Smith, Edwin A

EDWIN A. SMITH.

  Edwin A. Smith, for thirty-six years actively connected with the legal profession and now serving as prosecuting attorney of Orange, was born August 14, 1857, in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

  His father, Joseph H. Smith, was a native of the Keystone state, born December 23, 1833, and was a representative of an old family of [in?] Pennsylvania of English origin. The family was founded in America in early colonial days and had six or more representatives in the Revolutionary war. Joseph H. Smith was a wheelwright by trade and followed that business for many years but is now living retired in West Haven. He became a resident of New Haven in 1859 and during the intervening period has been closely connected with this section of the state. He married Hannah Barber, a native of Pennsylvania, who belonged to one of the old Pennsylvania families. She traced her descent from Robert Barber, who came to America during the latter part of the seventeenth century and settled near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The family were Quakers and although that sect is opposed to war, some of them participated in the Revolutionary war, thus aiding in winning American independence. Mrs. Smith survives and is now eighty-two years of age, her birth having occurred in May, 1835. To Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Smith were born four children, two of whom are living: Edwin A. of this review; and Mrs. T. J. McRonald [cq], of Southington, Connecticut.

  Edwin A. Smith is indebted to the public school system of New Haven for his early educational opportunities. He passed through consecutive grades to the high school and when seventeen years of age started out to earn his own livelihood, being first employed along mechanical lines. It being his desire to enter upon a professional career he entered with that purpose in view the law department of Yale University and was graduated in 1881 with the LL. B. degree. He pursued post graduate studies during the following year, receiving the degree of Master of Laws. Following his graduation he at once opened an office and entered upon practice, in which he has actively continued to the present.

  In 1892, in New Haven, Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth A. Cornwall, a native of Connecticut, born in New Haven and a daughter of Samuel and Louisa Cornwall, both of whom have passed away. The latter belonged to the Woodruff family of Orange, Connecticut, while the Cornwalls were of an old Milford, Connecticut, family of English descent. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith have been born two sons: Alan, who was graduated from Yale in 1916 with the Bachelor of Arts degree; and Woodruff R., who was a member of the class of 1918 in the Sheffield Scientific School, and was drafted in the national army.

  Mr. and Mrs. Smith are connected with the Episcopal church and he gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He was a member of the town court of Orange, having been assistant judge for four years. He has also served as assistant prosecuting attorney and is now prosecuting attorney of Orange.
 
 

Modern History of New Haven
and 
Eastern New Haven County

Illustrated

Volume II

New York – Chicago
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company 
1918

pgs 648 - 649

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NEW HAVEN 
COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES
pages / text are copyrighted by
Elaine Kidd O'Leary &
Anne Taylor-Czaplewski
May 2002