While in Congress, Smith delivered the speech, ""The Defense of the Independent Treasury Idea", which gained national attention and was considered one of the best speeches on this subject.[6] Smith received an honorary Master of Arts degree from the University of Vermont.[7]
After leaving Congress, Smith became involved in railroad enterprises and helped establish the Vermont and Canada Railroad.[8]
Family
John Smith married Maria Waitstill Curtis in 1814. Their children included Harriet Maria, J. Gregory, Edward Curtis, Worthington Curtis, Julia Pierpont, Francis Curtis, and Louisa Ten Broeck.[9][10][11]
Smith was also the great-great-grandfather of William Scranton, who served as Governor of and a Congressman from Pennsylvania. The genealogical line runs from John Smith (great-great-grandfather) to Worthington C. Smith (great-grandfather) to Katherine Maria Smith Scranton (grandmother) to Worthington Scranton (father) to William Scranton.
"Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation, Volume 2" by Hiram Carleton, published by Lewis Publishing Company, 1903.