alumni
Beta Theta Pi founders
Deaths from cholera in the United States
Deaths from dysentery