Rash's Surname Index
Notes for Persifor Frazer SMITH
SMITH, Persifor Frazer, soldier, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., November, 1798; son of Jonathan and Mary Anne (Frazer) Smith; grandson of Col. Robert, of the Continental army, and Margaret (Vaughn) Smith, and of Lieutenant-Colonel Persifor (of the 5th regiment Pennsylvania line and brigadier-general of the Pennsylvania militia) and Mary Worrall (Taylor) Frazer, and a great-grandson of John and Susanna Smith, who came to America in 1720 from the North of Ireland. He was graduated from the College of New Jersey, A.B., 1815, A.M., 1818, and established a law practice in New Orleans, La. He was adjutant-general of the state; served in the Florida war as colonel of Louisiana volunteers and under Gen. Edmund P. Gaines in the campaigns of 1836 and 1838. In 1846 he was appointed colonel of an infantry regiment and commanded a brigade during the war with Mexico. [p.422] He was commissioner of armistice with Mexico in October, 1847; commanded the 2d division of the U.S. army; was military governor of Vera Cruz in May, 1848, and later commanded the departments of California and Texas. He was brevetted major-general of U.S.A. for Monterey in 1849, and brigadier-general for Contreras and Churubusco, Dec. 30, 1856, and served in garrison at Kansas. He died in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., May 17, 1858.
SMITH, PERSIFOR FRAZER (1798-1858). Persifor Frazer Smith, United States army officer, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 16, 1798, the son of Joseph and Mary Anne (Frazer) Smith. He graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1815 and studied law until 1819, when he moved to New Orleans, where he was elected to several civil offices. He was also elected to the command of a company and then a battalion of Louisiana militia before becoming the state's adjutant general. On January 19, 1822, he married Frances Jeanette Bureau. The couple had one son, who became a physician in New Orleans. Smith raised and, on February 2, 1836, was elected colonel of a regiment of Louisiana volunteers for the Seminole War, in which he served with distinction in the campaigns of 1836 and 1838. Upon his return to Louisiana he became judge of the city of Lafayette and later of Jefferson Parish. With the outbreak of the Mexican Warqv Smith was appointed brigadier general of Louisiana volunteers on May 15, 1846; on May 27 he accepted a commission as United States Army colonel. He commanded a brigade in Gen. Zachary Taylor'sqv army at the storming of Monterrey, and on September 23, 1846, was brevetted to brigadier general for "gallant and meritorious conduct" in that conflict. After transfer to the army of Gen. Winfield Scott, Smith was given command of the new Regiment of Mounted Rifles and took part in the siege of Veracruz. He played a decisive role in the American victory as commander of a brigade of Gen. David E. Twiggs'sqv division at the battle of Contreras, on August 20, 1847. Smith further distinguished himself in the campaign for Mexico City and was brevetted to major general on August 20, 1847, for his role in the battles of Contreras and Churubusco. He served on the armistice commission that ended hostilities with Mexico and was appointed military governor of Mexico City. Later, as commanding general at Veracruz, he oversaw the evacuation of the last United States forces from Mexico. After the war Smith became the first commander of the Pacific Division and subsequently, from 1850 to 1856, commanded the Department of Texas. His wife died in 1852, while he was in Texas, and on April 18, 1854, he married Anne Monica Millard Armstrong, the widow of another army officer and the mother of Confederate general Frank C. Armstrong. In 1856 Smith was transferred to command of the Western Department, with headquarters in St. Louis. He was promoted to brigadier general on December 30, 1856. In April 1858 he was assigned to the command of the Department of Utah and given a mandate to suppress the Mormon insurrection, but he died at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on May 17, 1858, while organizing his new command. He was buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia.
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