Early Life
Smith was born in Jericho, now Bainbridge, New York on January 6, 1799. His early New England ancestors include Thomas Bascom, constable of Northampton, Massachusetts, who came to America in 1634. Thomas Bascom was of Huguenot and French Basque ancestry. Smith came from two God-fearing New England families and was personally taught by Methodist circuit preachers. Around 1810, Smith's father, who owned a general store, allegedly was caught using counterfeit currency. To protect his family's reputation, the elder Smith moved his family West to Erie County, Pennsylvania. While growing up, Smith's love of nature and adventure came from his mentor, Dr. Titus G. V. Simons, a pioneer physician who was on close terms with the Smith family. Simons gave the young Smith a copy of Lewis and Clarks 1814 journal to the Pacific. By legend, Smith is claimed to have carried this journal on all of his travels throughout the American West. His family's nickname for him while growing up was "Diah". The Smith family moved westward again to Ohio and settled in Green Township or what is now called Ashland County in 1817.
Read more about this topic: Jedediah Smith
Famous quotes containing the words early and/or life:
“And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea.”
—Bible: New Testament, Matthew 14:25.
“Look at your [English] ladies of quality—are they not forever parting with their husbands—forfeiting their reputations—and is their life aught but dissipation? In common genteel life, indeed, you may now and then meet with very fine girls—who have politeness, sense and conversation—but these are few—and then look at your trademen’s daughters—what are they?—poor creatures indeed! all pertness, imitation and folly.”
—Frances Burney (1752–1840)