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Clinton Smith (architect)

Clinton Smith (May 6, 1846, Middlebury, Vermont - August 2, 1905) was an American architect. He designed many buildings in Middlebury and around Vermont.

Early life

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Clinton Smith was born on the homestead farm of his family in the east part of Middlebury, Vermont, on May 6, 1846. He was the oldest son of George Smith and Julia Willmarth. He was descended from those who have been identified with the history of Vermont from the earliest times. His maternal ancestors made a record in the war of the Revolution and the war of 1812. His paternal grandfather came to Middlebury before the true site of the town was determined. His father George Smith will be remembered in Addison County, Vermont, as an educator and contracting builder. [1]

Career

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Shard Villa (1872-1874), 1177 Shard Villa Road, West Salisbury, VT

Clinton Smith was the architect and builder of many of the best buildings in Middlebury, Vermont, such as the court house, town hall, Methodist church, Baptist church, Beckwith block, Dyer block and many residences. [1]

His first work of consequence was the erection of Shard Villa, the stone residence in Salisbury, Vermont, of Columbus Smith. [1]

State Library & Supreme Court (1886), State Street, Montpelier, VT

He was widely known throughout the state also in adjacent parts of New Hampshire and New York, as a builder of churches and public buildings, among them the library annex to the Capitol building in Montpelier, Vermont, and the Asylum for the Insane at Waterbury, Vermont. [1]

In 1891 he accepted a position in the War Department at Washington, D.C. as Chief of Construction and Repair under Hon. Redfield Proctor, then secretary of War in Harrison's administration, and with his family removed to the capital city. He served the government acceptably exactly fourteen years when he resigned his position partly on account of impaired health and partly from a wish to accept another position under Senator Redfield Proctor which offered him outside exercise and air of which so much desk work deprived him. His desk work, however, had been constantly alleviated by long trips to inspect buildings under construction at army posts and reservations in all parts of the United States, thus he became known to a wide circle of friends in every walk of life. [1]

His resignation took effect June 1, 1905 and he became one of the incorporators of "The Talpin Construction Co.", in Washington and began the erection of its first building a large marble apartment house Champlain Apartment Building on K street in that city. This furnished him congenial and absorbing occupation until he was stricken by an alarming illness on July 28, 1905. Two trained nurses and his family attended his bedside. All that medical skill could accomplish was employed in vain. His disease was pronounced typhoid fever of a virulent type. He suffered hemorrhage after hemorrhage yet made a gallant fight for life till weakness prostrated every faculty and he breathed his last on the evening of August 2, 1905. This was his third attack of that dread disease. The first one was at the age of 14 years, the next 10 years later. Each attack was exceptionally severe and heightened by complications. His funeral was attended at his suburban residence "Smitholm" on August 4, 1905. [1]

Personal life

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Clinton Smith married Alice Matilda "Olive" White. They had 6 children: Charles Lynn Smith (1869-1875), Clifton Roberts Smith (1878-1923), Delmar White Smith (1874-1949, contracting builder in Manila), Harold Smith (1882-1967), Leon Neil Smith (1889-1936), Helena Mercy Smith (b. 1872) (wife of Prof. Charles J. Bullock of Harvard). [1] [2]

He was buried at Foote Street Cemetery, Middlebury. [1]

Works

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Aug. 11, 1905". Middlebury Register. 1905.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ Willard, Frances Elizabeth, 1839-1898; Livermore, Mary Ashton Rice, 1820-1905 (1893). A woman of the century; fourteen hundred-seventy biographical sketches accompanied by portraits of leading American women in all walks of life. Buffalo, N.Y., Moulton. pp. 669–670. Retrieved 8 August 2017.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.