Francis Hopkinson Smith

For other people named Francis Smith, see Francis Smith (disambiguation).
Francis Hopkinson Smith

Smith circa 1903
Born (1838-10-23)October 23, 1838
Died April 7, 1915(1915-04-07) (aged 76)
Signature
In the Woods by Francis Hopkinson Smith

Francis Hopkinson Smith (October 23, 1838 – April 7, 1915) was a United States author, artist and engineer. He built the foundation for the Statue of Liberty, wrote many famous stories and received awards for his paintings.

Biography

Smith was born in Baltimore, Maryland, a descendant of Francis Hopkinson, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He graduated from the Boys' Latin School of Maryland.

Smith became a contractor in New York City and did much work for the federal government, including the stone ice-breaker at Bridgeport, Connecticut, the jetties at the mouth of the Connecticut River, the foundation for the Bartholdi Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, the Race Rock Lighthouse (southwest of Fishers Island, New York) and many life-saving stations. His vacations were spent sketching in the White Mountains, in Cuba and in Mexico. He also visited and sketched in Venice, Constantinople and the Netherlands.

His first popular book was Col. Carter of Cartersville (1891). His 1896 novel Tom Grogan and 1898 novel Caleb West were each the best selling book in the United States in the year of their release.

Selected bibliography

He illustrated and published numerous travelogues, including:

His novels and short stories are especially felicitous in their portrayal of the Old South. Among them are:

Notes

  1. ↑ (June 20, 1903). Hopkinson Smith's New Story, The New York Times

References

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