William Stephens Smith (1755-1816) was a Revolutionary War veteran and served in many diplomatic and administrative roles. In c. 1785 Smith became the secretary to the American legation in London, where he subsequently courted and married John and Abigail Adams' daughter Abigail "Nabby" Adams in 1786. In 1800 Smith was appointed as the Surveyor of Customs for the Port of New York by President Adams. In 1806 he was removed from this position by President Jefferson following his involvement in Francisco de Miranda’s filibustering expedition to liberate Venezuela from Spanish rule. Smith's last public role was a single term in the U.S. House of Representatives (c. 1812-1814) before his death in 1816.
Fore, Samuel K. “William Stephens Smith .” George Washington’s Mount Vernon, www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article…, accessed 9 October 2025.
“William Stephens Smith.” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/S000638, accessed 9 October 2025.
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